Perusing high street homeware stores such as Laura Ashley has been very revealing. There are several interior design trends to try this year and here are five of the best.
1950s suburbia
The 1950s was a major milestone in interior design. Timesaving devices were mass-produced so for the first time the average homeowner had a washing machine, oven and food processor. Technology was part and parcel of design and it was function, modular and unfussy. Gone were the over the top designs of 19th century and in their place were functional, minimalist and modernist designs. This is a key look this year. Laura Ashley has a whole range of furniture including its famous sofas, devoted to this trend. It has called it Off the Wall and it’s filled with angles, curves, fuss-free designs and geometric patterns.
Arts, crafts and traditionalism
Embroidery, natural materials and anything that looks home made and crafted are in vogue this year. Rich materials such as velvet and lace are mixed with linen and cotton. Colours are traditional and warm, deep burgundy, purple, blue and white. Floral and stripes are in fashion too and classic furniture shapes, such as the Padstow range of sofas from Laura Ashley, are homely and welcoming.
Industrialisation
Symbolic with loft living and urban regeneration, industrial interior design is a hot look this year. Natural materials, notably metal and wood are combined with bare, raw designs. Little fuss and softness is used, instead materials are used in their raw form. Metal lighting, tables and chairs can be soften with worn and basic materials such as linen and raffia. The colour palette is muted but interspersed with bursts of colour and the overall aesthetic is utilitarian and urban.
Victoriana
In complete contrast to both the modernism of the 1950s and the bareness of the industrial trend, is the Victoriana trend. Ornate furniture, ornaments, busy designs and deep, bold colour palettes are the backbones of this look. However, this is a more pared back look, so don’t use the homes of the upper middle classes and high society as inspiration. Instead go for a more simplistic take on Victorian interiors. So ditch the heavy drapes and replace them with blinds and don’t over furnish the room, but add lots of ornate accessories instead. Channel4 Homes has some great tips.
Pastels vs. Neon brights
A two-tone colour palette, feature walls and statement furniture are part and parcel of this trend. Use pastel shades of lilac, mint, cotton blue and coral as the basis for your room design, then throw in pops of colour in bright red, lime and purple. This is a modern trend but one that’s eclectic, so mix minimalism with maximalism wherever possible.
Modern living space