One Thing Old, One Thing New

Let the furniture fight begin.

In this corner of the living room sits a $9,000 reproduction of an 18th century painted French chair, courtesy of Rose Tarlow’s Melrose House showroom. And in that corner, a ‘50s-inspired $49 plastic swivel chair from Ikea in Burbank.

But wait, your furniture doesn’t have to compete: from wood to plastic, pales to brights and minimalism to clutter, opposites will attract when it comes to digging your digs this year.

“Anything goes in 1997,” says Mel Lowrance, co-chairman of the recent Divine Design exhibit at the Pacific Design Center and an American Society of Interior Design board member.

Start with antique Swedish, Spanish, French or Italian painted furniture--a big trend, Lowrance predicts. The key here is a painted surface as opposed to a wood finish, which is oh-so-passe.

The pieces, from tables to chairs to chests, should be dabbed in soft shades: off-white and various tones of gray, green, red and blue--the new cool hot colors. The finish should look very worn, the color almost rubbed off, Lowrance says.

“This is a trend we’ve been seeing in antique shops and in reproductions, but it will go over big in ‘97,” he says.

Also predicted to be big will be Latin American art, especially Mexican sculpture by 27-year-old Javier Marin of Mexico City.

Marin, who has had major shows at Mexico City’s Palace of Fine Arts and the Marco Museum in Monterrey, “is set to become an international name in the coming year,” says Lowrance.

Other trends: gilt finishes on dining and occasional chairs; antique rugs (the older and more faded, the better) and 1950s-inspired furniture known for its clean lines, boxy shapes and minimalist fabric patterns.

Gregg Mowins, spokesman for Ikea of Sweden, says the retro colors of the 1950s--beautiful pale blues, saturated greens and light yellows--will make a strong comeback, as will plastic chairs, tables and lampshades.

“Bright red will be hugely popular,” Mowins adds, especially in the bedroom. “Red quilt covers, window treatments, sheets and pillow cases--we’re talking bright red, lipstick red, shocking red--very cool,” he says.

Equally hot will be plastic--such as the $49.95 Hatten table, its white, bright blue or red plastic top held up by three curvy chrome legs. Or how about the Nevil Swivel chair ($49), a plastic molded chair on a chrome base that Mowins predicts will blow everyone away.

And, trendy painted furniture can be achieved on a budget. Mowins says unfinished pine furniture--from four-drawer tables to an 18-drawer chest to desks--are forecast to be big. It’s up to the buyer to paint it to look as if the paint has worn off, just like the pricey antiques.