SIDEBAR

PLAYFUL ACCESSORIES FOR THE MODERN PET OWNER

Dog collar design is getting inspired by fashion runways as well as jewelry. There are patterns galore, and as much bling as you dare put on your pampered pup.

But the fun isn't limited to wearables. Even dog toys and totes are styling.

"Putting on the dog" has taken on a whole new meaning when it comes to designing with pets in mind.

Whether it's fashioning an area or three for your pup or kitty to lounge, sleep or dine, you no longer have to fret about whether their stuff will clash with yours. High-style fabrics in a range of colors and fabrics for beds, bowls for dining and drinking, and furniture that is so good looking it can do double duty in your family room or bedroom, have been game-changers.

There are plenty of choices -- not only on dedicated websites for all sorts of pet gear, but also from high-end fashion and interior designers, manufacturers and retailers who are dishing up options that blend with many styles of decor.

And there clearly is a need, as there currently are nearly 80 million pet-owning households, according to a national pet owner survey sponsored by the American Pet Products Association. That includes 10 percent or about 8 million new owners, the majority of which are millennials.

It's a business that has grown to around $60 billion annually, with around $14 billion spent last year on supplies (including over-the-counter medicines). Younger owners tend to pamper more and purchase more high-tech gadgets like pet cams, electronic health-monitoring collars and Bluetooth-enabled trackers and feeders. Then there's the bling -- Swarovski-encrusted collars and pet beds. There's even a fragrance for dogs called Sexy Beast -- a unisex blend of bergamot, vanilla, musk, patchouli, mandarin and nutmeg oils -- that comes in a bone-shaped container and sells for $65.

One major catalyst has been the explosion of performance fabrics and fibers, which especially has been a boon to homes with children and pets. Fabrics from Sunbrella and Crypton have shown their trustworthiness as they handle sun, moisture and are mildew- and stain-resistant.

June Barker, who launched one of the early pet websites, the DogBedWorks in 1993, can attest to the toughness of these fabrics.

"I have a 90-pound lab who is a nester," says Barker. "He has a Crypton bed, which is almost indestructible. It's built for durability -- plus style."

Even high-end fabric manufacturers now include outdoor collections, which has expanded choices for consumers seeking flair, whether it's a geometric Moroccan look or an op-art print or traditional toile. And lifestyle brands are smart to offer pet-related pieces that blend with their look. Among the retailers currently offering dog beds, for example, are Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Pottery Barn, Urban Outfitters and West Elm.

Carter says the pet-product marketplace has exploded since she launched her business.

"There's so much competition now," says Carter, "for function and decor. Plus, websites are giving more information."

The idea of blending in and functionality have been top considerations for some designers. A few years back, architect/interior designer Bobby McAlpine included an elegant console in his furniture line for MacRae. One option, a Directoire style shown in weathered oak with ebony detailing, features a nesting spot along the base, which tucks in a cushion for pets to stretch out.

Custom cabinet manufacturer Wood-Mode created a Pet Parlor as part of its Embassy Row cabinetry to address multiple pet issues. The concept, which reflects a larger trend catering to America's booming pet market, features a multitasking room that has an island for brushing, grooming, sorting and folding; washer and dryer and laundry bins; hideaway dog dish drawer with adjacent food storage bins; a deep sink for bathing; and a "fountain" with faucet that allows fill-ups for a bowl tucked in beneath it.

The bar also has been raised with the design of pet beds. While most beds average around $150, some are as expensive as furniture. One with a tufted cushion on the Lap of Luxury Dog Spa website, looks like a leather club chair and sells for $495. Another model on the same site called Marilyn Muttroe, features Swarovski-encrusted bone shapes on each of the four sides of a 36-inch-long white iron bed and sells for $1,150.

Very often, the designers are pet lovers/owners. Designer Annie Selke, who named her rug company Dash + Albert for two of her dogs, recently added to her company offerings under the label Fresh American with WOUF pet beds made of chew-proof and hose-off woven polypropylene stuffed with smooshable polystyrene beads. She also designed WOUF wear "slipcovers" made of softer fabric that can be secured with drawstrings.

