Wanderlust Furniture 2010

anderlust
2010 ICFF and Salone Internazionale del Mobile
If you don’t stop and look around once in a while,
you could miss it.

- Ferris Bueller

When We Wander...
We love to wander, and we love direction. What matters to us is at the periphery and at the center.
Wanderlust is our campaign to find inspiration in everything around us, no matter how small or subtle.
We believe that if you look closely, every detail has its place, its potential. In the end, everything
matters.

Wanderlust aspires to be more than the collection of cool stuff you can typically find in your RSS feed
each morning. Rather, we curate and organize our collection into the most meaningful set of ideas,
objects, environments, and experiences. Unlike hefty powerpoint documents touting broad, often
intangible, macro trends, we start small and work our way out. Through this process, we know from
the start that the opportunities we identify will be actionable and useful to our work. Because our
Wanderings are already manifesting themselves in tangible ways, we’re inspired to adapt and reapply
them to new projects.

http://kascope.com/ 2

...We Always Come Back
We believe that small details can lead to big ideas. To find those details, Wanderlust begins it’s process
by studying trends in the most forward-thinking industries. We love the inspiration they provide and
the level of access they offer. We then extract the higher level meaning behind each of the trends
we identify. Not all patterns grow into deeply rooted trends, and not all trends impact all businesses.
However, we see all of our observations as opportunity and inspiration.

Wanderlust: 2010 Furniture Fairs 3

We asked Kaleidoscope’s Karl Ludeman to tell
us a little more about his experiences this year at
furniture fairs in New York and Milan.

What inspired you to make this volume of
Wanderlust?

We like to go places and see things and think
about why they are that way. Hopefully we’ll inspire
ourselves and get others to think about things a little
differently. Plus, it’s fun.

How did the trends you identified change from
this year to last?

Most patterns we saw last year have continued to
hang around, evolving or changing in different ways.
One of the most interesting transitions during the
past year has been how front-and-center the DIY
movement has become. The trained and untrained
have embraced the use of everyday materials and
sought to use them in exciting new ways.

What do you hope people will take away from
looking through this document?

Looking for trends will only give you a snapshot of
right now, the immediate present. But understanding
the root causes behind a given trend can give you
insight into what drives people to choose one
experience over another.

What are the root causes for the choices today’s
consumers are making?

Anxiety and self-determination, which actually are
not mutually exclusive as they would seem, but each
driven by the other. It’s a vicious, beautiful, and
ultimately very productive cycle.

part one:

wanderings
We look to the work of designers globally
for inspiration and understanding. From our
observations at ICFF and Salone 2010, five key
patterns emerge:

DIREKT

6
(di-’rekt)
What would happen if you had to design
with only a straight edge and a pencil?

DIY

12
(do it yor-’self)
If you build it, you will have one.

FLYTTER

20
(fly’ter)
Perpetual motion.

NATUUR

28
(na’tyr)
Want to get away? Do it from the com-
fort of your own home.

LE MONDE ANCIEN

36
(le mond an-se-’en)
Forget your worries by remembering the
past.

part two: applications


DIREKT
Direkt (di-’rekt) adj. (Direkter, Direktesten) orig. German

1. straight, linear, angular
2. broad, thin surfaces broken by subtle planar
shifts
3. simple forms with subtly disruptive details

T
Better Broken
Even the most subtle surface changes transform a forgettable piece of
furniture into something fresh.

Design should never say,
“Look at me.” It should
always say, “Look at this.”
- David Craib


God is in the details.
- Mies van der Rohe

Light & Shade
Treating light and shadow as a material, designers consider the context and
environment of their work, not just the object itself.

DIY
DIY (d-i-y) (Do It Yourself) orig. English
1. to make something on
your own, with or without formal
knowledge of process
2. a movement to counter modern
consumer culture’s emphasis of
relying on others to satisfy needs

Under the Sink
These days, if you want something, it might be better to make it yourself. Like
a common sponge, what you need might be right under your sink.

A thing is worth what it can do
for you, not what you choose to
pay for it.
- John Ruskin


Imagination is more important than
knowledge.
- Albert Einstein


Step One and Done
Little-to-no assembly required means you can rearrange and repurpose
whenever the mood hits.

DIY

Don’t
Try This at Home
Chances are you are already developing
your own solutions to life’s little problems.
Take notice of the simple work-arounds that
the people around you develop. For many
makers, the local hardware store (or the
back of a garage) has everything they need.
Changing the paradigm for high quality
furniture allows the surface treatment of raw
materials to transform from being unfinished
to finessed.

Why do kids like building blocks so much?
Because everyday they can make something
completely new. Just because we don’t have
official play-time anymore doesn’t mean that
we shouldn’t be allowed the same feeling of
invention and reinvention whenever we feel
like it.

