Got the itch to redecorate? Take a look at Zoe Murphy’s interior predictions for 2018 to keep on top of trends for the home.
Whilst the fast moving world of fashion can sweep away what went before, in interiors we tend to build on existing trends.
Partly this is practical. Who wants to repaint their walls every six months? We can barely manage the disruption every 5 years. Partly it’s financial. A new shirt might cost £50, a new sofa could be £2000.
Lovely Sofas, Linda Sofa, £1356
So, in general, trends for 2018 had their gestation in 2017.
I like this slower moving pace of life in interiors and the considered nature of change but I’m not immune to the thrill of the new either.
As ever, balance is the key.
I’ve broken my interiors predictions for 2018 down into three parts – easy wins, mid range upgrades and big ticket items. As an interior designer, I tend to focus on what level to incorporate trends but I suspect this is how most of us approach interiors updating anyway.
Easy wins
Easy wins are those items which you can change in an afternoon – it might even be an impulse buy on the way home from work. If you have such impulses, focus on these things:
1. Buy plants! I can’t emphasise this enough.
What started as a bit of bring-the-outside-in vibe has extended to the fully fledged jungle in homes. A local florist or garden centre should be able to scratch this itch. Just go for what you like the look of, but make sure you have a good spot for it. No plant (except a fake one) will be happy in a dark hallway. Put plants next to sunny windows and accessorise with macrame. This trend will grow as the year rolls on – boom boom.
Macrame Plant holder by Denys & Fielding
2. Buy anything with William Morris prints on it – throws, cushions, lampshades.
Try House of Hackney for updated prints or Morris & Co for originals. These prints have been bubbling under for a few years but super on trend fashion house Loewe plastered them over an entire capsule collection at the end of 2017 and so the touch paper is lit.
Mid range upgrades
Midrange upgrades are the things you should think about when tinkering with your home. Revamping your bedroom ? Considering a new bathroom? Check in here.
1. Add colour, and lots of it, to your home.
This year is the year to break the stranglehold of grey on our homes. Go dark if you like or add sunny shades of peach and yellow to creams. Anything goes with colour this year, just make sure you embrace it.
2. Brass. The material of the moment.
Want a new tap? Get it in un-laquered brass. It will weather beautifully. It also taps into a micro trend from Japan, wabi sabi, which is all about celebrating imperfection, especially as a result of the passage of time.
Big ticket items
Thinking of doing an extension ? Getting a new kitchen? The planning process will take several months but these are trends that aren’t going anywhere. The turn over of trends is slower at this level anyway. Incorporate now and still be on trend next year.
Zoe Murphy’s kitchen
1. Be original.
I really think there is an appetite for stepping out of the mainstream at the moment in all walks of life, not just design. And, of course, people are so much more design literate, with the rise of social media, like instagram and Pinterest.
This is the glazing at the back of my own house.
2. Terrazzo. Ridiculously hip but so so cool.
A trend just getting going. Use on floors, on work surfaces, in bathrooms.
3. Go bespoke.
Building work is the equivalent of a Saville Row suit – tailored to fit – so why would you put in an ill-fitting off the peg kitchen or storage solution into the space you have lovingly created ? It needn’t cost more, you get what you want, it’s modern craftsmanship, amazing quality and you support small businesses to boot. It is one way of wrapping all the trends emerging elsewhere – sustainability, localism, mindfulness – into your home. I can’t recommend it more highly.
Zoe Murphy is an interior designer living in London and a big fan of what she calls low key luxe. It’s the idea that everything is very comfortable and balanced but has special or luxe elements – that can be a treasured piece of furniture or perhaps even that the space has been designed exactly for your needs.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Blue Patch’s views.