Michael Tavano, creative director of Marks & Tavano, a New York workroom that designs custom upholstery, window treatments, bedding and tabletops, actually has been designing fancy dog beds for about 15 years.

He and his partner, Lloyd Marks, have a pair of smaller rescue dogs, and, frankly, he had had enough of ugly kennels.

"I wanted to design something that looked like a piece of artwork, a sculpture," says Tavano, "something that has some life to it. It evolved. I used all outdoor fabrics."

The Pooch Penthouse, which has a tiger-patterned cushion and features a rooftop tray to hold leashes, was just recently put into the company's line. "You can put it next to a sofa and use it as a side table," he says.

Another Pooch Palace called Lime Lattice has an exotic flavor. "I wanted something with a bit of a Moroccan feel," says Tavano. "The pattern is almost like trellis work." Prices start at $1,500.

Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue believes sleep should be a "journey to the world of dreams." So when he designed his Voyage collection, he said, "What better way to travel than in a bed reminiscent of papyrus and reed boats?" Apparently, he thinks pets also deserve a little dreamy vacay. He includes a sculptural dog bed that's actually outdoor safe as part of his collection.

Seattle designer Evan Gray Gregory built her company, Modernist Cat, on the idea that "the ways we incorporate our pet's needs into our home is an opportunity for added beauty rather than a problem of hiding an eyesore. "

"I've taken litter box covers, dog crates, scratching posts, pet beds, and even food and water dishes and made them into gorgeous, high-quality furniture that serves our human needs and desires too," says Gray Gregory. "It's why my slogan is: "Made for pets. Designed for you."

Dog bowls also have stepped up style. Available in porcelain, metal, food-safe melamine in traditional or modern shapes, a gamut of colors and patterns from courtly checks to painterly florals. Designer Bunny Williams recently designed a kiln-fired ceramic bowl for Ballard Designs, which is flat-bottomed and features a classic foo Chinese motif inside and out. It coordinates with a set of mats.

With so many fun and colorful products, there are no excuses to deprive your pets of a little swagger. It will make them feel like a million. Pawsitively.

Sources

-- Ballard Designs, 800-536-7551, www.ballarddesigns.com

-- Brown Jordan, 800-743-4252, www.brownjordan.com

-- Calling All Dogs, 800-965-8596, www.callingalldogs.com

-- Crypton, 800-279-7866, www.crypton.com

-- DogBedWorks, 413-522-8857, www.dogbedworks.com,

-- Fresh American by Annie Selke at Codarus, 800-755-5144, www.codarus.com

-- Harry Barker, 800-444-2779, www.harrybarker.com

-- In the Company of Dogs, 800-544-4595, www.inthecompanyofdogs.com

-- Kenneth Cobonpue, 888-889-9005, www.kennethcobonpue.com

-- Lap of Luxury Dog Spa, 561-637-3856, www.lapofluxurydogspa.com

-- Mackenzie–Childs, 888-665-1999, www.mackenzie-childs.com

-- Marks + Tavano, 646-476-7070, www.marksandtavano.com

-- McAlpine Home, MacRae Designs, 800-446-5526, www.macraedesigns.com

-- Modern Tails, 646-470-7387, www.moderntails.com/shop

-- Modernist Cat, 425-954-6369, www.modernistcat.com

-- Perennials, 888-322-4773, www.perennialsfabrics.com

-- Wood-Mode, 877-635-7500, www.wood-mode.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

It's a small world -- especially when it comes to home design. Those retailers, designers and architects seeking cutting edge, forward thinking in form, materials and color, sometimes artisanal or bespoke, are more frequently heading to international destinations. Perhaps the most significant design shows in diversity and style are in Paris, Milan, Cologne and Frankfurt.

