The big reveal: 2015 interior design trends
Category Newsletter: Did you know?
From mixed metallics to curiosity cabinets, trend researcher Chris Read from Durban’s International Trend Institute lets us in on ten of the décor world’s hottest coming attractions.
NEW MINIMALISM
The trend towards Scandinavian-inspired design is still strong, especially at the more discerning end of the spectrum. The interpretation focuses on the minimal, with an abundance of light wood and basic, considered forms. The approach to construction is almost geometric in its simplicity, with furniture taking the form of perfect circles, cylinders and rectangles, often with the use of elemental materials, such as marble and metal to give a sense of depth. The palette is restrained and understated, focussing on neutrals and pastels, grounded by bold darker colour.
MAN MADE
A strong trend towards classic masculine design is evident in interiors at the moment. Two main influences converge in this trend, with designers drawing on both vintage aeronautical inspiration and old-world gentleman’s clubs. Playing into the first of these, burnished metal aeroplane parts such as wings and propellers are being seen mounted on walls, reproduced in miniature and referenced in furniture construction. These are often then styled in spaces that recreate period men’s clubs, complete with worn-in leather furniture, sporting paraphernalia and sartorial elements like bowler hats and bow ties for good measure.
MODERN PASTELS
A modern interpretation of classic pastels is still very much on trend for next year. Unlike the more traditional use of these hues, which focuses on combining different pastels to create soft, feminine colour schemes, this contemporary application contrasts soft pastels with more urban-inspired colours such as strong neutrals and darker tones. These interpretations also see pastels combined with raw, natural textures such as marble, wood and metal to further ground and remove the colours from their light and pretty associations.
MIXED METALLICS
Unlike in previous seasons, there is no single metallic at the moment that can be said to be “the one”. There is, however, a tendency towards warmer tones with gold, copper, brass and bronze – all used in interior applications. These are often seen with a patina finish, giving an additional sense of comfort and familiarity. Mixing complementary metallics is also common, whether as curated objects or different elements of the same construction.
CURIOUS COLLECTIONS
Curated collections with a Victorian twist are seen as a common feature in interior styling. From vintage found objects to taxidermy and sculpture, these often tend towards the serious, but also show a dark wit at times. At the more extreme end, these collections take the form of an old-fashioned curiosity cabinet, filled to the brim with different objects and serving as a statement piece in a room, but we’re also seeing the same spirit in smaller tableaux on cabinets and shelves.
PLAYFUL TOUCH
A refreshing sense of humour is becoming ever more evident in interiors, with designers approaching their products with a playful sensibility. At Maison et Objet, the rugs on show were a case in point, with designs that used texture and colour to emulate sand dunes, palm leaves, water ripples and more. Others took it even further by remixing traditional pattern through cut-and-paste techniques to produce hybrid creations. This same sentiment was also seen in other décor items that played with form, such as beach-ball lights, balloon pouffes and giant crocheted fruit and vegetable pieces.
RETRO ENERGY
On the more irreverent side, a strong sense of retro-inspired fun is still on the interior trend radar. In the past, we’ve seen a more classic take on mid-century modern design as a key interior style, but for this season designers have decided to embrace kitsch once more. The influence here seems to come from a combination of 70s poolside style and retro tropical design, evident in the multitude of bright colours, fun styling and ever-present botanical motifs.
NAUTICAL INFLUENCE
There’s a strong oceanic influence in interiors at the moment. This goes beyond the ubiquitous beach cottage look and sees high-design applications of nautical across the board, from statement pieces such as crayfish-trap-inspired woven lighting pendants to watery prints and patterns on home textiles. This sentiment affects texture trends too, with a sea-worn finish common on different décor items and pebble construction seeing a comeback, whether literally or interpreted in felted forms in items like rugs.
LIVING SCULPTURES
The growing popularity of cacti as a décor accent has to be mentioned. There is often a plant that epitomises the season – in the last few years we’ve seen succulents and then air plants – but now the one to have is the cactus. Whether they are big or small, fake or real, their hardiness and sculptural appeal means that you’ll be seeing them more and more in interiors.
WARM TOUCH
There is a return to warm, honest materials in interiors that just call out to be touched. Wood, cork and woven fibres help to ground us when technology pushes the rest of the world to become seamless and homogenous. At design fair Maison et Objet earlier this year, this was most evident in the resurgence in the popularity of cork – a material that is shaking off its 70s associations and being used in high-end interiors across the board. From desktops to magazine racks to stools and chairs, cork gave a welcome warmth and texture to otherwise minimal constructions.
Source: Plascon Spaces
Author: Plascon Spaces
