Jennifer Mehditash: Touchy Feely Design

Spring brings not only sunshine and flowers, but also a crazy time for interior designers. So many shows, trade fairs, markets–you name it, it is happening across the globe, and sometimes it can become hard to pick and choose which event you want to attend and what kinds of great finds you will be bringing back to the office.

As a designer I always try to visit these events with an open mind, and I’m not necessarily looking out for trends as I walk the halls and meet the vendors. But it is curious that, by the end of events this year such as my recent trip to High Point Market or the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York this past weekend, I left with a sense of having repeatedly felt drawn to reach out and touch the pieces in front of me.

Is this the latest trend? I think it might be. Materials are being manipulated in a way that your eyes alone cannot process, so your hand quickly follows up by gathering a secondary sensory upload of information through touch.

Wood, shells, metals, glass…you name it, there is a piece of furniture or an accessory made from it, as brands have found interesting, contemporary ways to reinterpret these materials in classical shapes and styles.

Moroccan-style shell console from Currey & Co.

All photos courtesy of Jennifer Mehditash

Chiseled and smooth glass vase from Arteriors Home.

Carved floral wooden frame mirror from Oly Studio.

Lanna Home raffia tray table with nailhead trim (detail) from Century Furniture.

Stone coffee table from Global Views.

Ceiling light fixtures in woven aluminum, from Selamat Designs.

Since many of us are spending more time at home these days, we should give plenty of attention to each of our purchases rather than buying simply to follow a trend. So even though I may describe these new pieces as belonging to a “touchy feely trend,†they really captured my attention as great alternatives that I will most definitely be sharing with my clients…and maybe with myself as well!

–Jennifer Mehditash

Interior designer Jennifer Mehditash shares the things that inspire her via the style blog Dec-a-Porter, which was recently chosen as a finalist for Best New Design Blog at the 2012 Design Bloggers Hall of Fame.