Both art and science are important factors in the color and design trends influencing home and housewares right now, said color expert Lee Eiseman in her keynote address, The Art of Living: Directional Color/Design Trends, at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

Eiseman, who is director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, shared the insights and inspirations that went into creating the seven palettes in the Pantone®View Home + Interiors 2024, which were unveiled in the Show’s Pantone ColorWatch display.

“Being alive is an apt metaphor in a time when we are still, and we really are, emerging from the anxiety that has engulfed us in the last few years,” said Eiseman. “We can’t ignore that. We know that no matter where we are in this ongoing process, it’s left an indelible and emotional mark on our lives that seeks relief, renewed optimism and rejuvenation.”

Art is an important part of that healing, as it allows us to use our imaginations to visualize new ideas or to express emotions, she explained. Science is important because it provides the very explanation for life itself and how lifeforms are created, evolve and are sustained.

Both art and science played a role in the selection of the 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta. That hue, which Eiseman described as a nuanced crimson red that balances both warm and cool colors, reflected both the influence of digitized art and a very small, but powerful creature – the cochineal beetle who produces carmine dye – one of the most precious, strongest and brightest in the natural dye family.

When it comes to art, Eiseman says she’s particularly interested in the resurgence of surrealism, which portrays “dreams as an escape from reality.” The style often incorporates unique color combinations that “dare to be different.”

Trending artforms that are more nature-based include regenerative design, which often offers a creative and quirky mix of colors, designs and materials that “bring new life to anything that is abused, under-used or otherwise neglected.” There’s also Storm Chaser artwork that captures landscapes at tumultuous, but very colorful, moments in time.

She’s also watching how cuisine is often elevated to an artform, especially when it comes to baking and cocktails/specialty beverages.

When it comes to science, water – an essential source of life and energy to many lifeforms – is emerging as a theme in several ways. One is literally in terms of the popularity of the blue palette, which is often associated with clarity, health and balance. Another is in the popularity of products coming from ocean-related materials, whether seaweed or clay from the powdered shells of sea creatures. There’s also the continued popularity of pearlized finishes and metallics, which evoke the undulating motion of water.

Sustainability or nature-based color and designs continue to resonate, as does anything related to health and wellness.

Entertainment is one of the many industries Eiseman studies for future color trends and preferences. In this year’s session, she cited the latest Avatar movie – whose theme involves water; an upcoming sequel to Disney’s “Inside Out” – where each character or emotion assumes a color; and “Despicable Me 4,” which incorporates traditional blacks and whites, with a wide range of supporting colors.

She also noted that the colors in many of the action-adventure games that remain popular are definitely darker. While those colors are not for everyone – the lighter or mid-tone colors remain most popular – it’s important to note that some people may be more comfortable with them.

Eiseman closed her session by detailing each of the seven Pantone®View Home + Interiors 2024 palettes unveiled at the Show. Each one speaks to a different way consumers can move forward in our post-pandemic world in a tempting, positive and deeply human way.

• Sustenance – This palette reflects “the rituals of entertaining and dining that never goes out of style,” said Eiseman. It evokes feelings of creative cooking, love and laughter, and the joy of sharing. It involves greens, blue-greens, a yellow-green, some deeper tones and a suggestion of pink.

• Replenish – Eiseman called this “a water-born palette,” which involves many shades of blue but also incorporates apricot and pink to add “a touch of newness.” Evoking thoughts of self-care, hydration and calming bath rituals, it’s all about life balance and rejuvenation.

• Creative Mixology – Every color family is represented here – even earth tones – in this palette that Eiseman called “great fun.” This palette is all about individuality and experimentation, allowing for free-spirited aesthetics and the mixing of old and new.

• Sanctuary – For those who want softness and steadiness, Sanctuary offers relaxation and harmony with several pastels, mid-tones and a deeper, chocolate-like brown. It inspires a simple environment, where smart technology solutions are hidden underneath the surface.

• Stylist – Inspired by fashion crossovers, this combination features many blues and blue-greens, but also incorporates metallics, which add a sheen and “the feeling of undulating water.” This palette feels both traditional and contemporary and has universal appeal.

• Surrealism – Consumers looking to escape from the everyday with unexpected and unusual color combinations will likely appreciate this one. Described as “illogical, quirky and witty,” Surrealism evokes feelings of an uninhibited dream state.

• Scenic – Inspired by the prismatic hues in nature’s light spectrum, this palette is dynamic and visually arresting (think flashes of lightning, bold sunsets, reflections of bright colors on clouds). Pinks and purples combine with oranges and orange-pinks, as well as some earthy tones for a “quite beautiful” effect, Eiseman said.

As the world gradually moves from pandemic to endemic, consumers are prioritizing wellness, but they also value time, space, experience and responsibility said the IHA Market Watch authors at a keynote session at The Inspired Home Show 2023. The session incorporated data from the just-released 2023 HomePage News Consumer Outlook Survey and the 2023 IHA Occasions Report, as well as a sneak peek at the 2023 IHA Market Watch Report, which will be released in late March/early April.