The greatest thing about DIY culture is that
you can pretty much do anything you want.
So go ahead and do it!


FLYTTER
Flytter (‘fly-ter) f (Flytte, Flyttede) orig. Danish

1. to move or to be in motion
2. giving a static object the appearance of
motion

R

Freeze Frame
Capturing the movement of a static piece can energize the mind as you
imagine not what it is doing now, but what it will do next.

Everything in the universe
is moving in respect to
everything else.
- Neil De Grasse Tyson


It is our nature to be
in motion; complete
rest is death.
- Blaise Pascal


Creative Violence
Knowing how a surface was formed enables one to visualize the act of it being made.
These memories create value over products that don’t inspire the same images.

I hate to advocate violence, but
[it’s] always worked for me.

- Hunter S. Thompson


The More You Know
Knowing the story of how an object is made can change the way you look at it. Do you know
the story behind each of these objects?

STORY

The holes in this were vase created by
gunshots.

This taglieri was modeled after one
that was made over decades of use,
creating the perfect cutting surface.

Sculpted table surfaces leave behind
witness of man’s work.


NATUUR
Natuur (na’tyr) n. org. Dutch

1. being of, or inspired by nature
2. post modern approaches to 20th
century nature themes

R


Art New-veau
Natural imagery and post-modern design sensibilities create a self-
aware illusion of nature for those whose lives have been spent primarily
removed from it. http://kascope.com/ 30

I can enjoy society in
a room;
but outdoors, nature
is company enough
for me.
- William Hazlitt


The best time to
plant a tree was
20 years ago. The
next best time is
now.
- Chinese Proverb


COMPARE

No Interpretation Necessary
In 2010, inspiration often takes the form of literal translation.
Examine the similarities between the piece of furniture above
and it’s likely inspiration below.


MONDE
LE
ANCIEN
Le Monde Ancien (le mon-’de an-se-’en) origin. French

1. Reference to the close of the 19th
Century, usually ascribed to the
artistic climate of world weariness
2. Having a desire to be part of
something that will last
3. Classic design archetypes redone
with modern materials and processes

The future is no more uncertain than
the present.
- Walt Whitman


Antique Chic
As we search the past for peace of mind, new colors and materials
appear unexpectedly to harmonize novelty with comfort’s melody.

When people are discontent with the
present, they begin longing for the past.
- Nigel Hollis

TIME

Out with the New
In with the Old
Artists have always referenced the past, but
the reasons for doing it today may have more
to do with an uncertain future than paying
homage. Rethinking antiques with a modern
aesthetic can help to create a surprising
sense of whimsy because you have no idea
what time period you’re in. And given
today’s climate, that might be the point.

Adults tend to be hyper-aware of things that
can harm them, but sometimes it’s good to
feel like a kid again. Remember all the best
furniture at grandma’s house? By reinventing
vintage styles correctly, designers can let
users fill in the blanks about the product’s
history. Some will retreat to a different
time while others will see something that’s
altogether new.


Now it’s time to put it all together. We’ve done
the deep dive during part one, and now it’s time
to step back and see how everything fits together,
where patterns overlap, and how they might affect
the world we live in and the work we do.

Trends raise our awareness of the social and
cultural changes that are constantly occurring
around us. Use the predictions and observations
in this section to discover new ways to address
consumer needs and to design new products,
services or experiences. At Kaleidoscope, we
expect Wanderlust trends to inspire action.
Built from tangible examples that can be easily
reapplied, each connection made in this section
is designed for easy access. Feel free to modify or
evolve the ideas to best fit your needs.

We’re constantly referencing our past work to see
where patterns have held steady, transformed, or
died off. The content in this section references
past editions of Wanderlust, so if you’d like a copy,
let us know.


part two:

applications
Our applications combine hours of observation
and analysis over the past few years at multiple
trade shows and events. Check out our past
editions if you’d like to dive more deeply into the
concepts.

TRACKER

46
See how the Wanderlust observations have
sustained, evolved, or faded over time.

BLENDER

48
Where transportation and furniture worlds collide.

FORECASTER

51 Predictions for how trends impact key industries.

CALL TO ACTION

55
What are you waiting for?

45

2009 2010
ICFF, Salone ICFF, Salone, NAIAS

FLYTTER
1

FOLLOW THE LIGHT
le MONDE ANCIEN
2

MASH AESTHETICS

CYBORG

BACK TO BAUHAUS STRONG, SILENT
3

NATUUR
4
SUPPLY AND DESIGN 6
5

DIY
8

7
DIREKT

CONCRETE JUNGLE RETROSEXUAL

See a trend here you’re not familiar with? Let us know
and we’ll send you one of our previous editions.


