Interior Design Today The American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) Interior Design Billing Index (IBDI) was 54.5 during November 2017. The business inquiries index increased to 53.9. An index score greater than 50 indicates an expanding market. Interior Design’s 2017 Universe Study of the Interior Design Profession showed an increase of 11% in the number of interior designer firms and a 4% increase in the number of designers compared to the last study (2014). The designers in the study specified $77.95 billion worth of products, a 14% increase.

Home Furnishings Market Sales for US home furnishings stores for the first 11 months of 2017 were $49.808 billion, an increase of 8.01% from the same period during 2016. According to IBISWorld, this market is mature, so it will mirror the performance of the US economy. Home Accents Today forecasted modest growth in the home furnishings industry during 2018. Positive factors include a strong economy, Millennials establishing households and a trend toward expressing individual style. Industry executives cite e- commerce as a potential threat/challenge, and a shortage of available homes, although housing inventories are expected to expand during 2018.

Sheets and Blankets and Towels, Oh My! According to Cotton Incorporated’s 2017 Supply Chain Insights study, the US home textile market was $54.5 billion during 2016, and is expected to increase to $66.5 billion by 2030. In OEKO-TEX’s Confidence in Textiles study, 32% of the global consumers surveyed said they had purchased eco-friendly home textiles and 60% wanted to know if their home textiles are certified as safe from harmful substances and sustainably made. Store displays are the most-cited source of inspiration for sheet purchases, 42%; followed by retailer Website, 25%; friends and family, 21%; TV, 17%; and catalogs, 17%.

The Hot Hearth Market According to Hearth & Home, there were 3,107 hearth specialty retailers in the US during 2017. They were optimistic about 2017 sales, with 36% expecting sales to remain the same as 2016, 47% to increase somewhat and 14% to increase significantly. More than half of wood fireplace sales (58%) were to retail customers, 29% to new housing contractors and 13% to remodeling contractors. Almost half, 44%, of hearth business was vented gas appliances; 27%, wood appliances; 14%, pellet appliances; 9%, vent-free gas appliances; 5%, electric appliances; and 0.7%, biomass central systems.

Home Décor 2018 Rich colors, such as burgundy red, burnt orange, olive green and deep terracotta, are replacing whites and grays. Sage green, a blend of gray and olive, is the new neutral. Homes will look less polished and will have visible imperfections that feel more natural. Mixed metals on furniture, lamps, picture frames and other home items will look more curated and less like the room furnishings were all bought as a group.

Advertising Strategies Home furnishing stores can create mini-rooms to showcase different designs with their products. If your home décor store specializes in a certain kind of design (Scandinavian, traditional, etc.), then host themed events to attract new customers. Emphasize the unique kinds of products you carry and your knowledgeable sales staff to compete with e-commerce sites. Studies show that consumers prefer to shop in-store when the sales staff is equipped with helpful technologies, such as tablets.

New Media Strategies Interior designers can understand what customers like by creating Pinterest boards. Home furnishing stores should encourage online reviews with pictures of the products. Customers who post reviews earn discounts. Create a design persona for each type of customer, and when you add products that match those personas, email or text customer a photo or, better yet, a link to a video on your Website or social media page.