We just got back from High Point Furniture Market where we found AMAZING new inspiration.  COLOR!!!

It's the biggest trend we could see, (and it wasn't difficult as it was eveywhere, in every form)!  Very BOLD, brave, bright color. Lots of pinks, oranges, greens and yellows - think Miami!  But, that said there was also a secondary trend we noticed - white lacquer...

which is about as opposite a vibe as you can imagine EXCEPT, they happen to look great together!

Thirdly there seems to be a very very slight sighting of acrylic which we haven't seen in many years.  It has its place in the design world so it was nice to spot it here and there.

The thing we saw the most of?  LINEN, LINEN, LINE!!!

The Belgian linen craze is still going strong like a song that will not get off the charts - although we do LOVE it, we're sad to say it is taking the route most new inspirations follow - from the high end where the pieces were beautifully designed and made using wonderful "real" materials, they're now popping everywhere in their cheaper and cheaper form.  For a professional buyer, it's easy to decipher the differences between the higher end pieces and the mass produced Chinese and import versions, but we worry that the general public will so easily be confused and possibly duped.  There were virtually aisles and aisles of white washed and bleached oak case pieces and linen sofas and chairs all almost identical to one another.  Sort of made me
sad, but I have grown used to watching the trends come and go - just reinforces it's always best to dabble with the accessories which are less expensive but keep your investment pieces a little closer to classic.  Will save heartache and $ all the way around!

I wanted to show you a classic shot which is a combo of the white lacquer, the belgian linen and yet still not trendy...timeless:

Remember, this is not an interior design shot, this is just a sample display in a furniture showroom, so it's clearly NOT perfect - but it's got the basics to build on.
My suggestion would be to swap out the rug, add colorful accessories and a few pillows and then voila - all bases covered - Belgian linen sofa, with white lacquer, contemporary tables, and colorful current pillows and lamps!