The Inspired Home Show

2023: Trend Analysis

Strong brand narratives, sustainability education and bold
colour define the 2023 edition. WGSN analyses CMF trends,
key icon confirmations and use-cases across product
categories, with an emphasis on kitchen and tabletop

Cassandra Gagnon
03.13.23 - 10 minutes

Fable
Analysis
Considered by many to be the true return of The Inspired Home Show – after a
downsized edition in 2022 – more than 100 companies were back for the first
time since the onset of the pandemic, marking a turning-point in interiors trade
shows.

Expanding its timeline to a standard four days after last year's shortened schedule, The
Inspired Home Show returned to McCormick Place in Chicago. Featuring the three
major themed expos it's known for – Dine & Decor, Clean & Contain and Wired & Well –
the show also launched a new small luggage section, in partnership with The Travel
Goods Association. This featured a considerable range of brands in an International
Sourcing Expo, with a focus on China and Taiwan. The show also brought back the
Pantone Colour Watch display, curating products to sit within defined palettes and
reference colour-chips.
What does this mean for you? The show's investment in revitalising signature
exhibitions, as well as expanding into new categories and priorities such as highlighting
more independent retailers, continues to show that trade shows are evolving post-
pandemic. While many of the shows in 2022 had a tentative return, 2023 so far has
shown brands and show organisers making a bigger comeback.
With the highest concentration of kitchen and tabletop products for US trade shows, The
Inspired Home Show is a necessary space to watch for brands in those sectors. What's
clear this season is that strong narratives that form connections with potential
consumers are key, with a focus on sustainability and elevating everyday life. From a
design perspective, bold colour and nuanced neutrals enhance decorative tabletop
and functional cooking tools, while finishes range from powdery mattes to tinted GreenLife

transparencies.

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Narrative-building
Exhibitors use bold statements and detailed
descriptions to set the tone of their displays
as the first, unmissable impact on
attendees.

Brands continue to invest in eye-catching

booth designs as they move into the second
year of revitalised trade shows post-
pandemic
To ensure their narrative, and therefore
unique value proposition, is at the forefront Zone Denmark Fellow

of attendees' minds, the walls and tables at

booths feature catchy, thorough copy
Zone Denmark shows a variety of strong,
snappy statements throughout its display,
marking each section with a different focus.
Turkish brand Nude Glass uses descriptive
copy to give the precise details and
differences across its plain signature
stemware line
Use strong copy across displays to engage
with those passing by and start a
conversation

Nude Glass Fable

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Sustainability highlights
From upcycled materials to transparent
product lifecycles, sustainability is at the
heart of many product designs this season.

Whether printed on the walls of the display

booth or highlighted on a hang tag, offer an
educational moment for attendees to learn
about products with a sustainable angle
This is important for products that look
quite standard at first glance. Dutch brand
Combekk Brand Factory Companion Candles
Combekk offers a variety of fun-coloured
canvas aprons, while a closer look at their
tags reveal they are upcycled from donated
clothing collections
Avoid greenwashing with step-by-step
processes and informative details that
explain exactly how the product is
sustainable
This is implemented by Chinese company
Brand Factory, whose four subdivisions
each highlight a different upcycled material
featured in its kitchen goods, from coffee
grounds to discarded production waste
Keepcool Bags Larch Wood Alva

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 Outdoor living
Brands bring the comfort of home into the
garden and the great outdoors, investing in
products that create convenience for every
activity.

Invest in drinkware accessories that

promote portability. Water bottle and wine
holders are key, featuring handles and
insulated sleeves. US brand Pure Drinkware
offers an attachable Bluetooth speaker that
Pearl Life Peugeot Saveurs Gozney screws onto the tops of any standard
tumbler
Highlight convenience in a multitude of
ways. Japanese brand Pearl Life's outdoor
collection includes a variety of cookware
tools and gadgets. Many are multipurpose
or collapsible, and all are designed to be
lightweight for easy carrying while hiking
and camping

Pure Pristine Time Concept LARQ

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Moving parts
Add value to products with multi-
configured formats, letting consumers move
and swap parts and arrangements to suit
their specific needs.

Multipurpose design is a key trend for

addressing cost of living concerns in 2023.
Kitchen, tabletop and storage goods that
meet different needs, and can be adjust
and configured to serve these, are an
essential area of investment Navigate King Jim Pearl Life

Water bottles with swappable tops are an

accessible inroad. Offer designs with straws,
travel clips and other convenient features
Design food and drink containers to have
multiple detachable sections, creating the
ability to carry multiple snacks in one
compact travel pod
Storage is also key here. Think pegboards
and other wall hangings that allow for
reconfigured hooks, pockets and other
desk accessories. For larger bins and boxes,
offer customisable suites tailored to the
consumers' needs that they can build on Brand Factory LARQ Navigate

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 Tinted transparency
Using a variety of see-through materials,
brands play with light and colour for
intriguing and surreal finishes.

Artisanal glassware, also identified as a key

trend at Maison & Objet in January, is one of
the main focuses for this direction. From
vintage-inspired etched glasses to tumblers
with blob-like shapes, use coloured glass to
elevate everyday drinkware
Zip Top Be Home Godinger
Play with movement when exploring this
theme, using carved lines and wavy shapes
to add a sense of fluidity. Turkish drinkware
brand Lav offers three water carafes in
neutral hues, with gentle sweeping lines
adding texture to the body
Explore this theme with more practical
items as well. Texas-based ZipTop creates
reusable silicone food storage items, using a
translucent finish and soft, diffused colour

Nude Glass Karma LAV

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 Colourful matte
Matte surfaces continue to trend across
product categories, with an increased usage
of playful colour.

