Happy New Year!
Here at Home Accents Today, we are excited to begin anew.
Our editorial planning for 2026 began months ago in the heat of the summer, when we began to review our editorial calendar to determine what features we wanted to add and which ones we wanted to enhance. Our editorial planning sessions are also an opportunity to strategize about the larger issues that we want to explore with you, our readers, to help us all adapt to an incredibly fast-changing business climate.
Here’s what’s new in 2026: Our trend advisor team, which sends us dispatches from around the world on what is new and noteworthy in the industry, has two new members. Riann Henckel is a trend futurist and the director of interior home at Sphere Trending, a Michigan-based forecasting agency that keeps an eye on directional movement in the retail, home building, manufacturing and hospitality industries. Halfway through the year, Riann will switch places with her Sphere Trending colleague, Emily Swiek, who is director of architectural design at Sphere.
Judith Van Vliet, who is based in Spain, is the founder of The Color Authority and an expert in color strategy. She is also a former president of the Color Marketing Group and advises brands such as Braun and De’Longhi on their color strategies.
We are thrilled to have Riann, Judith and Emily join our group and look forward to their monthly product selections. They join Saana Baker, Madeline Stewart and Leigh Ann Schwarzkopf, who will continue to advise us in 2026. And a heartfelt thank you to Keith Recker and Erika Woelfel, who have rolled off the team. Their observations in 2025 about color and design were invaluable!
We are also introducing monthly category spotlights to inform you of challenges and opportunities in each product segment. Our inaugural piece examines the sea change in the sales and marketing of handmade versus machine-made rugs, and how consumers can evaluate their value, quality and authenticity.
Our Outlook 2026 story presents the two key design trends you need to keep an eye on: how independent home décor retailers are tweaking their merchandising and go-to-market strategy in light of shifting consumer lifestyles; and how the industry is adapting to Pantone’s Color of the Year (the color authority dropped a bombshell with its color selection last month, and I think the industry is only just beginning to settle down).
Our regular columnists return to share tips and strategies for leveling up a retail or interior design business.
Cheryl Clendenon continues her Design Coaching Center column, while a rotating trio of retailers — Beth Rich and Christina Van Blake along with the duo of Vicki Rulli and Tom Heaphey — will write about the matters most important to retailers in Elevated Retail, with takeaways fellow store owners can use to improve their business.
Our edit team is excited to see all of you at the winter markets this month — be sure to say hi if you see us in the halls! You can pick up copies of our January issue in the media bins in Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas this month.
Wishing everyone success in the New Year!
