Trickle down theory

There are the weird chairs. There are the armoires that cost more than some cars. There are the lamps that look like they belong in Legoland, not a living room. See all of this and it’s easy for the average consumer to wonder: How do these things relate to me?

In some cases, they don’t. They’re artworks, meant to push the limits of design and create a look that’s never been seen. But just as in fashion, the furnishings that premiere at top design shows often set trends in shapes, textures, colors and materials that will filter down to high-end showroom and mass-market retailers alike.

Whether you’re looking at blatant knockoffs, clever riffs on an original or the work of designers subconsciously borrowing inspiration, what you see in stores very well may have been born in a display booth in Milan, Paris or New York.

Gigantic patio planters, crystal chandeliers, felted rugs, metallic finishes -- these are all trends that gained critical mass at recent shows and eventually landed in shop windows and on store websites. Go to www.chiasso.com, and you’ll see a Miami sofa with quilted upholstery that bears an uncanny resemblance to the Ligne Roset armchair pictured in the Home section’s 2007 report from Milan.

The Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend light fixture, unveiled at the show last year by Meta, has 24 handblown glass panes set in a golden-hued silver alloy. The manufacturer asks interested parties to call for the price, but suffice it to say it’s five figures. That may be too pricey for most consumers, but now West Elm has a faceted pendant light for $129.

We don’t know whether the flared legs on IKEA’s Mammut children’s chair were inspired by the VIP chair from Moooi, always a big draw in Milan, but if you like the look, it’s yours.

What will filter down from this year’s show? Are monster-sized floor lamps headed your way? Stay tuned.