Julie A. Palm

Julie A. Palm is style editor for both Design News Now and Lighting News Now. She grew up with a DIYer mother who spent weekends browsing vintage stores, painting and decorating, giving Julie a love of all things home. Julie has covered the home furnishings industry for nearly three decades. In her role as style editor, Julie is thrilled she can focus on two of her favorite parts of the business — interior design and lighting.

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Portola Paints, Lulu and Georgia team up

Lulu and Georgia offers wallpaper on its site, but this is the brand’s first foray into paint. The new palette includes spring-forward shades — yellow, pink, blue and green — as well as elevated neutrals of beige and tan. Each color is available in ultra flat, eggshell and semi-gloss acrylics, plus Roman clay and lime wash finishes. Like other Portola Paints, they are low odor and contain no VOCs.

The fabric forecast: Nature, fantasy and ritual

Fashion forecasting firms Fashion by Informa and FS have outlined four material directions expected to shape apparel and interiors in 2027: Awaken, Wondermode, Space for Solace and Ritual. Spanning tactile, nature-driven surfaces, playful experimental constructions, restorative technical textiles and heritage-inspired embellishment, the trends point to a future where material choice becomes both emotional language and functional solution. With crossover implications for upholstery, soft goods and lighting, these emerging fabrics offer designers a preview of how texture, color and craft will define the next cycle of design.

Product watch: Wallcoverings

From grand, dramatic botanicals that define a room to subtle textures that help refine a space, we’ve gathered 10 new wallpapers that are worth a look.

Neuroaesthetics: A designer’s superpower

The idea that design can improve people’s well-being is reshaping the home furnishings industry, according to panelists in a recent webinar, “Designing for Well-Being: The Science Elevating Home Furnishings and Design.” But some caveats apply, they said.

Windsor Dalton’s new North Carolina showroom

Windsor Dalton is creating a space where clients can experience the luxury products he loves to use in projects. He hopes it will be a place that brings people together, too.

Top Bunk: How Icon elevates an overlooked category

ICON Beds brings luxury to bunk rooms — and makes creating them easier, less time-consuming and more cost-effective for designers.

Product watch: Rugs

From richly textured hand-knotted wools to high-performance outdoor designs, these 10 new rugs prove that the floor can be the most expressive surface in the room. Discover standout introductions that pair thoughtful materials with compelling stories, offering interior designers fresh ways to ground a space.

Twelve stand-out storage pieces

No matter how much we declutter, we have need for stylish places to tuck the bits and bobs of our lives out of sight. We’ve assembled a collection of a dozen new and notable storage pieces that represent the ultimate in form and function.

An artist’s illustration of artificial intelligence (AI). This image depicts the potential of AI for society through 3D visualisations. It was created by Novoto Studio
Can AI make us more creative?

As artificial intelligence tools push their way into more aspects of our lives, a question looms for those in creative fields: Will AI enhance the value of our imaginations or will it extinguish our jobs? What do you think?

Twelve tables that elevate holiday gatherings

Discover a curated selection of 12 designer tables—spanning dining, side, coffee and game pieces—that bring sculptural style and function to winter entertaining. From polished steel bases to rich woods and customizable finishes, these standout designs elevate any room year-round.