The official 2020 Design Visionary of TISE, celebrity designer and television host Jennifer Farrell of Jennifer Farrell Designs, graced the show’s Style Hub at the Dish (Design & Installation Showcase Hub) with her design-forward eye and expertise.
“When The International Surface Event named me their 2020 design visionary, they said they wanted me to tell what I think the trends and design would be, and I said no, let’s show what those trends and designs are going to be,” Farrell said. “So they have let me run rampant and wild to create these four worlds that really show where I’m forecasting our trends going in 2020 and beyond.”
In this four-part series, we will take a look at the products and inspiration behind Farrell’s artfully crafted spaces.
The Patterned Manor
Picture this: You’re at a 17th century English manor, attending a masquerade ball hosted by Iggy Pop.
Inspired by traditional European patterns like fish scales, florals, herringbone and plaids, the Patterned Manor space evoked a sense of movement and encouraged touch.
“What I’m seeing in design is this movement toward immersive tactile dimension experience that really creates a cocoon of comfort, so we have very dimensional pieces that are meant to be touched and felt,” said Farrell.
Done in a maximalist, oversaturated and intensely dramatic way, the space exuded a post-modern energy.
Showcasing what Farrell believes will be the most popular dynamics and trends on the floor this year, the Patterned Manor featured herringbone, parquet and chevron patterns from floor to ceiling.
“I tell people all the time the ceiling is the fifth wall; don’t forget the ceiling because there’s such an opportunity for drama and excitement, and this space is filled with drama and excitement,” Farrell advised.
The highlight of the space, Farrell turned Shaw Floors’ Geoscape Fan tiles on their side, and used two grout hues—a light and a dark—to add movement and flow to the walls. Farrell then tied that into the floral pattern found on a wall and floor of the design cube to create a story within the space.
“In my theory, our flowers have spilled onto the floor and then the petals have blown off on the walls are flowing into the wind, so it gives it a sense of movement.”
Lighting plays on that sense of movement as well, says Farrell. Having light that plays in the space enhances the drama and makes it feel moody and intense, rather than dark and gloomy. Lighting from Lamps Plus added a nod of traditionalism, but when placed in the modern black cube, they gave a sense of post-modernism.
