Interior design trends influence us whether or not we actively enjoy changing the look of our homes frequently. The trickle-down effect to retailers, our workplaces and our friends’ houses means that we will all experience the current design movements at some point, even if subliminally.

Design trends are more than just the various ‘colour of the year’ announcements (Classic Blue is the 2020 Pantone of choice and Tranquil Dawn is the nomination from Dulux, in case you’re interested!), but the great thing about them is that you don’t have to redecorate your entire home to be up-to-date: you can dip your toe in with the right accessories or dive all the way in at the deep end.

Here are three trends for interiors that are set to be big this year.

Nature

While nature and sustainability have been big in architecture for a long time, the outside is moving inside more and more. Biophilic design (a concept of nature inspired  design to connect the occupant to the outside world) ties in perfectly with the well-being movement with its positive effects on our health and stress levels, so think botanical prints on wallpaper; indoor planting or artificial plants; and stone or marble effect tiles.

The link to sustainability can’t be ignored in the interior design trend for 2020 and there is a distinct desire for more re-used or re-purposed pieces, both in furniture and accessories, as well as items made from ecological sources.

Following on from the hugely popular mid-century furniture revival, brown furniture is making a comeback – so Granny’s old chest of drawers can take pride of place. And if you don’t have a sentimental piece already, have a look on eBay or local 2nd hand furniture stores where a great quality piece can be picked up for a stitch. No flat pack boxes in sight!

Or if you like something more unusual then check out Muck N Brass for a piece of furniture to start a conversation! (see our portfolio for examples of some of their pieces we have used in past projects).

In terms of a colour palette for this nature trend, the cool grey we’ve been accustomed to is moving towards warmer, earthy neutral tones, with accent colours soft. Without wanting to make you shudder at the word, ‘beige’ could be back! (Or we can call it oatmeal if you prefer!) We’ve already mentioned the Dulux colour of the year being a green, and this natural-world feel was seconded by Graham & Green’s choice of Adeline Green for 2020.

The End of Minimalism

Our ongoing love affair with all things Skandi prolonged the life of minimalism in our interiors, but that is definitely coming to an end this year (this is of course music to my ears!) With the rise of us placing an importance on our well-being and work/life balance last year, coupled with the world becoming an increasingly scarier place, we filled our minimalist spaces with sheepskin rugs and candles, then hid under a blanket on the sofa with our family, as we embraced the Nordic Retreat and Hygge vibes. So now that the empty spaces are gone, it seems we’re going to the other extreme and minimalism is fast becoming maximalism! On top of a backdrop of statement walls, or even statement rooms, in punchy, bold colours, maximalism looks to add to something rather than pare it back to its essentials. So, think fringing, embroidery and beadwork on accessories, and bold use of patterns on everything.

Art Deco

Using the phrase for the period a little loosely, without wishing to offend art historians, this year is going to see a return to the sophisticated elegance of the ‘30s, with fluid curves galore in everything from sofas to mirrors. There will be glam use of marble, velvet and neon, plus plenty of metallic finishes in cocktail trolleys and statement sideboards and some tubular furniture thrown in too! With a bit of a forward leap to the later art movements of the ‘40s and ‘50s, geometric shapes and patterns are back with a vengeance. Not dissimilar to the maximalism trend above, the art deco fashion calls for more rather than less, as long as it’s carefully curated and thought out of course.

So, that’s our brief round up of interior design trends for 2020. As always, if you’re not confident about going down any of these 2020 routes alone, drop me a line and I can help steer you to your happy space!