The number of Americans attending these furnishings, lighting, accessories, kitchen and bath shows has ratcheted up in the last decade or so. But perhaps most significantly, the lead time to actually see that product -- or the trend it represents -- has diminished greatly. What used to take up to a year to show up in a store now is sometimes ready to take home almost immediately.

And trends have a shorter shelf life. Michelle Lamb, co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, a Minneapolis-based company that publishes The Trend Curve, a subscriber-based forecasting service to the trade, says: "The life span of a trend used to be seven years. Then five, which was a huge drop. Before the Great Recession we were stuck at three. Now we're careening to two. Sometimes I wonder how consumers can keep up. They are on Pinterest and Instagram. But for every 10 pins that might fly past, they may pick up one they'll embrace.

"What trend experts do is connect the dots," she says. "Show how that piece fits into a larger scheme. What it means for tomorrow. How it works for a color story that's more of an umbrella trend."

"With social media and transparency, the world is so much smaller today," says Caroline Hipple, an expert in marketing and merchandising and principal partner at HB2 Resources in Atlanta. "Everybody has eyes on (design) fashion, museums and travel, where furnishings can be edgier and more exotic."

Most top retailers shop internationally, not only to buy, but also to forge connections with artisans. One recent case in point: George Venson, a young New York wallpaper designer, whose high-octane graphics have been praised by Architectural Digest, recently was "discovered" by Anthropologie. The retailer commissioned the artist, whose watercolors are translated digitally to surfaces, to create a proprietary collection for summer: his fabric patterns on their furniture, all with a mid-century vibe, as well as one wallcovering.

Italian designer Paola Navone was drafted to do a successful housewares collection for Crate and Barrel. And Patricia Urquiola, whose admiration for crafts led to a charming collection of rugs, poufs and chaises for the Spanish company Gan, introduced those knit- and crocheted-look floor coverings to the office and hospitality world at Haworth, as well as a few of her standout furniture designs. The result is a warm, revolutionary approach that embraces the tactile and unusual palettes of mustard and pink, chocolate and pale blue.

Mid-century furniture seems at home on both sides of the pond -- '70s-inspired pieces as well as hints of Art Deco are having moments. But aside from furnishings styles, other design trends already are emerging. Here's what to look for in the coming months:

-- Positive/negative. We are so graphics-aware in advertising, labeling and other media that simple images in high-contrasting colors really appeal. Black and white is the obvious for impact, but still effective is a more quiet take in foliage-patterned dinnerware from Herend.

-- Mixed media. Teak tables topped with metal or stone, or resin wicker chairs with teak legs are a hit in outdoor fashions. In Europe, these expressions have advanced to arresting combinations, like the stone and wood cutting boards seen at the Belgian retailer Flamant, or a modern console crafted in wood and brass from Mambo. The style works beautifully in traditional looks as well, such as a distressed wood table with stainless steel top at Lexington, launched at the spring High Point market. It references industrial style dressed up and refined.

-- Warm metals. Gold -- gilded wood looks or brass -- and a rosier gold and copper have been warming interiors. They still are on trend, and not just in accessories, but in small tables and lighting, most recently in a faucet collection by Olivia Putman for the Paris-based luxury brand THG. Both shiny and matte finishes add glow, and layering with silvery tones gives us permission to mix.

-- Color. The fondness for indigo is not going away anytime soon. "I just looked on One Kings Lane today," says Dixon Bartlett, a partner at HB2 Resources, "and four of the top six sofas featured were in a shade of blue -- from indigo to sapphire to greener shades of peacock and teal." Michelle Lamb is seeing medium shades of green, with a bit of yellow and a move to softer hues.

-- Worn and weathered. Bartlett talks about the rubbed-out, burned-out, worn-away look in rugs, textiles, finishes and fashions -- "all part of a sub-trend of "Restored Renewed Reborn" that has been universal for several years. The Dutch company Studio Ditto creates the look of stacked old worn painted metal containers in a new collection of wallcovering.

