September 2026 Newsletter
Coffee Talk
September did not disappoint this year. It finally cooled off enough to open the windows. I am looking forward to a morning ritual of sipping coffee or tea outdoors amongst the changing leaves, pumpkins, and mums. I’ve started gathering Fall Front Porch ideas and burning apple scented candles.
Atlanta continues to delight Andy as the seasons change. She kicked off the month at the legendary DragonCon over Labor day weekend. She also started her first semester of college. Between school and work, she hasn’t had much free time and was bummed to miss out on the site walk for a new project. (She loves taking measurements and learning about design and construction.) We finally found some free time together and went to the Lantern Festival on the Beltline, one of my favorite Fall traditions.
Good news! It has been a full year since my mom’s last cancer treatment. The pumpkin spice queen is in the clear and doing 6 month follow-ups. “I’m verklempt.”
Coffee Talk with Linda Richman - IFKYK
Industry Events:
NEWH Atlanta tradeshow - I made a whirlwind appearance at the incredible 200+ exhibitor regional hospitality design tradeshow, visiting with local reps I adore, making new connections, and actually seeing so many people that I’ve “met” online (or just through email). As if by fate, I met someone who was also a caregiver to a parent with throat cancer last year. We instantly bonded. I found some fabulous materials and furniture for current projects, and made mental notes of the really outstanding finds for the future.
Material Bank’s Apothecary at Porcelanosa was a feast for the senses. We created tea blends at the 3 “lab” stations (green, white and rooibos - very autumnal), snacked on tapas, and experienced fragrances from Savior Faire while listening to curated soundtracks and exploring the most gorgeous material palettes
Design Trends:
Stacy Garcia’s 2026/2027 Hospitality Trend Forecast
Before I go into the trends, LET ME TELL YOU THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY YEAR!!! I just had a meeting with the industry icon Stacy Garcia herself! EEEK! This is the equivalent of a celebrity encounter for an interior design nerd. (I was quietly fan girl-ing on the inside during our meeting. My excitement was like Barbara Streisand just snuck up behind me. Again, I’m verklempt!)
Stacy was so gracious to share her time with me to go over my next great project (more on that in the end). She complimented my use of color and threw out a great art idea for using a pattern that I borrowed from the project’s website and slapped onto my mood board. Now for the trends in a nutshell…
Terra Forma - think concrete paired with lush green - structural grey and bold charcoal as the neutrals. How I would use it: cafes, vegetarian restaurants, offices, urban hotels, modern buildings.
Dreamweave - surrealism with a slightly AI-generated look, cloud-like, liquid, ethereal pastel blues and lavender anchored by retro oranges and oxblood, glowing and iridescent surfaces. How I would use it: modern retail, coffee shops, bedrooms, spas, salons.
Modern Mesa - Think clay, earthy terra cottas, worn leathers, and handcrafted pieces made modern. Kevin Barry Art Advisory’s report called Contemporary Cowboy shows how this neo-southwestern style is also trending in art and fashion. How I would use it: restaurants, western hotels, rustic short term rentals, barn party rental venues.
Peak Serenity - soothing and fresh, airy (Stacy referenced Pinterest here because of search trends for mountain travel), in awe of nature, colors are cooler with a blot of mustard and touch of light peachy-pink, quiet luxury, cozy, hygge, cashmere, evokes touch as sense. How I would use it: cabins, relaxed short term rentals, vacation homes, simplistic residential design, spas, massage, healthcare, wellness.
Legacy Lounge - pulls heritage and antiques back into modern atmospheres, renewed appreciation for investment pieces, colored marble, plaids, brick tones, golds, warm and burled woods. Approachable and lux at the same time. How I would use it: restaurants, retail, eclectic home designs, music studio, short term rentals, boutique hotels.
Eclectic Extravagance - 80’s inspired, hyper-saturated candy colors, geometric & whimsical, mirrored and glass block, joyful and celebratory. Maximalist opulence. How I would use it: restaurants, window displays for retail, photoshoots, party decor, urban short term rentals.
I observed some commonalities amongst the palettes - butter yellow, oxblood and brick reds, icy blues, desaturated teal, movement, curved furniture, bold pattern mixing
Eat your vegetables. Sherwin Williams declared Celery SW6241 as its 2027 crunchy color of the year. What are the 5 things to know about Celery from Sherwin Williams?
SW’s 2026 COTY was a safe latte color, but the 2027 palette went the opposite direction into the wild with punchy colors. Check out the full 2027 Colormix Forecast
The Pinterest Fall 2026 Trend Report shows people are finding ways to make home feel more satisfying. So what’s big in interior design? Spill the tea.
“Home cafe engineering” is a trend with an over 600% increase in people searching for “coffee station ideas [for] parties”. Earlier this year, at the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles tour of kitchens and the National Kitchen and Bath Association and International Builders Show, I noticed that appliance cabinets were a must have in residential kitchen designs. For me, it’s gotta be a coffee and tea station. Want to upgrade your everyday coffee or tea ritual? Here are some ideas. Brewers & Kettles Mugs & Cups Coffees & Teas Accessories & Decor Recipes & Design Ideas
Another huge trend on Pinterest is “trinket shelf ideas” with an incredible 852% search increase. “Vintage trinket shelf” came in with a 193% increase. It’s the little things.
And thrifting. It never goes out of style.
Art:
Paris Design Week - Incredible exhibits. Forward thinking interior design.
Thomas W. Ventulett III, artist and co-founder of the Atlanta-based architecture giant TVS passed at ninety.
My girl won VMA 2026 Artist of the Year and made a great speech. “Talk amongst yourselves.”
"Seriously, I really want you to know that I spent the last year and a half finding myself, believing in myself, and really making the music that I wanted to make. And to me, that really is the definition of being an artist, and my hope for all of you here tonight is that you spend the next year, or the next 10 years, or the rest of your life, doing the same: finding yourself and believing in yourself.” She’s my biggest fan.
Reading:
How Charles M. Schulz documented the evolution of the American home, from iconic Eames chairs to ’80s chintz - Secret Design History of Peanuts https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-secret-design-history-of-peanuts
10 questions with Enoch Hui - the designer who created some of Hong Kong’s most memorable restaurants
Shopping:
I live for a sale, and this year’s Labor Day sales were incredible! Did you miss out? Sign up for Rachel Backus Design emails and follow on Pinterest to never miss a thing!
Gift Ideas for Gamers - IKEA and XBox teamed up for this collab available starting 10/1 in stores and 11/30 online (in time for Christmas). Need it now? Try these options https://www.ikea.com/us/en/ideas/gift-ideas/gifts-for-gamers-pub35e6ebc0/
Community:
My new passion project is sprucing up the North Fulton Community Charities food pantry for its guests and volunteers. I am looking forward to creating a more comforting environment. Since this is a non-for-profit, we will be rolling up our sleeves and getting creative with sourcing low or no cost furnishings and decor to warm up the space and make it more inclusive. This is a wonderful opportunity to do good with interior design. I was so thrilled to have presented my ideas to Stacy Garcia today, and for her to give me ideas as well.
Industry partners - we are looking for waiting area seating and touch-down desks. If you know of any companies looking to offset inventory, please let me know!
Nature:
Going hiking! Bye!
