AI gives us more answers, but not necessarily a broader view
The people working inside a company know their products, customers, production processes and market better than an external consultant ever could, and that knowledge is extremely valuable. But every company also develops its own internal perspective: you are surrounded by the same category, competitors, commercial priorities, internal conversations and established ways of doing things.
Social media algorithms and AI can amplify this mechanism, creating the impression that we have access to more information and knowledge than ever, while what we often receive is actually a constantly filtered, optimized and personalized point of view. The “bubble” effect.
An independent perspective can bring something different.
My role is not to replace the knowledge already inside a company. It is to bring signals from outside and connect them back to the specific reality of the business. I work across different countries, brands, markets, design events, professional networks and product categories. This allows me to identify connections that may not be as visible when looking at one sector from the inside.
At the same time, I am deeply immersed in the design industry itself: products, materials, manufacturers, fairs, architecture, interiors, forecasting and the international professional community around them. And there is another side to this. For more than 13 years, I have worked online and built an international audience around interiors, design, colour and trends. That means I am also immersed in the much messier world of people’s reactions, conversations, changing preferences and everyday visual culture.
I see what people respond to, what they reject, what becomes desirable, what becomes normal and what they begin to tire of.
This combination is central to my work: close enough to the industry to understand how it works. Independent enough to question where it is going. Close enough to people to understand what is changing outside the industry bubble.
My perspective combines three worlds
Trend forecasting + international field research
Trend forecasting has become a central part of my professional work over the last years. I continuously research changes across interiors, colour, materials, products, lifestyles and wider cultural behaviour. That research happens both at my desk and in the field: through international design events, exhibitions, new product launches, travel and continuous exchanges with an international network of forecasters, designers and other professionals. This makes me see not only what is appearing, but to compare signals across different markets and understand where they sit within a broader direction.
Architecture + product and material feasibility
My original background is in architecture and interior design. Before moving fully into trend research and strategy, I worked on real projects, dealing with spaces, materials, products, technical constraints, budgets and implementation. That experience still strongly influences how I work today, as I am interested in ideas, but also in whether those ideas can actually become something. My mindset is practical: there is usually a way to find a solution.
13+ years observing changing taste online
The third part of my perspective is just as important as the first two, and it is probably the most unusual. For more than 13 years, I have worked online and built an international design audience and professional community through ITALIANBARK ( here! with this blog ) and, later, TRENDBARK.
This has given me a long-term view of how taste evolves. Not only through research reports or professional events, but through what people actually respond to. This keeps my work close to real people, changing needs and changing taste, rather than relying only on information circulating inside companies, agencies or the professional design bubble.
At the same time, my professional background allows me to step back from that constant flow of information, recognise meaningful signals and translate them into something useful for companies.
When companies bring me in
For example, when they are:
- developing a new product or collection and need to understand where colour, materials, finishes or aesthetics may be moving;
- defining future colour and material directions for the next two or three years;
- reviewing products already in development before production or launch;
- reconsidering an existing collection and looking for new ways to position, combine or communicate what you already have;
- trying to understand where your category is heading beyond what competitors are currently showing;
- distinguishing mainstream directions from emerging or more niche opportunities;
- looking for differentiation without creating something disconnected from your customer;
- challenging an internal direction with an independent external perspective;
- entering a new market or audience and needing a broader understanding of changing taste;
- or looking for ongoing external creative and trend direction alongside your internal team.
The starting point is rarely simply “tell us the trends”…it is usually a much more specific question related to a company’s products, positioning, customer or future direction.
Areas I know particularly well
My strongest expertise is in the world of interior design, products, colour and materials, particularly:
Surfaces and architectural materials
- Tiles and ceramics
- Paint and colour
- Materials and finishes
- Flooring
- Wallcoverings
- Furniture
- Home and interior décor
- Colour and material direction
- Interior product development
- Collection direction
- Design and taste forecasting
I am based in Italy and work internationally, with a particularly close connection to Italian and European design, manufacturing, materials and craftsmanship.
How I work with companies
I work directly with companies through TRENDBARK ATELIER, my bespoke consultancy practice.
Unlike TRENDBARK Studio, which gives professionals and brands ongoing access to my wider research and design intelligence, ATELIER is built around the specific needs of one company. Depending on the project, this can include:
Bespoke Direction Development / Custom creative and trend directions for products, collections or buying strategies.
Collection Review & New Perspectives / An external review of existing or developing products, colours, materials and finishes, identifying opportunities and possible new directions.
Tailored Trend & Taste Scanning / Research focused on a particular category, market, audience or creative challenge.
Ongoing Creative & Trend Direction/ Working alongside an internal team over time as an independent external perspective.
Italian & Venetian Craft Scouting / Connecting international brands with relevant Italian manufacturers, materials, craftsmanship and local design knowledge.
The work is always filtered through the reality of the company: its products, market, audience, positioning, timeframe and possibilities.
Work with me
I open TRENDBARK ATELIER to a limited number of company collaborations each year. If your company is developing a new collection, reconsidering existing products, exploring future colour or material directions, or looking for an independent perspective to work alongside your internal team, you can contact me directly.
Write to [email protected] with a few words about your company and what you are currently working on. We normally begin with an introductory call to understand the need and see whether my expertise is the right fit. From there, I define the most useful scope of work and prepare a tailored proposal.
TRENDBARK ATELIER requests for 2027 are now open.
About Elisabetta Rizzato
Elisabetta Rizzato is an Italian independent trend strategist, interior architect and founder of ITALIANBARK® and TRENDBARK. She works internationally with design brands and professionals across interiors, colour, materials, furniture and product development. Her approach combines trend forecasting and international field research, architectural and interior design experience, and more than 13 years of observing changing design taste through an international online audience and professional network.
Through TRENDBARK ATELIER, she works directly with companies on bespoke trend research, product and collection direction, colour and material strategy, collection review and ongoing external creative direction.