-- Two tones. A tweaking of color blocking popular in fashion a few years back looks fresh again, played out in bold strokes, as in a shapely sofa called Halo from Softline that shifts in related hues from back cushion to seat. Glassware from SkLO plays with transparency and opaqueness in combining hues.

-- More functionality in clever ways. Double duty has become a welcome staple in home design, with hidden storage in cabinets and charging stations in drawers. At Ligne Roset, a clean-lined sofa bed offered this bonus: a remote control. And storage hooks are morphing into colorful artistic elements -- with or without keys, caps or handbags hanging on them.

-- European designers often push the envelope with the familiar. Mirrors are leaving traditional shapes and sizes, like Karim Rashid's new collection for the Belgian company Deknudt. It's impacting how retailers are showing mirrors -- hung en masse, all the same or different, like artwork.

-- Florals. Never really off the radar, fashion designers especially embrace them in the spring, when everyone craves beautiful blossoms outdoors and in. Shifts in scale -- from oversized to teeny (and we're seeing both now) and palette keep patterns fresh. Also, watercolor-y, painterly looks or more abstract expressions are gaining traction.

A new lush floral collection from Ted Baker for Portmeirion strikes romantic notes. "There's definitely a feminine energy," says Lamb. "After a decidedly more modernist period," says Dixon Bartlett, "it appears as though home fashion is taking a turn toward 'pretty' and a more traditional, decorative approach."

-- Keep an eye on tech. Space age-y fabrics that add structure to fashion with all the stretch and pleating are impacting home design as well. Pierre Frey's Architectonic collection is audacious with stretch, texture and dimensionality.

-- Eastern motifs. Eastern is striking a chord now, especially with the "China Through the Looking Glass" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. "Products and fashion images are covered with Asian-inspired design -- birds, blossoms, fret work, stylized clouds," says Bartlett.

What's especially relevant about global influences is that they've opened our eyes. Perhaps the most profound upshot is that we're more open to mixing things up. Not matching all of our furniture -- same finish, same fabrics. It's more interesting that way. It feels more collected. And ultimately, more livable.

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- Deknudt, +32 (0)56 73 25 60 (Belgium), www.deknudtmirrors.com

-- Egitsia, at The Perfect Setting, 312-202-1260, www.theperfectsettingonline.com

-- ercol, +44 (0)1844 271 800 (Great Britain), www.ercol.com

-- Flamant, +32 (0)54 41 54 75 (Belgium), www.flamant.com

-- Gan Rugs, +34 933 633 260 (Spain), www.gan-rugs.com

-- Herend, 800-643-7363, www.herendusa.com

-- Jardin des Lumieres by Christian Lacroix, +33 (0)1 46 33 48 95 (France), www.christianlacroix.com

-- Kristin Drohan Collection, 770-837-2076, www.kristindrohancollection.com

-- Lexington Home Brands, www.lexington.com

-- Ligne Roset, www.ligne-roset-usa.com

-- Mambo, +351 2 18 13 33 91 (Portugal), www.mambo-unlimitedideas.com

-- Portmeirion, 888-778-1471, www.portmeirion.com

-- Rubelli, 212-935-3713, www.rubelli.com

-- Softline, through DWR (Design Within Reach), 800-944-2233, www.dwr.com

-- Studio Ditte, +31 6 29 09 84 96 (Netherlands), www.studioditte.com

-- Thibaut, 800-223-0704, www.thibautdesign.com

-- Tom Dixon, 212-228-7337, www.tomdixon.net; www.lightology.com

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

SIDEBAR

FROM TRADE SHOW TO SHOW FLOOR

The timeline between the debut of product and its arrival at retail or online is melting away. Six month lead times barely exist anymore. And sometimes, pieces are ready to roll out almost as quickly as they are introduced.

Tom Dixon's newest Melt pendant lights were shown at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York in May, and they were almost immediately available at Lightology in Chicago and online. Alessi's Dressed Wood collection by Marcel Wanders found its way into major retailers soon after it launched.

