Reports of soaring inflation, gas and food prices; a housing crisis and a potential recession have not dampened the outlook of the home décor industry focused on the buying appetites of the segment of Americans still set on decorating their homes.

Business at Las Vegas Market is a testament to that. Although anecdotally business was a little slow, according to exhibitors, the wholesale business mantra kicked in: the retailers who did come to market were intent on buying. The decorative accessories, wall art and accent furniture business remain strong. Current business is good, and although several manufacturers acknowledged that predictions for the next few months are uncertain, none seemed worried.

One executive at Cyan Design said that people are on a mission and are looking for specific items in fixtures and accessories.

Related: What we saw at Las Vegas Market

Inflation and recession are more of a big box retail concern, mused Matt Hullfish, vice president of sales for tabletop manufacturer Costa Nova. Independents are more nimble, he said, and can adjust their business strategies more easily if times get tougher. He said he counsels his accounts: “Don’t kill your business because you think there will be a recession, or you will create your own recession.”

“You hear about the economic slowdown but you don’t see it here [in Las Vegas],” said Cyrus Yaraghi, principal of Safavieh. “We’re very happy with this market so far,” he said on Monday.

Asked about his fourth quarter predictions, Yaraghi said, “We’ll see,” but noted that the energy and innovative new products introduced at market will bear fruit at the end of the year. “I think people will be happy,” he said.

Rug maker Nourison, while conscious of an economic slowdown, is likewise focusing on new collections and keeping its inventory levels strong, said Giovanni Marra, director of marketing. “We’re moving ahead and we keep coming out with new products and supporting our dealers as best we can.”

Related: Four Hands creates new leadership roles, expands into new categories

Dana French, key account manager for A&B Home, is keeping a close eye on freight rates. “Freight costs are down but it’s still not a sure thing what you’re going to pay,” she said. “We were hoping [container prices] would settle around $5,000 but we’re getting worried.”

Nonetheless, business remains steady, if no longer in super-charged growth mode, she said. French predicted that sales in 2023 would be similar to those in 2022, but business in the fourth quarter should clarify in what direction the industry is headed.

Market introductions revealed that some color and lifestyle trends are evolving. Neutrals are not going anywhere, but they are enhanced by desert tones, particularly terra cotta and mellow yellows like sunflower. Green remains a popular colorway; some manufacturers are sticking with emerald while others are advocating more herbal shades. Blues are taking on more nuance. Whites are chalky or matte.

Napa Home and Garden has begun working with an Italian ceramic maker for its new collection, Ondulata, in several colors and looks.

“Naturals have been wonderful,” said Lori Fisher at Uttermost – as well as neutrals, which complement natural materials. In its Revelation line, natural materials such as alabaster, marble and porcelain have been popular, she said. They include the Enlighten table (22”H) that has an alabaster top that is lit with LED and in a brass finish, as well as the Alabaster Egg height-adjustable accent table (12”D).

“Velvets are going to off-colors,” said Robert Story, head of product development and design for UMA Home Décor. “Instead of emerald — we see sage or olive. Instead of sapphire, there is a steely blue with a little more yellow in it. Ochre and sunflower are the warm yellows.”

The company is offering new takes on coastal and farmhouse trends, making both less literal and more sophisticated, a movement also seen at the Atlanta Market earlier this month. It is adding black woven wire elements to a coastal theme, for example, and French country touches to farmhouse vignettes.

Nourison expanded its Craftworks custom line, which it can ship within two weeks, including serpentine here in an array of neutrals, as well as added a green design to its Prismatic handtufted collection.

Nourison’s Prismatic handtufted line is one of the company’s strongest selling rug lines, and at market it added a new green design, said Marra. Other new rug collections included Balance, a machine-made polyester blend that is more affordable and has simple geometric shapes. It also expanded its CraftWorks customization line with new designs such as serpentine; orders take only two weeks to receive, he said.

Feizy showed its small batch Revolution rug collection, which takes its designs from one-of-a-kinds, as well as Clio, a soft polypropylene/polyester group made in its factory in Turkey. In addition, the company is moving away from manufacturing its shags in China, said Justin Yeck, vice president, designer engagement, and its newest option are made in Turkey and India and are very soft.

Related: How enjoyable is the rug category? Just ask these designers

Hooker Furniture emphasized its Accentrics Home line, which can be shipped small parcel. It included this chair and the Seagrass four door console.

Siscovers showed its new line with the Smithsonian. Using art from the museum’s archives, the 12 botanical designs are digitally printed and each comes with a solid-color option. One item in the collection is also made of recycled tee shirts. It is made in the U.S.

Hooker Furniture emphasized its Accentrics line at market. The brand resonated with independent retail stores and designers because of its price points as well as that 85-90% of the line can be shipped small parcel. The majority of the line is knock down, said spokesperson Alexandra O’Hare, and can get “to the front door within a matter of days” from its warehouse in Savannah, Ga. The line includes chests, chairs, headboards, artwork and more.

Napa Home & Garden showed a few new vase collections that were handcrafted by artisans in Italy and Peru. The items from Peru were made in the village of Chulucanas and use hand thrown clay that is pigmented, and not glazed, and then fired with smoked mango leaves for a rich black color.

The company does well with seagrass baskets, as they are a great value, said spokesperson Cindy Graves. In addition, it has also seen growth in its faux tree line, including olive trees that are sans olives – designers like the look of olive trees but not the olives, she added. “Scale and quality are driving the designer business.”

And at Moe’s Home Collection, the themes were modern rustic; dark, rich, oily woods; ripples and waves, and ancient forms.

In lighting, natural materials remain strong. Warmer metallic finishes, like brass, and two-tone or multi finishes, are popular. At Pacific Coast Lighting, intros were also heavy on the black and gold, and included a lot of floor lamps as well.

Many companies expanded their art offerings as well. Prestige Art debuted its Dope Art line, which focuses on bright colors as research has suggested that those colors make people happy and create a dopamine affect.

Editor-in-Chief Allison Zisko first joined HFN in 1998 and spent many years covering the tabletop category before widening her scope to all home furnishings. In her current role, she oversees all aspects of HFN, including its print and digital products, and represents the brand at home and abroad through presentations, panel discussions and HFN’s podcast, The Inside Scoop.

Andrea is passionate about home design, and has covered the home furnishings industry for most of her journalism career. She is the Executive Editor, Design, of Designers Today; in addition, she also serves as the Managing Editor of HFN and Lighting Editor for Home Accents Today. Andrea lives in beautiful Brooklyn, where she could very well be the only person without a tattoo.

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