EVOLUTION OF COLOUR
Our annual Colour and Decorating issue is one of my favourites. I love flicking through it and seeing so many beautiful hues and images cascading past – the team’s hard work reflected back in glorious, glowing colour. It’s an issue I look forward to working on every year – a chance to focus on the trends, new looks and exciting things happening in the design world.
The colour direction changes annually, just subtly, but if I look back to some older HBs – and we’ve been doing this theme for nigh on 10 years – it’s clear just how Australians’ love for colour has evolved. A decade ago, deep plum, turquoise and even multicoloured feature walls appeared on the pages of the magazine. Ironically, at this time, my home was being overthrown by a palette of neutrals, inspired by a desire to ‘go safe’ (a by-product of living in a rental).
Skip forward to today, and you’ll see in this issue dusty pastels bordering on neutrals, the considered use of pattern and wallpaper – everything from big-impact florals to bold geometrics – and dramatic, eye-catching finishes. There’s a positivity to the design choices, tempered by a mature undertone that gives the impression that these colourways will be around for a while yet: check out our feature on The New Pastels (page 119) and decide for yourself. I’m happy to report that my own instincts have changed, too – a reflection of our times? I’ve welcomed colour back into my life and home!
Also this month, our stylist Tilly Roberts reports from Paris on the trends from Maison & Objet – the world’s premier home and decorating fair – discovering some incredible style finds and up-andcoming designers that you just have to see. Read it from page 19. And I just have to mention how we’re going to be celebrating Easter – our Chocolate Kisses entertaining story (can you guess the star ingredient?) had each of us planning which divine concoction we would try – or running to the snack machine in the HB kitchen to get our choc fix. Enjoy the issue! Find inspiration for your next decorating project with the latest pastels (top left), from page 119. Among the striking designs at Maison & Objet were these hand-crafted Paola Paronetto vases (left). View the whole story from page 19.