AS if to compensate for summer's end, the fall season reliably brings a cache of fresh ideas for the home. Thomas Paul Mosaic Pillow – Orange This year black is the new white, folk has gone haute, and fusty English style has developed a sense of humor about itself.
New trends in furnishings often mimic those in the fashion industry, and now, when the little black dress is bigger than ever, black is also finding its way onto walls, furniture and accessories.
''I think it's time to see color against black,'' said Michael Berkowitz, a fashion designer who has worked for Calvin Klein and Nike. He recently painted an 18-foot-long wall in his Manhattan apartment coal black. ''We've seen so much vivid color in the past few years, and always against white,'' he said. ''Black is fresher. It gives a place that extra polish and depth.''
This will also be a time when a sophisticated, slightly flashy version of bohemian chic shows up in stores, a high folk style that blends bling and craft.
''Our world is so much about technology now that it is comforting to live with a piece made by an artisan,'' said Sherri Donghia, design director of the fabric and furniture company Donghia. ''It's folk art with an edge.''
Look, too, for quirky variations on English club-style furnishings. ''It's all about collections and things handed down,'' said Richard Mishaan, a New York interior designer. ''You can make up a history and a heritage. It's so Ralph.''
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