.. Craft Trends - Christmas 2008

The art of celebrating

What products will be popular with your customers next year? What trends will be important in the major cities of the world? And how can one create trend-orientated, in-store displays? International designer and trend researcher, Gunnar Frank, has assembled the colors, designs and materials you'll need to guarantee your displays correspond to the decorating trends for 2008/2009. The trends of tomorrow are influenced by a cultural diversity of festivals. North, south, east and west, Frank's trend worlds take their inspiration from worldwide style trends:

Banzai East

Frank's muse for the Banzai East trend world is Japan - the simplicity of a Zen garden, orchids and blossoms, exotic glass and polished metals are all major style elements. Orange-gold, linden green and sky blue are the dominant colors in this Far Eastern style.

Candy West

The look for kitschy trend world Candy West is as sweet as candy. Overloaded with mirror glitter, immersed in confectionery colors like pink, caramel yellow and mint, the decorative elements in this style trend are reminiscent of the dazzling, garishly colorful atmosphere of the carnival. Pop art is the force behind the association Frank creates between the whimsically trendy and the familiar.

Lagom North

The Swedish word Lagom translates as pleasant or exactly right. Exactly right is the best way to describe the relaxed comfort generated by the Lagom North trend theme. Featuring plain decoration, natural simplicity and a substantial amount of manual craftsmanship, the Swedish style world features pale colors like pink, sky blue and leaf green. In addition, naive floral patterns and wreaths set joyful accents.

Baroque South

A touch of history, a pinch of the modern - in "Baroque South" dissipated opulence merges with contemporary ease. Delicate porcelain with a gold structure, floral decoration as light as air, damask and elegant candlesticks create the perfect setting for a sophisticated festive occasion. Dramatic colors, including magenta, aquamarine and ruby red, make a big impact.

--Gunnar Frank Trend researcher: Gunnar Frank has been the creative brain behind Christmasworld trends since 1998. The multi-talented design expert and textile engineer lives in Amsterdam, Holland. In addition to working as a professor at the Design Academy in Rietfeld/The Netherlands, Frank is a member of the International Color Authority of London.

More trends from Christmasworld

Transparent and Elegant

Inspired by the world of furnishing, clean, elegant shapes also dominate the world of festive decorations. Although an opulent Baroque style is still with us for candlesticks, vases and festive decorations, the color contrasts are no longer as powerful. It is apparent that a black and white color scheme is making its mark. Silver and white, combined with black or grey, radiate elegance. Tiny faux gemstones and glitter surfaces provide an added glamor factor. Fashion shows how it's done - the trendsetter is grey which is slowly taking over from black. Grey is combined with turquoise, lilac, dark red and pink.

A Culinary Note

Natural colors and designs set the tone for the Autumn/Winter/Christmas season ahead. Chocolate brown is accompanied light cream, sand, orange and brown on vases, planters, bowls, candlesticks, candles and gift ribbon. The dark brown is also mixed with Scandinavian-style turquoise or ice blue, creating a link between the cold and warm style. The theme of chocolate is also very trendy for Christmas and festive decorations. Aromatic candles provide the perfect 'culinary' note.

Natural, plain and Sustainable

Nature serves as the role model - leaves, twigs and branches made of wood, silver, metal or silver adorn rooms and walls and not just in the Autumn. Shell and horn designs and feathers invade the living room. Scandinavian purism is revealed in the form of naive floral patterns and white porcelain figures.

The natural look makes an impact in other segments as well, Easter eggs and garland lights for example, which are decorated with flowers and feathers. Naturalness is also popular for gift wrap which features imitation animal skin wrapping paper. New collections in a spring-like, pale green are designed to set colorful accents on festive decorations and Christmas candles.

Nature is not just a color trend. More and more manufacturers are reacting to climate change, exhibiting drink containers made from cornstarch-based bio-plastic and recycled servers. The shops could soon be full of vases made 100 percent from recycled glass.

Valuable and Unique

High-value products and unique pieces are still in demand. Luxury is on show again, from engraved, real gold wine glasses to diamond-studded Christmas baubles. Large, unique pieces and figurines are still extremely trendy - in real silver, gold but also in grey and brown. New acquisitions are not only made to last, the materials should feel good to the touch as well. Bearing the hallmark of Asian influences, jagged decorative trees made of natural or varnished wood and metal are on show but not linked to a specific festive occasion. Pine tree shaped standard lamps provide an alternative to conventional Christmas trees.

A Modern Interpretation of Old Values

Antique-style, musical clocks and boxes evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Festive decorations, in the style of the early 20th century, are reminiscent of a bygone age. A newly interpreted rustic style gives candles, glass objects and other home accessories an upscale look. Christmas baubles are combined with tassels and foreign influences make themselves apparent in Babushka Christmas tree ornaments. They crop up again on lighting systems. A gigantic Basilica and illuminated chess figures are designed to boost export sales.