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Product Talk | Trend vs. Traction: Which Product Trends Will Actually Last

A trend can capture attention, but what makes it worth specifying? On this episode of Product Talk, Lauren Brant and guests Ashley Banbury of Sherwin-Williams and Nicole Lashae Hall of Thrive In Design, explore the difference between what’s popular now and what will shape commercial interiors for years to come.
Oct. 28, 2026
3 min read
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Key Highlights

Distinguish a passing trend from a lasting design movement

Explore how cultural shifts, wellness priorities, and changing expectations influence design trends—and how to recognize the deeper needs that may give an idea long-term relevance.

Look beyond the color to understand the cultural context

Using Celery, the 2027 Color of the Year from Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the conversation explores how color forecasting can offer insight into wellness, balance, connection, and evolving approaches to commercial interiors.

Evaluate products for more than aesthetics

Learn why solving a problem, communicating a clear product story, building trust, and providing meaningful manufacturer support can help move a product from initial interest to specification and repeat use.

Apply the five-year test to specifications

Discover a practical way to assess trend-driven decisions: If the trend disappeared tomorrow, would the underlying reason for choosing that color, material, or product still matter? This question helps designers balance current inspiration with long-term project value.

Courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
Celery-colored walls are painted in a dining room.

Celery is Sherwin-Williams' 2027 Color of the Year. 

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How can designers distinguish a fleeting design trend from a deeper movement that will shape products, specifications, and commercial interiors for years to come?

In this episode of Product Talk, host Lauren Brant explores what gives a design trend staying power with Ashley Banbury, Color Marketing Manager, Global Architectural Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, and Nicole Lashae Hall, founder and CEO of Thrive In Design and host of the Thrive In Design Podcast.

The conversation begins with Celery, Sherwin-Williams, and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’ unified 2027 Color of the Year, and expands into a broader discussion about the cultural forces influencing commercial design. From wellness and biophilic design to natural materials, personalization, and product storytelling, the guests examine how emerging ideas move beyond aesthetics to influence the products designers choose and specify.

Listeners will also learn how to evaluate trends through a more strategic lens, recognizing the difference between what captures attention and what delivers lasting value. The discussion explores how manufacturers can build trust with the design community, why meaningful product support matters, and how designers can incorporate current influences without compromising a project’s long-term relevance.

For interior designers, architects, and product specifiers, the takeaway is clear: successful specification isn’t simply about knowing what’s trending. It’s about understanding why a trend matters, how it serves a project, and whether its underlying value will endure.

Listen to Product Talk from interiors+sources for insights into the products, ideas, and innovations shaping commercial and contract design.

Meet Our Guests

Courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
Ashley Banbury

Ashley Banbury

Backed by over 15 years of experience in the design industry, Ashley Banbury is an NCIDQ-certified designer bringing color strategy to life in meaningful ways. With expertise in interpreting global lifestyle trends through color, Ashley empowers consumers to make confident color choices. She collaborates with leading retail brands across all categories, serving DIY enthusiasts.

Courtesy of Nicole Lashae Hall
Nicole Lashae Hall

Nicole Lashae Hall

Nicole Lashae Hall, MA, is the Founder and CEO of Thrive In Design, a strategy consultancy helping interior product manufacturers and design-driven brands turn insight into action through brand positioning, A&D engagement, sales enablement, go-to-market strategy, and AI readiness.

With more than 17 years of industry experience, Nicole has contributed to over $18 million in career sales, earned more than two dozen sales awards, and supported more than 40 brands. She is the creator of Position to Specify™ and A.C.E. The Journey™, the founder of the AI in Design Summit, and host of the Thrive In Design Podcast, which has surpassed 10,000 downloads across at least 24 countries.

A speaker at industry events including NeoCon and High Point Market, Nicole brings together her background in interior design, sales, business strategy, and emerging technology to help companies better understand their customers, communicate their value, and build strategies for sustainable growth.

About the Author

Lauren Brant
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Lauren Brant

Staff Writer, interiors+sources and BUILDINGS

Lauren Brant is Staff Writer for both interiors+sources and BUILDINGS. She is an award-winning editor and reporter whose work has appeared in daily and weekly newspapers. In 2020, the weekly newspaper won the Rhoades Family Weekly Print Sweepstakes—the division winner across the state's weekly newspapers. Lauren was also awarded the top feature photo across Class A papers. She holds a B.A. in journalism and media communications from Colorado State University-Fort Collins and a M.S. in organizational management from Chadron State College.

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