Design Me A Room... In Anything But Beige!

I recently visited a local Gilbert furniture store to survey the mid-year wares and found, as I always do, that Arizona still falls quite behind in the times when it comes to current fashion and furnishings. As a designer who enjoys the benefit of seeing the vast and consistently new contributions to the ever- changing world of design and decor, I often wonder why Arizonan's are allowed such a limited view. In speaking to one of the saleswomen in the store, we smiled as we recalled designing country style rooms in actual colors like blues and corals and greens. She said she longed for clients that "allow" her to press such thoughts for their homes. She is from the mid-west and her friend who stood idly by and commented every so often was from San Francisco, where beiges and browns are a taboo. So who created the rule that interior design in Arizona must be done in all 3,000 shades of tan? And why has every designer, good or bad conformed to this sad and colorless world of blah neutrals with small "pops of color"?

It seems that Arizona furniture stores have created their own "catch 22". Homeowners look to furniture stores to provide inspiration into "what's in style" for home interiors. Most homeowners are visual people- they understand what they see and the stores are stocked full of wall to wall upholstered pieces in taupes, browns, tans and creams. The buyer, not having much of a choice in way of color, selects their furnishings by the best style they see on the floor. The store owner researches the best selling pieces and buys more, never taking the chance of displaying anything other than what their customers will buy. After all, why deviate from a "sure thing"? And so the cycle continues on and on for years, displaying the same basic styles, changing a throw pillow here, a coffee table there, but never introducing a new innovative thought until forced.

Two seasons ago, The Las Vegas World Market introduced gray color schemes into the color palettes of homes across the country. The World Market is a three building mega design center that hosts a week long event showcasing all of the newest trends, colors and styles in fabrics, furnishings and decor to be sold by manufacturers across the world. Designers, furniture store owners and vendors from all over attend and bring back with them the excitement of all that is new and fresh and should be shared with their clients. And yet, in Arizona, it seems as though many of us get stifled by the purchasing power of the few large stores who just don't believe that their customers would be interested in such a concept as a plum colored sofa or using brown as the exception and not the rule. Last season The Market introduced bold and subtle shades of orange, yellow and lime, along with great new purples and yet I am sad to report they are virtually no where to be found in a showroom near you; I order them by catalog.

So, as designers it is up to us to educate the consumer about all of the many options they have for interior design. We can infuse life into the rooms of our client's homes and bring them something new and stimulating to be proud of showing off to visitors and friends. We can help to modernize the ideas of what our clients buy, which might force furniture stores to take notice that there are more paint colors than Dunn Edwards Baked Potato and drama is not only created by a dark chocolate accent wall! In the coming posts I will show you furnishings, decor and ways to design your home...in anything but beige!