While last year's show featured matte

surfaces across more neutral tones, use a
wide range of colour for a joyfully
sophisticated finish
Silicone is a key material, whether on its
own for kitchen utensils or as a coating on
Wenko GreenLife Steamery
ceramics
Create a soft-touch surface, giving products
a gentle tactility with a calming finish, even
when designed in bright hues
Implement this trend across a broad array
of product categories, from kitchen utensils
to cleaning products and bathroom staples

Brand Factory Peugeot Saveurs Zone Denmark

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Luxe black
Use sophisticated coats of black to add
elegance to designs, from refined drinkware
to everyday water bottles.

Elevate even the most basic of items with

coats of rich black
From storage and organisation goods to
cookware, add a coat or accent of black to
create an instant feel of luxury
Also seen at Maison & Objet in January,
Karma Combekk Simple Modern
blackened timber has its place at the show
as well, as seen on the serving boards by
California brand Be Home
While matte surface are prevalent for this
colour scheme as well, there is some variety
too. From smoky glass to subtle shine,
explore a range of ways this colour direction
can be implemented
Use metallic accents to elevate designs

Zone Denmark Fellow Be Home

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Nuanced neutrals
A key colour trend for 2023, nuanced tints
of white, grey and beige lend a comforting,
timeless feel to products.

Versatile and easy to style, neutrals are a

great value-driver for consumers. Their
seasonless quality means consumers will
use them for a long time, especially
important for larger sets or items such as
bathroom accessories that aren't updated in
the home often Brand Factory RL industry Simple Modern

Use a warm tint across neutrals to add a

modern softness, offering cream over
bright white and greys that have brown
undertones. This also adds a sense of
freshness as they offer replacements for
core neutrals

Oxford Porcelanas Zone Denmark GreenLife

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 Mixed pastels
While electric pastels were key at last year's
show, a sweeter palette emerges in 2023
with added softness.

Pastels are identified as a key colour trend

for 2023, and were seen in a variety of
shades at Maison & Objet, NY Now, Shoppe
Object and Ambiente this year
Use an uplifting assortment of hues to
provide the opportunity for playful mix-
King Jim Neoflam GreenLife
and-match styling on the table and
throughout the home
Prioritise the most classic springtime
shades, including pink, yellow and blue
Apply this direction to unexpected,
everyday items for impact. Soft pink adds a
dreamy touch to practical items such as
desk organisers and bundt pans, as seen at
Japanese brand King Jim and Chinese brand
RL Industry respectively

Reduce Bous RL industry

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 Digital Lavender
A standout shade, WGSN's 2023 colour of
the year Digital Lavender is a key callout for
this year's show.

Among the many pastel shades on display,

Digital Lavender emerges as a refreshing
alternative to other classic hues. With a
pale but punchy look and feel, the digitally
inspired hue comes across as extremely
modern
King Jim RL industry Constructive Eating
Use this colour across product categories,
from investment items such as cookware
and bakeware to more entry-level pieces
such as folders and travel mugs
This direction works for soft goods and
textiles as well, as called out at Heimtextil
in January

Neoflam Simple Modern GreenLife

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Nourishing greens
Another key colour direction for 2023,
greens emerge with a refined, nearly neutral
finish.

Last year's show saw a combination of bold,

cool greens and blues as a dynamic duo.
This year, green overtakes blue as a key
colour on its own, evolving into warmer,
subtler shades
Also highlighted at Maison & Objet in
CrushGrind DEKO Gozney
January, use these nourishing hues to evoke
a connection to nature, established by
more organic shade selections
From forest to sage, apply all-over
applications of colour to bring a soothing
effect to products

Combekk Zone Denmark Brand Factory

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 Warm brights
Bold, sunset tones continue to trend across
trade shows as a key colour palette.

Also seen at Maison & Objet, NY Now and

Shoppe Object in 2023, bring an uplifting,
fiery feeling to everyday products with a
dynamic mix of reds, oranges and yellows
Look to texture as a way to create statement
designs. Chinese brand Solamex designs a
water bottle with a diffused gradient,
Finamill Bati Goods Solamex
evoking the feeling of a setting sun. LA-
based Bati Goods uses a matte orange
leather to cover barware for an eye-catching
finish

Oxford Porcelanas Combekk Injoya

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Key icon highlights
WGSN confirms the development of S/S 23
and A/W 23/24 key icons, including the top
two directions.

Fruits and vegetables continue to trend as

a top key icon direction, seen recently at
NY Now, Shoppe Object and Atlanta Market;
these develop from two S/S 23 directions,
Springtime veggies and Five-a-day
Mystic zoo, Caring turtles, Gone fishing and
LAV Keepcool Bags Oxford Porcelanas
Coastal shells key icon themes are also
confirmed for S/S 23 at the show
Other key icons for A/W 23/24 seen at the
show include Mischievous monsters,
Whimsical beetles, Comforting tabletop,
Cocktail hour, Winter citrus, Crafted
pumpkin and Foraged mushrooms
Use winter citrus as a transitional icon,
mixed in with other fruits to bring five-a-day
to the season with freshness

Printed Canvas Injoya Karma

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