Generation Homes
This season’s interior design trends offer creative ideas for the cooler days ahead – cosy grey tones, the use of texture to create warmth and tech-free spaces to bring people together
Infusing your own sense of style into the interior of just one room can be daunting, let alone an entire house. We asked Generation Homes design consultant Michaela Churstain for some smart, economical ideas on how to bring the latest new-season looks to life in your new home.
SIMPLISTIC & BOLD
As bright summer days turn into the burnt orange beauty of autumn, it’s a great time to have fun and awaken your creativity with interiors. This year, grey is dominating interiors as the new neutral. It’s making an appearance in subtle grey specks through engineered stone and tiles, to more dramatic schemes brought to life by striking concrete floors and floor-toceiling grey kitchen cabinetry.
Combining various shades of grey to make a rich, layered space is a hot trend. Saturated palettes are making a splash. Colours are much juicer than pervious years and work beautifully in kids’ rooms. In a home’s central living area, try adding pops of colour using inky hues in indigo, fuchsia, peacock, midnight blue, purple or emerald green. Finish the look with brass, copper, steel or gold accessories for a palette of understated luxury.
TECH FREE INTERIORS
Technology enhances our lives in many ways but it’s important to find opportunities to unplug.
Tech-free spaces are all about creating calm and soothing environments to better connect with people, relax and recharge. Dual living areas are becoming extremely popular in new home builds for this very reason. Removing temptations such as televisions and gaming consoles encourages conversation and other fulfilling activities like reading a book, drawing or playing games with friends and family.
When furnishing tech-free spaces, the “bigger is better” mentality no longer takes precedence. Smaller, bespoke pieces of furniture have more personality and added flexibility for creating multiple conversation areas within a room.
SHAPES & TEXTURE
Texture has become a remedy for our senses: the feeling of the crunch of a newspaper or a lush shagpile rug between your toes.
It’s not that we’re moving away from the smooth, cold surfaces characteristic of the minimalist movement, we’re instead seeking balance by styling rooms with a mix of different shapes and textures. In today’s new homes, all rooms are built either square or rectangular. The best way to soften hard lines is to create variety using statement pendant lights, artwork, clocks or mirrors. Strokeable throws, rugs, cushions, bean bags and floor pillows prove textures are just as important as warmth. Indoor plants are a great way to introduce colour and texture in one hit.
Generation Homes is an award-winning national top 10 residential builder that provides a ordable houses to Kiwis without compromising on design. All homes are sold with a fixed-fee contract, ontime delivery guarantee and 10-year Master Build warranty.
For more information and professional advice, visit generationhomes.co.nz.