By Deborah Stone Indulge your soft side
THIS year’s green and blue trend teamed with warm neutrals isn’t going anywhere fast, which is reassuring if you’re about to splurge on a blue sofa or green carpet for your lounge. Deep Blue is sofa-in-a-box Snug’s best-selling colour because it goes well with “pastels, patterns and eclectic accessories” says head of product Dani Burroughs, who adds: “Sophisticated but playful, opting for a velvet fabric such as Snug’s Deep Blue will create a more luxe feel, alongside adding depth and texture to the space.”
While you might not want to change your sofa it could be time for a rethink about wall colours. Rikke Blaeside, design and range manager for homeware store JYSK, recommends what she calls restorative neutrals: “We expect to see homeowners stepping away from grey and stark white walls as they look to warm up their interior schemes and, instead, lean towards shades of greige, almond and milky tones.”
Rikke also identifies “cocooning” as a new trend, which is characterised by soft textiles and natural materials. It’s a style Habitat has identified in its Spring 2024 collection, which rejects angular shapes for “soft cocooning silhouettes” as well as “comfort and craftsmanship”.
It’s all about draped textiles, carved stoneware, bobble accents, frosted glassware – and occasional chairs.
Habitat launched 15 new chair styles this month including the Evan lounge chair made by steam-bending solid oak, while its Rattan rocking chair is a modern twist on tradition.
Try them out, urges the company’s senior designer David Hutcheson: “They’re a great opportunity to opt for bold or statement designs as an accent to a space.”