House style

Buying into 2018’s trends

IF YOU FOLLOW interior-design magazines and blogs, you’ll know that decorating trends seem to be moving faster than ever. You’ll probably also have seen plenty of images of carefully curated charcoal-walled rooms resplendent with velvet furniture, cocktail trolleys and metallic finishes over the past year.

But, considering that redecorating a room or buying a piece of furniture is not something most of us do regularly, does what we see trending on Pinterest and Instagram really influence what we buy for our homes?

By way of answering such questions, the online interior-design service Homewings has looked into what we actually bought and how we decorated in 2017, from a survey completed by more than 13,000 people.

The results suggest that although many of us are still opting for the safe bet of a neutral backdrop in white or grey, a more glamorous look is starting to make an impact in interiors. Velvet sofas were hugely popular in 2017 – although in navy and charcoal, rather than the bright, jewel tones that were predicted to be big (colours that did, however, make it on to pouffes and footstools). Marble and metallic furniture was also a hit, and, in contrast to the bleached wood that has been popular in recent years, vintage styles in darker woods are on the up.

Tastes apparently differed around the country. Scots preferred soft pastels and cosy textures, Midlanders went for muted colours and clean lines, and the Welsh were hot for mid-century furniture. London, rather predictably, was a mix: modern and neutral in the west, Scandi-style in the north and east, and eclectic in the south, where a gallery wall was de rigueur.

As for how we’ll be decorating in 2018, the designers predict that copper and rose-gold finishes will make way for brass; millennial pink will mature into terracotta and rust; kitchens and bathrooms will be dark and moody; and floors will be covered in terrazzo. And on that note, if you thought the Berber rug was over – well, it’s not.

Moody blues (and greys) Oxford brass table lamp, £359, Original BTC (originalbtc.com); for similar sofa, try Dog Kennel Bed, £9,915 plus fabric, George Smith (georgesmith.com)