Following record sales while the pandemic led many people to spend so much time at home, “This industry is at a unique inflection point where it needs to speak a little louder and where it needs to try to win share,” said Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of HomePage News, who moderated the discussion. “It can do so by understanding the consumer and driving innovation in product, marketing and merchandising.”

Giannetti was joined by IHA Market Watch authors Leana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing; Tom Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures; and Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group.

Reflecting IHA’s consumer-centric approach of the last few years, “The emphasis in the coming year should be not so much on what we can create, but why we should create it,” said Salamah. “We should be asking ‘What need is it solving?’ or ‘What viewpoint is it delivering on?’

“Positioning is also a huge piece of responding to consumer values,” she added. “It doesn’t have to just be about new products. Sometimes taking something that already exists and repositioning it or thinking about how it fits into some of these pillars can be just as effective as wholesale new product development.”

The five pillars or driving forces that were the focus of the IHA Market Watch Survey 2023 were: time, space, experience, wellness and social responsibility.

Wellness emerged as the overwhelming top pillar or driving force for consumers this year. When asked which was most important to them at home, 47% said wellness. That was followed by time (19%), experience (14%), space (11%) and responsibility (9%).

Respondents ranked mental wellness as slightly more important than physical wellness, as they did in 2022. Salamah said wellness actually encompasses all the Market Watch pillars and that the “really critical” importance of wellness has come through in a number of recent IHA consumer surveys.

When it comes to time, consumers who are most driven by time concerns are those 25-44 years old. This tends to be the age group that is juggling busy work schedules, kids’ activities and possibly caring for aging parents.

“There are so many challenges right now related to time that are ripe for smart home innovation,” said Derochowski.

In fact, the Market Watch survey showed higher intent to buy smart home products in 2023 compared to last year. Respondents said they would be most interested in smart products that had auto-cleaning features (52%), followed by detecting or ordering parts (51%), coordinating meal elements (49%), detecting ingredients or suggesting recipes (49%) and counting calories or macros (47%).

When it comes to space, those who value it the most are 35-44 years old and have an income level of $50,000 or less. This leaves significant opportunities for storage and organization products, as well as affordable and versatile home décor, said Derochowski.

Consumers (especially younger ones) are open to renting home and housewares products, which may be a way for them to try new things and express themselves in different ways while not conflicting with their space challenges. “They want access, not ownership,” said Mirabile.

As for experience, the home and housewares industry also has a lot to offer consumers who value experience but may not be spending as much discretionary income in 2023. Thirty-five percent of consumers plan to entertain at home more in the coming year, according to the Occasions survey.

Data so far in 2023 supports that trend as sales of products such as beer and cocktail items, fondue sets, popcorn makers, slow cookers and pie servers are especially strong, said Derochowski.

Consumers say their biggest challenges related to entertaining are post-event clean-up, preparing everything to be ready at the same time and general meal prep, according to the Occasions Survey.

Responsibility continues to be important to consumers when it comes to home, though the Market Watch survey found it to be most important to consumers 55 years and older.

Salamah said this was a little surprising, given the attention that younger generations tend to give to environmental concerns. When they dug a little deeper into responses from young people, she found that price differences or lack of convenience may cause them to rate responsibility issues lower. “I think that begs the question, ‘How do we remove barriers to entry for them?’” she said.

The panel agreed that home and housewares products could address more than one of the five pillars or driving values discussed in the session. “Think of it as a checklist,” said Mirabile. “The more pillars you can check off on any given item, the more you’re going to sell.”

A video recording of the program will be posted on the Show’s website at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/education/#keynotes. 

While there are many factors influencing consumers’ perception of value these days, trust and quality emerged as the two most important in new research revealed by IHA’s trend expert Tom Mirabile at The Inspired Home Show 2023.

Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures, gave a keynote session, Consumers In Control: Insights & Imperatives for the New Economy, to reveal the 2023 Value Equation Index – new research highlighting the most important elements influencing consumers’ purchases of home and housewares products today. The survey of 1,200 U.S. householders was conducted just two weeks ago as a joint project between Springboard Futures, Project Partners Network and The Trend Curve.

Trust emerged as consumers’ #1 consideration when purchasing home and housewares products. When choosing a retailer or brand for those purchases, 22% said trust was extremely important, 37% said very important, 37% said somewhat important and only 2% said not important at all.

Reputation for reliability/durability influenced their trust the most (60%), followed by prior personal experience (47%). (Respondents could select two factors.) Recommendations from others came in next (28%) indicating “we’re delegating trust to other people” to some degree, said Mirabile.

Brand remains a significant aspect of trust, with 88% saying brand is extremely, very or somewhat important. For newer companies or even legacy brands looking to mix things up a bit, Mirabile pointed out that brand partnerships and licensing agreements are “an opportunity to reinvent yourself constantly.” These relationships are probably under-utilized in the home and housewares industry, he added.

Quality came in as consumers’ #2 most important consideration when purchasing home and housewares products. Durability (59%) and reliable performance (51%) were by far the top two factors in determining quality, followed by safety (21%), ease of use (19%), minimal care (16%) and material composition (13%).

