Nailhead Trim Is Top Home Furnishings Accent for 2013

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Once reserved for manly leather chairs and sofas, nailhead trim is enjoying a sudden surge in popularity. This timeless, classic accent has never been more popular, and it’s showing up in unexpected places. No longer limited to leather or even upholstery, nailhead trim is popping up in places where it’s seldom seen – like wood furniture.

click image to zoomHGTV HOME FURNITURE Designed to be the “eye candy” of a room, the Mum accent table makes a striking statement with a giant flower design that is crafted out of nailheads. About $699. www.hgtvhomefurniture.com At the recent home furnishings market in High Point, N.C., where thousands of new styles and designs of furnishings are introduced each April and October, nailhead trim had migrated from sofas, chairs and chaises to consoles, chests, and buffets. It was the accent of choice for new upholstery styles – both traditional and contemporary – as well as for many new wood collections. Used as an outline, it attracts attention and directs the eye around the perimeter of a piece, highlighting its silhouette and design features. Used in a pattern rather than a straight line, it becomes a textural element that “accessorizes” a traditional table, chest or console, creating unique pieces destined to be the focal point of any room.

click image to zoomHOOKER FURNITURE Nail heads in various sizes adorn the rustic yet elegant Alicante collection from Hooker Furniture. The unusual detail is shown here on a stately buffet, which also showcases the collection’s Spanish influences. About $1,999. www.hookerfurniture.com “We’re excited to see the creative use of nailhead trim on wood furnishings,” says Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance. “The industry’s top designers have embraced this as the new ‘on-trend’ embellishment and used it to distinguish their latest introductions.”

Hooker Furniture employed nailhead trim in many of its new wood accent furnishings for 2013. Consoles and chests use nailhead to outline bold curves and add artful, embroidery-inspired patterns. In the rustic Spanish Alicante collection, Hooker uses various sizes of burnished nailheads to add drama to the grandly-scaled buffet, dining table and living room table.

click image to zoomPEARSON This small-scale ottoman from Pearson is ideal for bunching in pairs. The Chippendale-inspired legs are accented here with small antiqued nail head trim. About $2,367 as shown. www.pearsoncompany.com Nailhead trim brings sophistication and detailing to the Muse Cabinet from Hickory Chair. Covered in fabric from Hable Construction, a boutique fabric design company based in New York, the tall, narrow cabinet is distinguished by its nailhead outline. Upholstery introductions from nearly all of the company’s top designers feature nailhead trim in a more traditional role.