Tracking Trends 1 Light continues to be a source of experimentation in design far beyond the lighting
category. Affordable and effective lighting technologies enhance the animated, moving
objects that make up Flytter.

2 Light technologies, in particular LEDs, have become more accessible and affordable.
By applying light in unexpected features on cars, furniture, and other objects, designers
bring their products to life in new ways.
Some patterns sustain over long periods of time,
some die off quickly, and others morph into 3 Trends in sustainability continue into the auto show, with an emphasis on the short term.
Hybrid and eco-friendly production cars indicate the urgency with which manufacturers
new ideas. Constantly refining our point of view, are trying to provide solutions.
our observations are tracked over time. Along
each path, markers indicate key influencers and 4 An evolution of 2009’s Supply & Design, Natuur adjusts the trend’s path slightly,
incorporating realistic nature imagery and objects in a more serious tone.
motivators for each trend.

Tired of last year’s pure form of rationality, the Direkt style of modern design
5
incorporates subtle, idiosyncratic details to hold one’s attention, while not straying for
classic Bauhaus roots.

While not immediately obvious, there is a connection between Concrete Jungle
6
and Cyborg through the expressed importance of original, natural ingredients and
components.

While transparency remains important across products and brands, there has been
7
a shift away from knowing a product’s lifecycle towards using a more pure, unaltered
product in the first place.

Nature remains a popular form of inspiration, with each year bringing new
8
interpretations and variations on the theme.


BLENDER

Reverse Abstraction
A Blend of Natuur & Cyborg

Once filled to the brim with abstract metaphors intended to evoke emotions It seems that the more our world advances technologically, the more it
and strengthen strong bonds with users, the design world is moving away attempts to incorporate natural forms and signals. Last year, we identified
from poetry and moving towards prose. Gone are the gestures of plants and the furniture trend Concrete Jungle, which introduces elements of nature
other living things in favor of the real thing. Coat racks aren’t inspired by tree into our uncompromisingly modern world. This year’s trend emerges out
branches; they literally look like them. Cars feature leafy fabrics, lamps, and of many of the same reactions. Some consumers cope with the pace of
interfaces. Taxidermy, perhaps the ultimate expression of literalism, appears technology and urbanity by surrounding themselves with reminders that
to be everywhere. simpler lifestyles still exist. Others thrive on the pressures of modern life,
using Reverse Abstraction as a humorous, ironic way to show self-awareness.


BLENDER

Differentiation is in the Details
A Blend of Direkt & Strong/Silent

Aware of their role in encouraging rapid consumption, Design’s internal For the mass consumer, access to everything is enabling people to be
struggle with this power has often resulted in products that are more simple, more discerning. Teens in Oklahoma can now easily track denim trends in
austere, long-lasting, and well-crafted. While this point of view remained happening Osaka. Overloaded with information, people learn how to filter
uninteresting to many businesses, evolving consumer sophistication out pushy messaging and visual noise. Economic troubles force higher
indicates a shift in priorities. Products with simple impressions and refined end shoppers to be more restrained as well, since their mass counterparts
silhouettes in both automotive and furniture categories indicate a newfound disapprove of any outward expression of wealth or advantage. Regardless of
interest in attracting consumers through curious simplicity. Once they’ve class or status, everyone desires indulgences, so they head off in search of
begun to interact with a product, consumers find these products filled with something more subtle.
interesting details to delight them.


BLENDER

Mash to the Future
A Blend of Le Monde Ancien & Retrosexual

The postmodern design world constantly references its own history The current approach is like firing a shotgun loaded with design cues from
for inspiration. In the past years, one key decade or design movement myriad eras and movements. We’ve seen mash culture in music and fashion
triumphantly reemerges for a short time to rule over it’s tradeshow. However, for years, and now more mass-produced objects have adopted the trend.
we’re now seeing an explosion of experimentation with historical design. Entire cultures are now built around the pieces and parts of past generations.
Everything from Victorian to Vuvuzela is appearing in the furniture world, It’s important to remember that the vintage and retro themes are not
while the automotive industry leans on redesigns of successful models from always about an escape for modernity, not about nostalgia. This trend is for
four different decades. Strangely enough, all these designs coexist pretty innovators looking forward, as they use their unprecedented access to style
nicely, feeling less and less like nostalgia. Building on the Mash Aesthetics to find new solutions to new problems.
trend from 2009, our post-post-modern reality relies on the juxtaposition of
once opposing elements for new sources of innovation.

FORECAST

Simpler Times
Can you tell which products are vintage and which ones are new? (We can’t either.)

