A good feeling inside as the gloom lifts at last
What will the best dressed homes be wearing this year? Sharon Daleasks the experts on home interior design for a 2014 trend report.
THE property market is recovering from a five-year depression and that is good news for homeware retailers.
It represents a double bubble for the interiors industry, which is also emerging from the doldrums.
Those who buy use moving in as an excuse to offload old furniture and furnishings for a fresh start. Those who sell are mindful of property presentation and invest in new decor to impress viewers and secure a sale.
If you’re thinking of buying, selling or just fancy a change, here are some tips on the top trends for 2014 from Abigail Owens, design director at Carolyn Parker Interior Design, and Paul Clarkson, head of buying at M&S. Abigail says: Colours: I am super excited about the colour palette for 2014 and for me it’s all about vibrancy teamed with subtlety, a very classy combination. One of the main colours, and not to everyone’s liking, is what I call “primary school yellow”. At first, I wasn’t keen so I have eased myself in gently with my new Smythson Diary, which is bound in acrylic yellow and when you catch a glimpse of the antique gold-dipped pages it just looks fabulous. If this is just too gaudy for your taste then the new candy colours may be perfect for you. This new year will bring gorgeous coral pinks and oranges combined with pastel greys and pistachio tones. (See Pantone Colour Cayenne 18-1651, Freesia 14-0852, Celosia Orange 17-1360)
Wallpapers: I have always been a huge fan of wallpaper and I think we will be seeing a lot more textured paper this year, rather than the big prints. I just love the Amoir Libre collection from Dedar, which has a fantastic palette and creates an organic wave effect along the wall. It is perfect for a bed head wall or for all the walls in a larger space. We’ll also see geometric papers in more gentle, smaller scales with less migraine inducing designs and colours.
Monochrome: Year after year monochrome just keeps coming back and 2014 is no different. It seems there is always room for
Pink is having a moment in interiors, the perfect way to give a contemporary feel
a little black and white, whether it be a chequerboard floor or a beautiful fabric. Monochrome was all over the catwalks this year so expect to see it everywhere for Spring/Summer too, and it’s not your typical checks and stripes. Instead, we are seeing beautiful brush marks and colours bleeding into one another that keep the look arty and original. I love the black and white Harvey Maria flooring, www. harveymaria.co.uk.
If you like this effect but need some more colour then look no further than the stunning collection by Jessica Zoob for Romo. Her gorgeous paintings have been recreated into fabrics and wall coverings. Zoob’s impressionist style translates beautifully and I hope to see more artists’ work used in the big fabric houses collections.
Fashion: The catwalk has a huge influence on interiors
This year, there will be even more divine items from Hermes. If you love their signature equine themes then you will just adore their Henri d’Origny designed Quartz. It comes from their tie archives and features a graphic construction of a facetted H in a range of beautiful metallic combinations.
Ikat: If you prefer a more eclectic feel then you will be happy to know that the Ikat design will still be big news in 2014. I really like Graham and Brown’s textured Kellys Ikat paper. Its colours are easy to combine into most interiors and coral pinks or bright yellows would look great with it.
Metallics: We will see metallics again in furniture and accessories this year but with more unusual treatments and materials, giving a more ethnic vibe without that hard industrial edge. If you want a statement piece for your home then Sharon Sides tables are simply stunning. The Flor Stool is going on my 2014 wish list with its balance of strong materials and elegant, organic design. The tree rings on the table top add a natural beauty to the piece due to the use of actual tree stumps etched into the metal work. I honestly think this is one of the most beautiful displays of craftsmanship. www. sharonsides.com. A bit more affordable are Graham and Green’s metal tealight holders, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk. Paul Clarkson, of M&S, says: Pink: Is having a moment in interiors, and the bold colour and pattern of this season’s new upholstery fabrics are the perfect way to give a contemporary feel to your living room. Mix and match block colour, ombre and florals for a fresh new look. Our Maisie armchair in Watercolour Floral Peony, £1,099, is a good example.
Keep it simple: Simple lines, contemporary touches and a muted colour palette are on trend and feature in this season’s new Conran collaborative collection at M&S, which continues to go from strength to strength. The new Kitson side table, £199, is elegance personified, with an understated yet on-trend detail of copper tipped legs.
Crafted: Newly sourced materials and beautifully crafted wood pieces create a contemporary and simply stunning collection of home accessories for spring. Authentic woods, concrete and blown recycled glass are expertly handled to create a look that is modern and chic with an industrial edge.
My favourite thing: It has to be the Albany dining table, £649. It’s mix of materials and salvaged style gives it a slightly industrial feel. For me, modern spaces are all about contrast and I can see this adding a warm atmosphere to a really sleek, minimal kitchen. Plus, it can handle any mix of chairs – the more eclectic the better.