May 7, 2013
A variety of ready-made terrarium gardens on sale at Crate & Barrel.
As a long-time retail strategist, I’m always looking for trends when I’m out and about in metro New York. And lately, I’m seeing terrarium garden displays at nearly every turn. There are ready-to-go planters at Crate & Barrel, CB2, and West Elm, and glass vessels suitable for planting at Target and Michaels.
A creative shoe display at Macy’s Herald Square in New York City plays off the terrarium trend.
This trend is so ubiquitous that glass bell jars, a common terrarium cover, are popping up over shoes at Macy’s new second floor luxury shoe salon. And there are equally luminous, terrarium-inspired product displays in the windows of Urban Outfitters at Union Square.
Magazines are using terrariums as props in stories, too, as seen in the April 2013 issue of Good Housekeeping. Plus, classes in terrarium planting are popping up in upscale New York suburbs like Rye and Ridgewood, as well as hipster neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Fort Greene in Brooklyn.
A recent West Elm catalog featured terrariums on the cover.
At the recent Las Vegas Market for home furnishings, WGSN Homebuildlife, a leading trend forecaster, gave a presentation about upcoming macro trends through autumn/winter 2013-14. Four of those trends provide considerable context to this terrarium obsession:
Living Design: This macro trend involves the interaction of human, animal and technological elements to create “products with personality.” As translated to product design, this trend is expressed through natural materials, textures, earthy colors, and organic shapes that invite physical touch.
Framed moss terrariums at the Renegade Fair in Brooklyn.
Hack-tivate: This trend takes the DIY concept to a new level, transforming existing products into new creations. An array of spare parts could converge to become a lamp base, or an accent table may feature one leg made from a different material in a different color than the rest of the piece. Terrariums naturally play to this mix-and-match approach.
In the beauty department at Bloomingdale’s, old-fashioned bell jars mix with modern packaging that features butterflies and a natural color scheme.
21st Century Romance: This trend evokes passion and romance. Designs are dramatic and ornate, infusing antique references with modern style and organic elements. Think Downton Abbey: Updated Victorian designs and floral patterns, a multitude of decorative accessories based on natural objects (fossils, seashells, minerals) and finely wrought materials with patina or gilded details.
You might ask, why now? Why has Victoriana been growing in popularity over the last several years, culminating in this explosion of organic decorative influences? One answer may have to do with the increasing urbanization of the United States. Millennials, as they are setting up first households, are moving to cities in droves.
Terrarium containers at CB2 give city dwellers an easy way to connect with nature.
According to U.S. Census figures from a USA Today article, many of the largest cities in the most populous areas have seen downtown populations grow at double-digit rates between 2000 and 2010. These City dwellers have lots of tricks to stay connected with nature: park walks, rooftop suppers and pet ownership.
Another trick is to bring nature home: terrariums offer a low-maintenance, relatively low-cost way to bring the garden indoors. This trend in organic decorative influences shows no signs of slowing down. How can you connect your brand to nature’s influence?
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