I’ve been involved with interiors all my life but since opening our first store in 1998 I've thrown myself into the industry. One highlight in the interior calendar is Spring Fair. I first visited the show around ten years ago with my husband (and business partner) and have been visiting ever since.
I’ve recently returned from a visit to the Spring fair at the NEC Birmingham. There were around 2500 exhibitors showcasing this year with so many new products. It's always a massive source inspiration and home decor ideas. It was an early start for me and Sophie but we couldn't wait to return filled with ideas and new products to share with you all in Pocklington.
I’m know when I find a product and I’m excited - you too will be excited! This year there's certainly some lovely ideas here for your home.
Here's a sneak peek of our day...
My morning kicked off with with getting my bearings and composing a list of suppliers I needed to see. There was also a fantastic line-up this year with a host of incredible seminars and workshops.
I joined the first seminar which looked at all year-round retail trend insights across colour, product and experience to inspire consumer buying decisions. It was a valuable lesson and helped with the rest of the day choosing products and exploring. There was also some inspirational talks from industry experts including Mary Berry and Mary Portas which unfortunately I missed. Fingers crossed for next time!
Around the show there was a strong ‘curiosities’ trend, similar to jungle animals last year (which are still proving strong in 2020). With a touch of beetle and bug products, for those bold enough. Will these be be the trend of 2020.
With regards to colours, green hues take centre stage, and we're seeing many of the dark greys being replaced. It seemed that pastels and the brighter shades of colour are emerging alongside the lighter greys that have dominated interiors in the last few years.
There is equally a dark renaissance coming through - a whole new appreciation, a demand for those vintage, eclectic, original, and decorative items.
I was seeing the popularity of bronze, metallics, feathers, the popularity of the ‘curiousities’, and an altogether gothic aesthetic.
It certainly makes for a more contemporary and interesting way for interiors to be tweaked and updated.
I'm so excited to share our new ideas and products with you over the next few weeks. Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about new products landing at Grandad's Shed.