SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

This season and beyond, the interiors spotlight is on nature-inspired colours and designs in innovative, renewable materials

Eco-friendly furnishings and accessories are design’s most important focus right now, as we look towards a future where the way we shop is better for the planet, our homes and our wellbeing. Whether you opt for homewares made from recycled materials or pieces created using traditional crafts, there’s never been a better time to make your home greener.

Heal’s – which has been at the forefront of design innovation for more than two centuries – is leading the movement with its new spring/summer collection. Organic shapes and a nature-inspired palette capture two of spring’s key trends, while quality craftsmanship reflects our growing desire for design that lasts. Highlights include the bestselling ‘Mistral’ sofa, reimagined in Designers Guild’s new ‘Tejo’ eco fabric. Woven using 100 per cent recycled yarns from the fashion industry, ‘Tejo’ comes in 10 colours, including a sunny ochre. The sofa is made in the UK and has a Forest Stewardship Council-certified birch frame, both of which help to reduce your home’s carbon footprint.

With the trend for reusing materials going from strength to strength, there are also lots of stylish recycled pieces to look out for. Take LSA International’s curvy ‘Canopy’ vases, crafted in 100 per cent recycled glass, or a selection of colourful rugs made from repurposed plastics. For the garden, Mater’s ‘Ocean’ furniture breaks new ground. Reinventing a collection by 1950s Danish designer Nanna Ditzel, it’s made from salvaged fishing nets.

Handcrafted and locally produced designs are also key. Danish brand 101 Copenhagen’s ‘Sphere’ vases and bowls are hand glazed – each has a unique shape and finish, reminding us that traditional processes are vital for sustainability. And London studio One Nine Eight Five’s painterly ‘Woman’ throw and cushion are made in the UK using recycled cotton. There’s even an eco home-fragrance range, created with Elm Rd and made from natural, locally sourced ingredients – the finishing touch to any mindfully decorated home.

From top ‘Mistral’ sofa in ‘Tejo’ fabric in ochre by Designers Guild, from £1,799. ‘Ocean’ outdoor chair by Mater, £234. ‘Sphere’ homeware collection by 101 Copenhagen, from £32. ‘Crawford’ bed, £949, and bedside table, £299. ‘Woman’ cushion, £85, and throw, £165, both by One Nine Eight Five. All Heal’s (heals.com)