EXPERT INSIGHT

Matt Ball, content director of The Saleroom, Europe’s leading marketplace for fine art and antiques, shares his predictions on what interior trends we can expect to see reflected at auction houses in 2022

ENTERTAINING AND ‘TABLESCAPES’ With people increasingly choosing to entertain at home, we have seen a significant surge in demand for tableware and barware at auction.

The growing trend for ‘tablescapes’ is encouraging people to get creative, with many choosing to add wow factor to the dining table by mixing old and new. Basic white crockery and new glasses laid with silver, or mercury glass candlesticks, a set of colourful Edwardian dessert plates, and unusual butter dishes will all add interest and create a wonderful feeling of opulence and celebration.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES We’re seeing a rise in searches for traditional desks and bureaus – with searches on thesaleroom.com up by 36 per cent – as people continue to adapt to using their homes in new ways. We expect this rise to continue as working from home evolves, and anticipate more interest in bureau bookcases: having dipped in fashion these functional pieces are now being employed to look stylish and keep things tidy when the working day is done. Excellent examples are fetching very affordable prices.

TRAVEL TREASURES Interior pieces that tell stories of experiences and travel are on the up, and cross-culture objects are set to be popular, such as colonial-era furniture and works of art that speak of a meeting of different aesthetics. High prices at showpiece auctions for the very best in African and Oceanic art are now filtering down into the interiors market, where good quality trade goods, typically made in the first half of the 20th century, can make a strong interior statement.

FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY We’re seeing a substantial rise in demand for furniture across all categories, which is partly the result of a growing consciousness of not buying new for environmental reasons, and an increased interest in restoration thanks to programmes like The Repair Shop. While some pieces come to auction fully restored, others will show signs of a life well-lived and may require a little attention. For those prepared to invest in a little love and care, or indulge in upcycling, bargains abound.

A collection of tableware items, of mixed age, price and provenance, from a recent Fine Interiors auction by Sworders

Silver four-branch candelabra by Garrards, Birmingham, dated 1978, sold by Sworders for £140

Pair of mahogany and red upholstered armchairs, dating from the first quarter of the 19th century, to be sold by Dreweatts with an estimate of £300-£500

Mende helmet mask from Sierra Leone, with eye slits below the chin, sold by Woolley & Wallis for £3,500

Arts and Crafts walnut desk, sold by Sworders for £420