Form and function
‘Honesty’ of Bauhaus makes return
Whether it’s a coat of paint, a change of furniture or a few cushions, the chances are you’re looking around your home and thinking about what could do with a bit of an update in the new year.
If you’re planning to ring in the changes, here are some of the styles set to come to the fore in 2019, from on-trend colours to innovative materials and artinspired accessories. The new palette
Pantone announced its “colour of the year” for 2019, and its prediction is Living Coral, a bright, cheerful peach. Unlike its purple predecessor, Ultra Violet, which seemed a slightly out-there choice (certainly in terms of interiors), coral is a colour that has already been gaining some traction in homeware collections over the past year. It’s also part of a movement towards warmer neutrals – Dulux’s colour of the year, Spiced Honey, is further evidence of this.
Combined with other tropical tones, such as cobalt blue and teal, coral will add a bold effect; used with softer greens and yellows or whites, it can subtly liven up an understated scheme.
Pink is still hugely popular and isn’t set to be relegated to the sidelines any time soon, but it is evolving from sugary blush to a slightly darker tone – Farrow & Ball’s Sulking Room Pink, one of the nine new colours it introduced in September, is a good example of this moodier guise. Again, it goes well with the new neutrals such as sage green and muted mustard, but will also lift a palette of pale grey, taupe and white – and would look beautiful with brass accents from lighting, mirrors or picture frames. Bauhaus
A German art school that stopped operating in 1933 might not seem hugely relevant to a modern British interior. However, the Bauhaus school was hugely influential in its day, and went on to inspire one of the leading aesthetic elements of modernist design.
As 2019 marks the centenary of its opening, expect to see lots of homeware products inspired by its sparse style, incorporating clean lines and abstract shapes.
A young Terence Conran studied the Bauhaus principles of marrying form with function, focusing on craftsmanship and making good design accessible to all, and the new collections from The Conran Shop, by designers such as Matthew Hilton and Daniel Schofield, celebrate that legacy with furniture and accessories that incorporate graphic lines and flashes of bold colour.
Mini Moderns’ new Bauhaus wallpaper similarly incorporates geometric shapes that were symbolic of the movement, while Heal’s, which stocked original Bauhaus school designs back in the 1920s (and still does), is bringing out its Bauhaus 100 collection of lighting and accessories.
“For a quick update to the home, consider adding to your ceramics collection or swapping in textiles,” says the company’s head of buying, Sabina Miller, who suggests throws by Eleanor Pritchard and graphic tableware by Design K. Rubbish to riches
Last year’s plastic waste backlash has sparked a wave of innovation, with several brands enlisting it to make a whole range of homewares.
Weaver Green, based in Devon, makes patterned, woven cushions, throws and rugs that are made from up to 3,000 discarded bottles each, yet feel remarkably soft, and have the added benefits of being washable and moth-resistant.
John Lewis has produced a collection of towels made entirely from recycled materials, including plastic bottles and textiles; and Ikea’s new Odger chair is more than 50% recycled plastic.
Silentnight has even produced a mattress that uses fibres made from recycled bottles which, it claims, regulate body temperature to ensure a most comfortable night’s sleep.
The terrazzo trend that started to come through last year and is now gathering pace is another example of a somewhat humble material that is being given an upscale upgrade. Designer Joyce Wang has produced a collection of terrazzo furniture and accessories with a decidedly luxe look (and price point), and terrazzo prints are popping up on everything from wallpaper to bed linen.
For easily installed terrazzostyle flooring, try Ca’Pietra’s new Venice tiles, which come in grey, blue and pink. Abstract art
The Picasso exhibition at Tate Modern has spawned a micro trend in homewares inspired by abstract and figurative art, most commonly seen on tableware and soft furnishings.
A simple line drawing is an easy way to tap into this, while a figurative lamp or vase (WA Green has plenty to choose from) will add a playful touch to a shelf or mantelpiece.
For tableware, The Conran Shop’s Motif range makes food look like a work of art, and Habitat has restocked its sellout Jackson & Levine collection of plates and bowls. Back to white
Brace yourself: white and cream sofas are making a comeback – a thought to strike panic in the heart of anyone with a taste for black coffee or red wine. This isn’t the start of a wholesale return to minimalism; more of a foil for the bold colour and pattern that has been taking over interiors over the past couple of years.
In a room with statement wallpaper, colourful cushions and a patterned rug, a white sofa will provide a bit of breathing space.
Abi Boura, founder of furniture company Love Your Home, reports that customers are leaning towards cream sofas in heavily textured fabrics such as bouclé (which, incidentally, would help to disguise marks), and has responded by introducing a shearling fabric on its new collection by design duo 2LG Studio, which gives a cosy vibe.
“Don’t be afraid with cream,” says Boura, “if a neutral palette feels too much like a blank canvas, mix in highlights such as bold piping in velvet or leopard print, which can effortlessly elevate a sofa.” Palm Springs
The vogue for tropical motifs and palm-leaf prints has led to a revival of the classic Palm Springs style, which is giving the midcentury look a glamorous update.
The coral pink and green colour combination that has swept its way through everything from cushions to kitchens this year is one example of how to get this look at home, which is also characterised by pale walls with pops of colour in furniture and accessories, geometric patterns, and art deco style metal furniture.
Interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, famed for the flamboyant interiors he has created for the Californian glitterati, has designed a new collection for The Rug Company.
It is directly inspired by 30sera Palm Springs; and Jonathan Adler is a go-to brand for adding a dose of this style, a sure-fire way to give your home a sunny start to 2019.