January 2014 Trip to Atlanta....Better Late than Never

Well, as usual this post is long over due.  I have had a jam packed schedule this year and am behind in all things, once again!  The last I blabbed/you read  I was headed to Atlanta for the Gift Show.  The Robin's Nest was in search of hand-crafted products to add to the shop. Another goal of heading down to "Market", as it's known in the biz is see what's trending in the decor world.  I think myself a trend spotter, you see. (hehehehe) Seriously though, even though I focus on vintage in my shop, I want to make sure that my displays and products align with current trends. (Bustin' out some of my marketing garble for you!) So I'll share some of what I saw down in Atlanta.
P.S. Gotta give a shout out to one of my besties, Kelly, from Madison & Mabel. Drop by her site and take a look at her custom furniture...amazing!

Color is still king.....

Lots of color to be seen all throughout the showrooms in Atlanta.  The bold hues that we saw last year are still going strong.  Of course, I am drawn to the aqua and robin's egg blues that I saw.  uh duh!

Taxidermy lives on........

One of my favorite trends!  Let's just say.....if it has a head it was mounted on a wall.  Whimsical, realistic, colorful everywhere I looked in Atlanta I saw a mounted head.  Long gown are the days of just deer and moose.  Hedgehogs, rams, raccoons, gerbils......check in the box.

Unconventional Materials and Style.....

Creative use of materials and style continues to dominate the market.  Either a "knock-off" found in a department store or the real vintage "deal" out of the box design is strong.  Since this arena is my first love, it was a lot of fun seeing what small companies were showing.  I'm not a huge fan of the knock-offs.

Ethnic Style and Texture....

Again....loving this trend.  Although you might not want to build a room around this trend. It's fun to pick a few elements to add to your existing style.  I believe style is simply surrounding yourself with things that make you happy.  Don't be afraid to color outside the lines.

A few pics that made me smile.....

I hope you enjoyed this little snippet from my time in Atlanta, GA during the Jan. 2014 Home and Gift Show.  Make sure to keep your eyes peeled this year as you shop to see if you spot the trends that I found.

Have a good one,

Robin

Looking for a change??? Try a Focal Wall

So it's soon to be spring.  If you are like me, you start looking around your house and think it's

 time to freshen things up!  After all the sun shines longer and it boosts your spirits.  I just get

 itching  for a new project.  Hubby tends to hide from me knowing the gleam in my eye.  Knowing

 I will  probably have to do a spring project alone, I think it's wise to pick something quick

 and manageable for a weekend. 

 

 I'm thinking about a focal wall in my family room.  As I sit and ponder slurp a cup of coffee in front of ye ole laptop and surf for ideas, I am bombarded with some amazing ideas that I thought I would share with you.

 

PAINT..cheapest option

use masking tape

stencil

projector/freehand design

 

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WALLPAPER...

do a whole wall $$

paper just a portion $

 

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WOOD...most expensive

vintage shutters

rustic wood

mis-match wood

 

 

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I haven't settled on a project yet.  There are so many options to choose from.  I'd love to hear how you created a focal wall in your home.  The ideas are endless!!

 

Have a good one,

Robin