Insight & News

Bringing the Outside In

Bringing the Outside In

Whether you're a fan of trends or not unfortunately there's no escaping them. You may follow them or feel totally unaffected, everything designed for our homes is pre-determined by society's wider trends and influence. 

Looking at everything from in vogue paint colours to the latest furniture must have, brands incorporate these in different ways and their collections are inspired by the global influence of these trends.

Interior trends: In focus

Whilst some trends last a lifetime others are merely seasonal, as trends change and evolve so do our tastes.

Whether you're a leader or a follower or perhaps an observant bystander we look at a few key trends in the home this autumn/winter season.

Open spaces

Walls have come down and rooms have opened up.  As boundaries between spaces blur, kitchens are borrowing from the design of living rooms and using complementary styles, materials and colours.  Ambient or background furniture and lighting can shine here, with material harmony found in the culmination of metal, glass, natural stone, wood and textured surfaces - think reduced, modern but not cold. 

Fold-away units and concealed sinks prevail, while open-shelf solutions replace wall units, enabling the careful curation of homeowners' trinkets to shine. 

Connecting with Nature

This is one of the most subtle trends which displays character and elegance. Based around bringing the organic world inside this trend uses nature as an inspiration via materials, textures and colours.  In order to achieve elemental style, you can incorporate the likes of granite, slate and marble in the most natural colours.

By desiring a deep connection with nature, lighting and furniture pieces embrace organic natural imperfections and handcrafted honesty.  Artisanal craft and creations with a narrative are having their moment; authentic immersions into the wild and a more grounded way of life are resurging and resonating with a new audience. 

Experimentation is key here, too.  Designers are taking artisanal technique and turning it on its head, creating abstract and decorative pieces that blur the line between form and function.  Preserving the original qualities of Mother Nature, materials are raw and primal, amplified by handcrafted elements like joints, herringbone layout and book match veneers.  In culinary spaces, wood and its multitude of textures and essences takes centre stage alongside materials with a structural, decorative feel in darker veneers.

Nods to the craft movement - which sought a simpler way of living through its use of high-quality materials and its emphasis on utility in design - imbue laid-back, rural living. Matte surfaces with materials such as leather or terra cotta should be the final flourish for interiors projects looking to channel a natural aesthetic, while warm finishes add subtle depth and texture.