Root trend: Retrosexual

While the furniture and auto worlds look to the past for inspiration, new Designers can also look to the past for innovative ideas that will help
opportunities emerge in everyday consumer products through many of products stand out at retail. Old school ideas applied to modern times, often
the same motivations. In a chaotic world, consumers respond to vintage resurrected through technological advancements, have the potential to form
and retro themed packaging as it reminds them of a simpler (and higher something groundbreaking.
quality) time in their life. Brands use their heritage to reconnect with jaded
consumers and provide peace of mind. By reverting to a simple message,
many products cut through marketing hype and get to the core of consumer
needs.


FORECAST

Bioelectronic
Root trend: Natuur

The more technology advances, the more people yearn to reconnect Glossy black plastic is becoming antiquated, soon to be replaced with forms,
with the natural world. Bioelectronics is an emerging field, particularly in textures, and colors that remind the consumer that nature provides the best
healthcare, but we see it’s application across all consumer electronics. Form color palette. Authenticity will be a key to success in this approach; a revival
following function, these electronics tend to mimic their inspiration found of beige-colored plastics won’t make the cut.
in nature. We see this explicitly in furniture and automobiles, and we expect
to see this trend continue to creep into more aspects of our lives. The Image: kennymatic | Flickr
natural symbols are not a rejection of technology, it is technology and nature
existing in paradoxical harmony.


FORECAST

The Car You Build Yourself
Root trend: DIY

People have always enjoyed customizing their cars. Whether they apply has helped their service businesses, they may also be missing out on an
a few crudely-placed stickers to the back windshield or replace every important return to do-it-yourself resourcefulness.
mechanical component with chrome-plated aftermarket parts, it seems like
everyone wants to make the products they own more personal. Imagine if anyone could assemble a car without instructions. While proposals
like this require a lot of investment, the auto industry aches for change.
While customization grows in categories like footwear and consumer What if automakers created a plug and play system that allowed consumers
electronics, major automakers have yet to fully capitalize on this trend. to replace parts as easily as plugging a socket into the wall? Allowing
Despite some efforts in this area, cars have become increasingly more consumers better and more intuitive access to their vehicles makes them
complicated to repair or refine. Most automobiles cover up most of the more aware of the help they need to make their car perform at its very best.
working parts under the hood, discouraging self-maintenance. While this

FORECAST

Direkt Health
Root trend: Direkt

Not surprisingly, many healthcare product providers must prioritize other The Direkt trend will help emerging healthcare businesses jump the
aspects of their business before design. The resulting products have curve. On products, the clean, uninterrupted surfaces will emphasize the
historically been difficult to use and intimidating for patients. Leveraging technology beneath while comforting patients through it’s modern appeal.
design as a tool to improve recovery times and quality of care, the healthcare Especially with capital equipment, applying the Direkt aesthetic will help
industry’s perspective on design is shifting. Once technology optimizes products that need to retain a classic aesthetic for extended periods of time.
certain processes and procedures, design becomes the key tool for In environments, the modern-but-idiosyncratic aesthetic reminds patients
businesses to differentiate their offering. of their homes and aids recovery. Doctors will choose the tool that seems
precise, durable, and free of excessive styling.


Trends should raise your awareness of the social and cultural changes happening around you. More
importantly, they should inspire you to act. Use these trends to discover new ways to address consumer
needs through new products, interactions, or experiences.

If You Don’t Use It, You’ll Lose It
Our call to action

At Kaleidoscope, we like trends that inspire ideas, but we love trends that inspire action. With each
new project, we assess the cultural landscape to identify trends and brands that are a good match. A
trend may represent an opportunity to express your brand in a new way. However, sometimes it is more
authentic for a brand to be part of an anti-trend.

To fully understand each opportunity, we immerse ourselves in the trend. We gain empathy by
designing and interacting with a space that represents our target. Most importantly, we don’t stop after
we’ve achieved awareness. We generate tangible directions for how our insights will inform our current
and future work.

The final step is to inspire teams, seeking both excitement and investment in an idea. Through visionary
concept work, designers envision trends through the lens of a specific product or brand. Concepts can
be quick cardboard models, life-like prototypes, or outlandish pieces solely for inspiration. Regardless,
this step of creation is absolutely essential in making your ideas succeed. Good luck and have fun!


Thank You
We hope you enjoyed this book and found our observations valuable. If you have questions about
Wanderlust, please contact us. We look forward to collaborating with you to bring these trends to life.

Katie Buchmann
kbuchmann@kascope.com
800.930.5793

This presentation is a collection of past and present work by designers
around the world and does not intend to solely represent work by
Kaleidoscope.


The refusal to rest content, the willingness to risk excess
on behalf of one’s obsessions, is what distinguishes artists
from entertainers, and what makes some artist adventurers
on behalf of us all.

- John Updike

anderlust

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