Some categories, like lighting manufactured oversees, don't move as quickly. "UL (Underwriters Laboratories) approval in the States sometimes takes up to one year or more," says Beth Dickstein, owner of bde, a public relations/marketing firm based in New York.

But the biggest takeaway is the exposure to well-designed new products, and as Dickstein puts it, a show's "responsibility to act as laboratories or incubators."

"Shows are important to talk face to face (with manufacturers and designers) and to see future designs," says Dickstein.

It's never too early to cultivate a sense of style, though whether a baby's introduction to furniture and ambience has any permanent imprinting effect remains to be seen.

Retailers certainly have raised the bar in recent years with the offerings for nursery and toddler furniture. Safety, of course, remains at the top of the list. Just five years ago, for example, important changes were made to crib design with the outlawing of drop sides.

Some will argue that buying a crib or children's furniture these days has more to do with parents' styles and sensibilities. Those who like a continuity or design flow in their homes -- indoors and out -- will also opt for similar quality and styles in children's furnishings. It is a category that has taken off, and retailers like RH Baby & Child (Restoration Hardware) and PB Kids (Pottery Barn) offer pieces that appeal aesthetically to their core customer. Specialty retailers like the Land of Nod and Galt Baby (www.galtbaby.com), which bills itself as "a modern baby lifestyle shop," further the choices.

When it comes to outfitting the rest of a nursery or child's room (often with an eye to growing in the space), there are plenty of options for going the traditional route, retro or thoroughly modern, with dressers, storage and desks. Add to that the expansive choices for fun wallcoverings and bedding (well beyond licensed characters), and a child's room can be fun, colorful, engaging and inspirational.

"In the past few years, I've seen nursery design elevate to a high level of chic," says Los Angeles designer Betsy Burnham. "Clients are asking for better quality furnishings, rugs, lighting -- even artwork -- for their little ones, and we're having a lot of fun with creative design details.

European designs now are more accessible, she says, and manufacturers have recognized a hole in the marketplace -- especially at the high end.

"There's no longer the idea of 'Let's just make do with my sisters' crib,' or 'Let's do the nursery last.' Or 'We don't need to frame that art.' The nursery (and child's room) is just as hip and cool as the rest of the house."

Increased demand for better style and quality has led exactly to those goods. It's not difficult to find either high-end or well-constructed furniture in a choice of woods and finishes that are analogous to those in the prime real estate of a home.

And with that, there has been an uptick in prices, as the upgrades are not designed to be throwaway or destined for resale. At Nursery Works, whose clients include celebrities like Beyonce and Jay Z as well as Gwyneth Paltrow, price tags are not for the faint of heart. Some cribs cost as much as $7,500.

To that point, cribs, for example, are designed to last longer than the first few months of a baby's life. Many can be converted to toddler beds, and some even transition into adult-sized daybeds.

There are cribs fit for princesses and princes, highly carved in provincial styles or even accented with 24-karat-gold plating, or acrylic cribs that are sheer or smoky. There are simple, modern silhouettes in playful colors such as Kelly green, turquoise, lavender or hot pink. In addition, dressers, storage pieces and desks come in an assortment of styles, some with fun shapes and vivid colors.

One New York-based gallery, Kinder Modern, specializes in curated vintage children's designs from the 20th century -- with pieces from modernists like Alvar Aalto and Hans Wegner. In addition, there is a stable of fresh designs from an international roster of pros, each of whom approach with an eye to intriguing form, color and needed function.

Designers Lauren Larson and Christian Lopez Swafford of Material Lust like to think of their pieces as creating "subconscious heirlooms by injecting high design into the minds of growing children."

"I actually don't believe in toddler beds," says Burnham. "I don't design for the moment. I go from crib to bed. And larger pieces of furniture may need to change. But as the child gets older, you can change fabrics at the window or art on the walls. Get a rug. Get more sophisticated accessories. Change out the hardware (on a cabinet). Get (interesting) lighting. And art can be a revolving gallery."

