Celebrity Furniture Dominates Spring International Home Furnishings Market, Now Available at Design Works at Home; Collections from Design Legends Oscar de la Renta and Frank Lloyd Wright Continue Latest Trend in Furniture Design.

BRISTOL, Pa. -- Your mother yearned for Thomasville and Henredon. You'll be looking for de la Renta and Wright. Continuing a trend seen in recent shows, the Spring International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC, was all about collections, and furnishings licensed by known designers like Oscar de la Renta and Frank Lloyd Write continue to dominate the home furnishings market.

The Name's the Thing

Mycle Gorman, of Bristol, PA-based Design Works, has been defining interior design in the Delaware Valley for more than 25 years. He explains the change: "Twenty-five years ago, the fashion conscious filled their homes with heirloom furniture from well respected manufacturers. Traditional woods and upholsteries in classic styles from established manufacturers were the norm.

"While homeowners continue to demand quality, the most significant shift in interior design has been the move to celebrity collections. The design principles, materials, and color preferences of famous designers inspire many of the collections, while trendy names in fashion seem the basis for others. As a result, home owners will find themselves looking for Fallingwater cocktail tables and Tommy Bahama lounge chairs."

International fashion designer Oscar de la Renta is one of the most respected names in fashion design, and his prestige extends to home furnishings. Pieces in the Oscar de la Renta Home collection, which was presented by Century Furniture (www.centuryfurniture.com), are reproductions of furniture found in the designer's homes in Connecticut and Park Avenue and his beachside resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Others are the result of collaboration between Mr. de la Renta and Oscar de la Renta Home Creative Director Miles Redd. All reflect de la Renta's expression of his own personal living space and include his vision of city, country, and island living.

Keeping It Natural

The home dubbed by the American Institute of Architects as "the best all-time work of American architecture" is the basis for another celebrity collection. Reflections of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater--a masterpiece of natural materials and light--can be seen in a waterfall coffee table featured at the Home Furnishings Market. This emphasis on natural materials and neutral backgrounds is reflected in many of the spring collections. While color, particularly browns, blues, and pastels, continues to add flair to most collections, the furniture itself reflects a move to natural materials in neutral colors.

"Wood, stone, granite, even grass were everywhere in the spring collections," reports Gorman. "When these materials are coupled with color, the effect is stunning. And the colors are phenomenal. Designers have featured color for several years, but this year's pairings are not to be believed. Blue and green, orange and blue, pink and brown--when the colors are used as accents, the rooms just pop. Pastels--pink, lemon, ice blue--are the 'new' shades, and the effect is particularly fresh when these colors are paired with the earthtones of the furniture."

Lifestyle Still Guides

Interior design continues to reflect personal lifestyle. For example, armoires and cabinetry designed to accommodate large television and music systems were present in high-tech materials as well as in more traditional woods. However, reflecting the need to incorporate these systems into family life, the new designs allow even theatre-size televisions to fit into rooms more stylishly. Space for DVD players, TIVO, and gaming devices was incorporated into the furniture, allowing these accessories to be hidden when they're not being used.

Occasional pieces designed around hobbies, particularly wine and poker, were present, as were versatile cocktail tables. Some cocktail tables were available with reversible upholstered tops and doubled as ottomans.

About Design Works at Home

DesignWorksatHome.com is an online retail store that features the designer furnishings, accessories, and artwork found in many of the model homes decorated by Design Works.

Design Works is an award-winning, nationally recognized interior design firm whose model homes and commercial installations have been helping builders market and sell new homes for more than 30 years. In response to homeowners' requests to replicate the look of the models, Design Works has opened their doors to the general public. Design Works at Home reflects Mycle Gorman's commitment to bring fresh, high-quality furnishings and accessories to homeowners with a wide variety of taste and budget.

Design Works is located at 311 Mill Street, Bristol, PA 19007. For more information, call 888-785-1499 or log on to www.DesignWorksatHome.com.