8 key home and decor themes
Afrofuturism
For a long time, South African designs in arts and crafts had been mimicking what was happening overseas, but that is no longer the case. African arts and craft are now being valued in their own perspective. Creatives on the continent are fusing elements of futurism with African identities. The shift is about what it means to be African and what it means to be a creative in Africa.
Pastel Punk
This comes out of the new understanding of gender. In the last couple of years there has been a realignment in the way that people understand gender. People are understanding the way gender is changing, and one of the ways it’s being communicated in design is in the use of pastel colours. Pastels are being given an interesting take, with designers taking this classic and feminine approach, and giving it high edge expression.
Blackout
This trend first emerged from food, through embracing charring and using smoke to create new flavours. Now we are seeing this in design, where charcoal is becoming a great design reference. There is this joy and interest in the decay that one gets when you burn things… it’s an anti-colour choice.
Neo-Brutalism
Brutalism was an architectural movement that flourished from the 1950s to the mid-1970s. With its use of concrete, glass and clay, it was perceived as dry and cold. Now people are taking it on as a retro form and appreciating it for the first time… probably because concrete has become part of the popular style of minimal decor and architectural design.
We are seeing the use of bare concrete being used in interiors, creative spaces and homeware pieces.
Treasured
It’s not just about the use of one metal anymore, such as brass or steel. Instead, it’s mixed colours of metallics to create a sense of value and worth in your home – treasured items that say something about who you are, rather than the latest style.
Carapace
This trend became interesting when it was announced that Rio de Janeiro would be hosting the 2016 Olympics. People started looking to the rainforest for inspiration. The carapace shell is interesting because it looks hi-tech, but at the same time natural. The trend also ties in with the gender neutral theme and the colours are being used on everything from accessories to shoes, as well as decor pieces.
So Seventies
For a long time, ’70s design has been associated with avocado-coloured couches and hideous patterns. Of late, designers are taking these and using the palettes in a new way. The 1970s are back, as more and more things are being crafted and made in earthy aesthetics, across the board from fashion campaigns to music.
Elemental
The main focus is on minerals and the nature of the earth. It’s looking at new neutrals, beyond your whites and greys. We are valuing materials such as marble and stone again. People are trying to find these elements at home.