2020 was quite a year.  Little did we know when celebrating in high style the evening of December 31, 2019 what was really in store for us in  2020.  Our interior design business was taking off with a banner year in sales.  Consulting services also provided a steady stream of work.  Then February 2020 hit and literally everything was shut down.  I can't say we were totally prepared for the 'virtual' world, but if anything good was to come out of 2020, it is that the technology met the moment.  

It started with a photo.  I was preparing for a family reunion and started doing research on my grandfather, Osmundo N. Saguil, Sr. when I uncovered a mystery.

II I found his manifest going back to the Philippines.  He arrived in the United States as a single man, but was traveling back with a young child named Roseline Saguil.  Who was Roseline?

Imagine yourself a bride on your wedding day and you walk into the reception hall, and nothing's ready!  This was what a Mr. Mann's Design client saw 6 hours before the ceremony.  The bride's maid of honor wanted to 'surprise' the bride with a wedding.  She asked the bride what theme she would like the wedding to be.  The bride chose 'beach'.  For expert help, the maid of honor contacted Craig Mann to design and produce the wedding which would prove a challege since the wedding was in the middle of the country in Iowa thousands of miles from the beach!

From what I’ve been trending, I’m ready to make predictions about what we’ll be seeing, wearing, and eating.  Trends are cyclical as generations come and go.  So it makes sense that the latest generation is probably not aware of the previous styles. What is old becomes fresh to the eyes of the naïve. 

What do you think of these predictions?

1. Sunken living rooms. Both comforting and sexy, I love the drama sunken living rooms convey. They do look a bit dangerous in the dark, but good lighting solves that.  I’ve seen them convert into an entire bed area for your extra ‘guests’.  How naughty.
2. Pleats I hate them, but I think there will be a revolution against tightly fitted clothing and slim fits.  They will be hemmed shorter, just to irritate people further.
3. Filipino food. Oft derided or limited to duck embryo, more and more Filipino restaurants are featured in urban areas, such as Maharlika in New York City, or Irenia in Orange County or Bad Saint in Washington, D.C.  The food is an interesting balance of flavors not normally tasted: tart, bitter, salty, sweet.  It makes for a fresh perspective on cuisine.
4. Shoulder pads. Maybe not the gigantic shoulder pads of the 80’s, shoulder pads are a subtler recreation.  Also associated with plunging necklines, they confidence in the person wearing them.  Ready for battle!
5. Wood. Gold and silver all done, now it’s wood’s turn.  Except in modern interpretations such as patterns and mixtures of wood types.  Look out for parquet and chevrons.