With a new year (and new decade) upon us, now is the perfect time to think about refreshing your interior and incorporating the latest design trends into your home. If you are wondering what lays ahead, our experts have put together their top trends to look out for in 2020 and beyond.
Precious Metals
“Precious Metals” is possibly the best way to describe one of the leading trends in interiors this year. Metal is no longer restricted to chrome, with a variety of options now available including gold, brass, bronze as well as newcomer gunmetal grey. Brushed and patina qualities reign supreme and the ever-popular matte black continues its dominance.
Precious Metals – Aych Armchair by Forma
Firstly we saw the metal trend in accessories and on the surfaces of tables. We are now seeing it moving into sofa and armchair frames such as the Aych Armchair by Forma, the Jed by Kovacs and the Flynn by David Shaw.
Textiles are also getting the metallic touch. This is both heavy handed with lots of texture and embellishments or soft and delicate with just a hint of a metallic finish.
Precious Metals – Jane Churchill Atmosphere Fabric Collection
High Tech Homes
2020 will see us truly embrace new technology to create smarter homes. Motorisation, home automation and voice control will become more common as we see products move towards incorporating this technology. The likes of Luxaflex blinds which have the option to be automated and operated via voice through their collaboration with Somfy offer many advantages including privacy, light control and energy efficiency.
Tactility
Texture will be a key element for interiors this year. Open weaves and chunky knits sit alongside faux furs and extensive use of embroidery. Our walls will become more textured with embossed wallpapers creating a new and interesting aesthetic.
Tactility – Carlucci Treasures of our Time Fabric Collection
Velvet doesn’t show any signs of going away with brocade finishes lending a new look this season. Leather is worked and reworked to give a softer to touch for the consumer. No detail is left unturned on this from the likes of Halo; from soft and supple to antiqued leathers, this is done to perfection.
Tactility – Harlequin Paloma Fabric Collection
Comfort at the Forefront
With a volatile world people tend to look to their homes for comfort. Homes are seen as a refuge from our busy lives, a place to relax and unwind after a long day.
High-backed armchairs are being added to room settings with relaxed sofas to give people the support where needed. These can often be the standout pieces in a lounge, adding colour and texture while keeping the sofa understated.
Comfort at the forefront – Furninova Sake LC Sofa with Revir Armchair
Modular sofas are still proving popular for larger homes allowing people to create a wraparound sofa and making spaces cosy. These tend to be low and deep like the Emin or Truffle from Halo and the Quilty from Forma.
Acting as a sanctuary, the bedroom is one of the places we are seeing this trend become evident. The importance of sleep and the way it influences our everyday life has been a real focus lately and this has seen all the top bed brands investing in new technologies and materials for their beds. A good sleep starts from the base up, but linen also does a good job of adding luxury comfort. Additional layers such as comforters and throws are a great way of making a bed look and feel inviting.
Comfort at the forefront – Bremworth Collection Aroha Carpet
Comfort extends to underfoot with carpet still being a top choice despite the prevalence of hard flooring. A greater emphasis is being given to underlay which can elevate the comfort level of nearly any carpet. New felted wools and plush cut pile carpets from the likes of the Bremworth Collection show a real sense of craft, adding a supremely soft feel to spaces. In areas with hard floors, textured rugs are favoured for their soft comfort.
Curves
Curves are back, echoing the comfort trend and softening our largely linear homes. Expect to see a resurgence of curved walls and arches within interiors. Rounded forms are increasingly been seen in furniture, either subtly with the curve of an armrest or boldly in the overall form of the piece. Curves are even making their way into sectional sofas, with specific modules available that lead away from the usual 90 degree angle.
Curves – Manutti River Outdoor Sofa
Maximalism
While minimalism will always have its place, pattern and colour are starting to creep into our homes with people taking a ‘more is more’ approach in what can only be described as maximalism. This is especially true for wallpaper and textiles where we are seeing an explosion of patterns and bold use of texture being layered with rich colours for a dynamic aesthetic. International design houses are injecting personality into their designs and this is being embraced by homeowners in the best way possible.
Maximalism – Anthology Fabric Collection
Sustainability
Mother Earth and our collective human impact has been a hot topic in recent years. This has led to a huge focus on sustainability, with many new and exciting initiatives being born. In terms of interiors, we are seeing a better understanding of the environment and a real appreciation for sustainable, earth-friendly products; from furniture items covered in upcycled fabrics such as the Halo Havana sofa to carpet that is created entirely from recycled synthetics like the Cavalier Bremworth Siren Tria. The throwaway society is definitely diminishing, purchases are becoming more thoughtful and consumers are looking for products that will last a lifetime rather than ending up in the trash.
Back to Nature
Our efforts to protect and respect the earth have coincided with a desire to get back to nature in more ways than one. Natural materials are showing up everywhere in interiors: wool, cotton and especially linen. Linen curtains drape beautifully and are revered for their relaxed style. Natural slubs, texture and weave irregularities all add to the look.
Back to Nature – James Dunlop Perspective Fabric Collection
Linen is also a great option for bed linen but that doesn’t diminish the dominance of cotton which is known for its moisture absorbing, breathable qualities. Beds themselves are getting the natural treatment too with alpaca, silk or wool adding to the comfort factor and providing natural insulation.
Back to Nature – Ethnicraft Ancestors Tabwa range
Hard furniture for dining tables and storage is still seeing a resurgence of natural products with the use of oak widespread. Carved pieces have made a comeback, shown to perfection by the Ethnicraft Ancestors Tabwa range.
Nature is showing up as the main source of inspiration for prints and patterns. This is subtle and minimalistic as well as bold and beautiful with strong graphic prints.
Back to Nature – Mokum Club Tropicali Fabric collection
The ‘back to nature’ trend is also true for colours, with earthy tones & warm neutrals expected to remain the prevailing colour palette for the year ahead. Brown is most definitely back, terracotta is having its heyday and pastels have become chalky, lending themselves to a natural aesthetic. Green in every shade continues to abound, while harmonious nature-inspired blues offer a respite from the largely warm colour palette.
For more help refreshing your home and creating the interior of your dreams, we offer in-home consultations with our highly experienced team who can come into your home and work with you to develop the perfect furnishing scheme from the floor to the ceiling and everything in between. We aim to make the process fun, rewarding and most importantly easy, with expert help and in-home consultations available for flooring, furniture, curtains and blinds – or let us help co-ordinate them all with our Interior Design service. Visit us in store for more information or book online now.