Designer Snapshot: Looking for Inspiration

By Paula M. Bodah

Designers look far and wide for inspiration, ideas and new products. Tracy Davis, of Urban Dwellings in Portland, Maine, found plenty to get excited about when she traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, in January for the annual Heimtextil show. “Trade shows keep my foundation of ideas fresh,†Tracy says. “I don’t care to do the same thing over and over.†The largest textile trade fair in the world offered a dizzying array of products that Tracy looks forward to sharing with her clients. Here are a few of the things she fell in love with.

Eco Wallpapers “aren’t your grandmother’s wallpaper,†Tracy says. These bold, daring papers are part of the reason why wallpaper is making a comeback in a big way. Among her favorites:

Eco’s Revival collection draws its inspiration from the graphic patterns characteristic of the 1950s and ’60s, like the boomerang pattern here, yet it exudes a contemporary and modern feel.

Revival Collection. Photo courtesy of Eco Wallpapers

Eco’s Wood collection plays with the light, shadows and shapes found in nature.

Wood Collection. Photo courtesy of Eco Wallpapers

The Exclusive collection is all about making a statement with bright, bold colors and interesting textures. Here, velvet flowers (who said floral wallpaper was passé?) bloom on a background with hints of metallic shine.

Exclusive Collection. Photo courtesy of Eco Wallpapers

These molded plastic pieces designed by Ulf Mortis for Orac Decor come in a dozen shapes to be mixed and matched for decorative effects from whimsical to elegant. The pieces come primed and ready to be painted any color. “It’s such a cool way to add dimension to a space,†Tracy says.

Photo courtesy of Orac Decor

Photo courtesy of Orac Decor

Finally, Tracy was wowed by the new sheer fabrics for window treatments, like this one, called Clipper, from Kinnasand Textiles. “Sheers are hot right now,†she says. “They’re doing away with the idea that windows need to be covered, not seen.â€

Photo courtesy of Kinnasand Textiles