Among the other factors influencing consumers’ perceptions of value today are:

• Price – When it comes to price, waiting for a promotion was most likely to influence a purchasing decision (39%). But free shipping/returns was a close second at 34%, a category that Mirabile said jumped from last year’s survey. The ability to earn loyalty rewards also increased its influence from 2022.

• Convenience – The pandemic created new standards for convenience that aren’t going to go away, said Mirabile. Home delivery/store pick-up remained an important factor here, coming in as the #2 most important factor at 43%.

• Ratings & Reviews – While there’s definitely some skepticism of online ratings and reviews, consumers find negative reviews to be the most helpful for two reasons, said Mirabile. One is because they give brands an opportunity to respond or handle them publicly, and the other is they make positive reviews seem more authentic or genuine.

• Lifestyle Benefits – Mirabile often encourages housewares brands to think about “What’s the message (about lifestyle benefits) beyond what a product does?” and to include that on packaging or in online content. Respondents rated wellness (46%) as the top lifestyle benefit they’re looking for, followed by family & friends (34%), learning new skills (33%) and emotional health (30%).

• Shopping Experience – Most consumers say they do an equal mix of shopping in-store and online (43%), though the number of those who skew one way or the other tends to lean more heavily toward online only (37% vs 22%). “The opportunity here is to excite consumers in-store,” Mirabile said.

• Responsibility – Social responsibility is trending up in importance, and environmental responsibility is trending down. But that doesn’t mean environmental concerns are going away, he said, they may just be taking a back seat to other more pressing concerns right now.

• Data privacy, safety and security – 75% of respondents said privacy, safety and security was extremely or very important.

A video recording of the program will be posted on the Show’s website at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/education/#keynotes.

Leading retail executives, market data analysts and consumer trend and color forecast experts will share their home and housewares industry vision in special keynote presentations during The Inspired Home Show 2023.

The Show will be held March 4-7 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. The keynotes are set for Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Room S102 in the South Building. The hour-long sessions will be held at 1 p.m. each day and 10 a.m. on Sunday. Admission is free to all Show attendees.

In the Show’s opening keynote, Julie Barber, executive vice president, general merchandising, Walmart U.S., and Justine Van Buren, general manager, home goods, Walmart Marketplace, will examine how Walmart has adapted to meet the needs of its customers in a presentation entitled Winning in an Evolving Retail Landscape at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Barber and Van Buren will dive into Walmart’s growth as a true omnichannel retailer; explain how Walmart is using both owned and marketplace-offered merchandise to become even more relevant for customers; and describe how to be successful in today’s omni world.

Other keynote sessions will focus on exclusive IHA data on consumer values, insights on consumer expectations that drive purchasing and a look at the inspiration, clarity and meaning to future color and design trends. They feature veteran IHA trend forecasters and keynoters Leatrice Eiseman, director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute; and Tom Mirabile, principal of Springboard Futures, along with industry experts Joe Derochowski, vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group; Leana Salamah, vice president, marketing, International Housewares Association; and Peter Giannetti, editor-in-chief of HomePage News.

Here is a detailed schedule of the keynotes:

Saturday, March 4

1 – 2 p.m.

Winning in an Evolving Retail Landscape

Julie Barber, executive vice president, general merchandising, Walmart U.S.

Justine Van Buren, general manager, home goods, Walmart Marketplace

Join Walmart executives Julie Barber and Justine Van Buren to learn how Walmart has adapted to meet the needs of its customers. Dive into Walmart’s growth as a true omnichannel retailer; hear how Walmart is using both owned and marketplace-offered merchandise to become even more relevant for customers; and understand how to be successful in today’s omni world.

Sunday, March 5

10 – 11 a.m.

State of the Housewares Industry/IHA Market Watch

Leana Salamah, Tom Mirabile, Joe Derochowski, Peter Giannetti

Join the authors of the IHA Market Watch report for a lively discussion of the consumer values and demands that are driving purchases as consumers evolve from pandemic to endemic in 2023. Coupled with hard data from the extensive IHA/HomePage News Consumer Outlook survey, this session will provide suppliers with insights to help prioritize product development and rethink marketing/positioning of products and provide retailers with insights to drive sourcing decisions and merchandising strategies in the year ahead.

1 p.m.-2 p.m

Consumers In Control: Insights & Imperatives for the New Economy

Tom Mirabile

Whether you’re on the shifting sands of supply side or the front lines of retail, an emphasis on the consumer is essential. Still, staying focused can be difficult with today’s incessant storm of new, sometimes conflicting, information. It’s time to take a fresh look at the crucial elements of success as Mirabile discusses The 2023 Value Equation Index. In this enlightening national survey, home and housewares consumers reveal what creates value for them and which expectations will drive their spending in 2023 and beyond.

Monday, March 6

1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman

The Art of Living: Directional Color/Design Trends

As featured in the Pantone View color forecast, the theme titled “the Art of Living” offers inspiration, clarity and meaning to future color and design trends. Providing direction and insights on design and color palettes, this presentation clearly defines consumers’ needs and motivations in a challenging time. Eiseman will feature and explain the appropriate harmonies, moods and hues that will resonate for your clients or customers.

For more information on the keynote sessions, Visit here: EDUCATION.