New Year, new trends
Carole King is an Interior Designer and author of Dear Designer’s Blog where she writes daily about current trends, shopping tips and anything else that inspires her. She is also the co-founder and joint EIC of Heart Home magazine which is a blogazine dedicated to showcasing British design.
Some trends are fleeting. Some are what we might call micro-trends (remember the pineapples cropping up on homewares everywhere?). But some trends continue season after season, gathering momentum and pace until they’re not a trend at all. They are just a lifestyle choice. A reflection of our own tastes, and a foundation on which to build a home that simply makes us happy.
With that in mind, here are six ‘trends’ that I predict will be around for a long time yet…
Scandinavian. You could say it’s been around for hundreds of years. It’s evolved like any other interior trend and now it’s typified by a simple, honest and clean approach to decorating. It’s been made even more popular by the popularity on Pinterest of white walls, blond wood furniture, an open-plan layout and an absence of clutter. Windows are left bare so as to let in as much light as possible, and furs, candles, and textures from the natural world provide the finishing touches.
Sustainability. Not so much a trend, as a lifestyle choice. Consumers often now give careful consideration to the provenance of new purchases and choose products that are good for themselves, their families and the planet. It’s the exact opposite of fashion in fact, as homewares are chosen for their longevity and enduring appeal.
1. Kith & Kin via Heart Home. 2. Wool Herringbone via Alternative Flooring. 3. Mylands Paints. 4. Wallpaper via House of Hackney. 5. Amara. 6. Arthouse.
Botanicals. A trend that stems from the desire to bring the outside in. It’s not enough to have a collection of healthy house-plants any more. Now you can cover your walls, upholstery, curtains, and accessories with all manner of flora from woodland specimens, to country garden prettiness, to full-blown jungle blooms. Of course, you can choose to cultivate a little or a lot, making this the perfect trend to flirt with or to have a long lasting affair with.
1. Dotcomgiftshop. 2. Lombok. 3. Kelly Swallow. 4. Rose & Grey. 5. Big Jute via Alternative Flooring. 6.Red 5.
Industrial. Another trend that owes its existence to our desire be kind to the planet. A decision to turn our backs on the throw-away culture and to re-use and re-cycle where ever possible has led to a quiet revolution in our homes. It’s fashionable to make-do and mend and has led to lots of interiors that make a virtue of factory lighting, upcycled wood, bare brick walls and vintage ephemera.
Pastels. Will be big in 2016 especially since Pantone have declared Serenity (baby blue) and Rose Quartz (baby pink) will be the colours of the year. How you use them is a matter of choice but my prediction is that they will be combined a lot with the Scandinavian trend above. Too many pastels together will give a nursery look, but used in moderation with lots of white and pale wood they can produce a very calming and sophisticated look.
1.Barker & Stonehouse. 2. Barefoot via Alternative Flooring. 3. Oliver Bonas. 4. Homesense. 5.Houseology.
Metallics. Copper has been a big trend for a couple of years now and it doesn’t look as if it’s going away. In fact it’s being joined by brass in a big way. Yes, it’s okay to mix metals but stick to warm metals – any with a hint of gold. They make fantastic accent colours, make statement lighting stand out, and mix with any of the trends above.
Blog:
deardesigner.co.uk
Magazine:
hearthomemag.co.uk