One reason nursery and kids' room design has ramped up has to do with lifestyle shifts. "Our clients have gotten more savvy over the past decade or two," says Burnham, who says that returning clients come back when they're expecting and ask for her expertise in fashioning a room for their baby.

The desire to create a sense of continuity throughout a home -- as evidenced by the explosion in well-designed outdoor furnishings -- has been a strong motivator for manufacturers. Even finishes have been expanded -- from natural maples and whites to a range of colors and even "weathered" looks and grays.

"We are definitely going lighter, if not white," says Burnham. "We like driftwood finishes and gray painted pieces. Ivories with taupes for a luxury baby vibe or white plus color. If a couple's taste is dark or black, we might transition to something taupe. There may be a mid-century eclectic vibe. But no matter what the style, everything will be on a par."

Burnham feels that traditional palettes of pink and blue have moved into brighter, bolder hues -- just not necessarily primary color combinations. "If it's pink, it's a cameo pink cashmere blanket, not the whole room. And patterns can be sophisticated -- I covered the cushion of a daybed in a nursery in watermelon pink ikat, for example. There are obviously a lot of ethnic patterns that work -- world traveled ethnic is in vogue, like vintage kuba cloth."

How much can a nicely decorated room shape a child's tastes and personalities?

"If parents take the time to think about a child's surroundings -- if you elevate the taste level, actually frame their art work and create a gallery wall -- it gives a sense of ownership."

And there is no doubt that it's one that can be a positive influence, fostering sweet dreams as well as creative ones.

Sources

-- Betsy Burnham Design, 323-857-1854, www.burnhamdesign.com

-- Farrow & Ball, 888-511-1121, us.farrow-ball.com

-- Kinder Modern, 917-979-2723, www.kindermodern.com

-- Notte Fatata, 786-332-4104, www.nottefatata.com

-- Nursery Works, 323-728-8988, www.nurseryworks.net

-- The Land of Nod, 800-933-9904, www.landofnod.com

-- PB Kids, 800-993-4923. www.pbkids.com

-- RH Baby & Child (Restoration Hardware), 800-910-9836, www.rhbabyandchild.com

-- Smartstuff Furniture for Kids, www.smartstufffurniture.com

-- Stokke Home, 888-299-9092, www.stokke.com

SIDEBAR A

CREATE WITH COLOR

With paint colors, wallcoverings and accessories, you can add plenty of personality to a child's room. Starting out with a neutral crib or bed frame, of course, allows the most design flexibility -- like switching out bedding for a new look.

"I like a bed like the Shaker-style Haven at RH Baby & Child because it's not masculine or feminine and it works in any room. It's straightforward and classic," says LA designer Betsy Burnham. "My design is not super decorative -- it's a little more edited."

The palette no longer needs to be limited to soft pinks and blues -- or, if they are used, they're being employed in fresh ways, as with grays, weathered woods or milky chocolates. In those pale hues and combinations, they are more palatable to adults as well -- even more gender neutral, as they may be in more vivid shades.

Painted finishes also may extend beyond solid-colored walls. Paint contrasting shelves or dresser drawers to create a striped look, or brush stripes, stencils or giant polka dots on walls. How about an overscale paisley teardrop on a Farrow & Ball wallpaper? All viable options for making a nursery or child's space stand out.

Ducks and kitties and cartoon characters still may appeal, but today's nursery design is more likely to show a more grown-up face -- allowing fluffy toys and accessories to cater to the child.

SIDEBAR B

FURNISH IT!

Today's nursery furniture has a far more sophisticated look, with some cribs on a par with well-designed furniture of high quality.

But the fun isn't being trumped by function. At Kinder Modern, a New York-based gallery that sells vintage children's furniture as well as contemporary designs, you might find shelving or desks in the shape of birds -- in bold colors or crisp black and white. Or a Danish-style beechwood chair and table from Hans Wegner, circa 1944. Or a red desk and chairs designed in 1963 by Karin Mobring for IKEA -- one that very easily could fit into the latest selections.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)