Nautical and nice!
Colourful and fun, ocean-themed decor is riding a wave, says HARRIET SIME
WE’VE taken a decisive turn. After decades of stylish homes being decked out in muted Scandi hues and simplistic furniture, maximalism is having its moment. And riding on the wave of its success are all things aquatic.
With the BBC’s hugely-successful Blue Planet series establishing plastic as the enemy, 2018 was the year we all became more aware of how our habits are damaging the earth’s oceans. And, in homage, this awareness has now seeped into our homes.
Scalloped-shaped furniture, fish-scale tiles and aquatic wallpaper and ceramics are swimming across every surface. The curvaceous, organic shapes and bright colours counter the pared-back style, clean lines and minimal ornamentation of simplistic Scandi designs.
‘Since the announcement of Living Coral as Pantone’s colour of the year, “under the sea” inspired designs have taken on a new momentum,’ says Kat Turner, interior designer and joint director of Field Day Studio. ‘Whether it be a glamorous scallop motif or fisherman’s pendant, the under-the- sea trend appeals to styles across the board, connecting people with nature in a characterful and playful way.’
Studies have found that people feel more comfortable in spaces that feature curved elements rather than straight edges. So if you’re wanting visitors to feel at home, dive deep and invest in the trend.
VINTAGE FURNITURE
THE scallop armchair is perhaps the most popular item and it comes in an array of different styles, sizes and materials, though most commonly in velvet.
Oliver Bonas’s scalloped velvet chair is available in pink, purple, orange and blue (£395, oliver
bonas.com). For those with a more flexible budget, houseology’s vintage-styled green velvet scallop chair features brass legs, which add a touch of glamour (£1,125, houseology.com).
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, scalloped shaped headboards are also proving popular.
The Soho house private members’ club, known for its effortless interior design, uses one- off commissioned scallop headboards in its hotels across the world.
One welcoming room in Berlin is home to a scalloped green velvet and mahogany bed, while the Cosy Bedroom in Kettner’s Town-house in London features a green velvet upholstered Manette Bed-stead, shaped like a shell, which guests can purchase from the Soho house’s shop, Soho home (£2,195, sohohome.com).
Sweetpea & Willow’s light blue velvet shell bed is a good option for those wanting to make a bedroom look cosier and more inviting (£ 2,410, sweet pea and
willow.com), as is Loaf ’s softly shaped Antoinette Bed in mermaid plush velvet (£1,445 for a double, loaf.com).
WACKY WALLPAPER
IF YOU’RE wanting to fully immerse yourself in the trend, invest in decorative wallpaper. Decoville has created a range of
aquatic themed prints, including algae navy blue, light corals and taupe lobsters which work well as a feature on a single statement wall ( decoville. co. uk, £ 150 per 9m roll).
Osborne & Little’s ornamental koi carp in a swirling pool print wallpa-per (£77 per 10m
roll, osborne- and-little.
com) will add personality, style and colour to a space, while harlequin’s tranquil design of paprika orange koi carp swimming in a watery effect adds a more artistic touch (£71 per 10m roll, wallpaperdirect.com).
If you’re brave, try matching your wallpaper to your lights. Lush Designs’ seahorse print lamp-shade (£65.75, lush lamp shades.
co.uk) have a real seaside-living feel to them.
And don’t forget the little ones. There are some very fun options that can add a splash of magic to their bedrooms.
red Candy has launched a range of unusual aquatic Origami lamp shades and lanterns. The collection includes a giant medusa lamp (£199), leaping dolphin lantern (£68) and an orange fish lantern (£68, redcandy.co.uk).
INTRIGUING TILES
INSPIRED by Moroccan designs, fish scale tiles have also crept their way into our homes. Most nod to the trend with a mermaid-inspired shower wall rather than fitting a whole bathroom.
Fish scale tiles by Otto come in a palette of shimmery blues and greens taking inspiration from the jewel tones of a mermaid’s tail (£1.80 per tile, ottotiles.co.uk) —a lovely way to add colour and texture to a bland bathroom. Mix the colours up and you’ll get a glorious sea water effect.
These tiles also work brilliantly in the kitchen as a feature splashboard, adding a modern look to even the most traditional of rooms. Porcelain Superstore has drop Persian blue fish tiles for 66p each ( porcelain superstore.co.uk).
ACCESSORISE WITH AQUATICS
SEA-THEMED accessories and crockery are a colourful option. John Lewis has a fun selection of aquatic themed kitchenware. Its large mango wood turtle bowl, ideal for serving shared food, is a brilliant way of bringing colour to a table (£ 50, johnlewis. com). Match this with its four- set harbour pasta bowls, featuring crabs, turtle and jellyfish (£36). Fionnuala Johnston, senior designer at John Lewis, said: ‘Taking inspiration from the fashion trend for shells, pearls and underwater motifs, we have seen more and more marine life and underwater themed products within interiors. ‘For this spring, we have intro-duced aquatic wallpaper and fabrics, fish and octopus themed serving sets and deep blues.’