Matthew Williamson at Osborne & Little offers a cool Makrana Wallpaper in a number of chic colours
Over the last six months, I’ve attended a number of design and press shows and have looked at enough products to boggle the mind. At every event, I hear journalists, bloggers and designers ask each other what they think will be the next big trend that everyone will fall in love with. There is no clear-cut way to predict when a trend will take off, but when I’m trying to spot emerging trends, I ask myself the following three questions:
- Is it replacing an existing trend? If you’re seeing too much of one thing for too long, you’ll naturally come to want something fresh, so I keep an eye out for objects and styles that are coming in to replace a tired or over-used look.
- Do I see a number of companies doing something similar? Like fashion, if a similar look crops up in a number of different interiors collections, it’s likely to become a trend. But just like fashion, if many designers are making similar products, they’ll all have their own unique flourishes and details to give their own individual take on the trend.
- Do I love it? I always try to choose things with my heart. If I like something, I’m going to talk about it and I hope others join in and propel it forward.
That final question is key as I don’t want to throw my support behind something I don’t love. And speaking of things I love, here are the interiors trends that I’m getting excited about for spring.
Anthropologie‘s forthcoming Cosima Cushions bring comfort and coziness to marble design.
MARBLING
Marble has become the stone of choice in kitchen and bathroom design over the last few years, and it’s now starting to appear in many other products– some of which aren’t even marble! From wallpapers to textiles, marbling is giving a small nod to the 80s and though it’s sneaking into a number of upcoming collections, it hasn’t been chatted about too much in the press.
Bringing this trend to life is Matthew Williamson, who has a new marbled wallpaper design– called Makrana– for Osborne & Little. But if covering an entire wall in a marbled design feels a little too bold, I suggest you turn your attention to Anthropologie’s Cosima cushions, which I’m gleefully waiting to get my hands on when they come out this spring.
Marble covered boxes from Sainsbury’s Ethereal Living Collection make office storage feel extra cool.
If a cushion still feels like a bit too much of a commitment, then Sainsbury’s Home has some cute marble-covered accessories coming this spring which will give your office the cool marble feel. I particularly love these boxes from the Ethereal Living Collection as they’re perfect for bringing texture to a shelf while hiding away the clutter.
Habitat rocked their spring preview with the geometric Tinga shelf in thin black metal.
FROM BRASS TO BLACK
Brass went from being very niche to flooding the marketing and becoming a huge interior design trend these last three or four years. Though brass will likely be going strong for a while longer, I’m already getting itchy feet and am ready to move on to something a little bolder. And I don’t think I’m the only one! Black metal has started to pop up in the design shows and I keep seeing small signs of it on the high street, indicating that many of us want something darker in our lives.
Habitat is one of the companies leading the charge and a number of their black metal looks have been catching my eye as I look forward to spring, but if you look around (or up, in the case of 7Gods Lighting) you’ll see black accents all around!
THE POWER TEXTILE
The power textile has been bobbing around for a while, but it’s now making a big move as people are beginning to feel a little braver about deploying it. I’ve always been a fan of playing with textiles and bold patterns have always brought fun and depth to my design work, so it’s exciting to see this trend become a bit more mainstream. Whether it’s a big bold floral or a retro geometric print, you can find the power textile on a number upholstered pieces and cushions.
A dreamy mix of power textiles at House of Fraser.
The power textile will also be hitting our high streets in a big way this spring with bedding, throws and cushions. The great thing about introducing the power textile to your home as an accessory or as bedding is that it gives those of you who aren’t so brave a nice taste without having to commit to a long-term relationship right from the start. If you’re not playing with pattern in your living and dining rooms, try layering them up with oodles of colours and texture to create sumptuous cosy nests to snuggle into in your bedroom. House of Fraser has some stunning florals for the bed and they do the layered look really well.
Abigail Ahern for Designers at Debenhams is also playing with the power textile, which I saw stunningly displayed in a beautiful suite at The Cheval Three Quays overlooking the Thames. Filled with bold tribal influence, these textiles bring a big dose of hot summer to the English capital this spring.
Abigail Ahern for Designers at Debenhams introduced some more tribal textiles in a beautiful suite overlooking the River Thames at The Cheval Three Quays.
As designers, we always say that we don’t follow trends and though that’s often true, it doesn’t mean that our heads aren’t turned by them or that we never adapt them into our work. I’m always excited to see how new goodies get embraced by the design community and I can’t wait to integrate some of these looks into my own work over the next six months. But I’m also curious to know what trends you’re most looking forward to integrating into your own interiors this spring. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments!
