The Spring Edit 2021
We predict 2021 is going to be all about liveable luxury and versatility in design. So many people have had to transition over the past year, that they are rethinking less-used spaces and embracing furniture concepts that play double duty. This year will be all about durable pieces, tactile fabrics and furniture that is both adaptable and chic. One word dominates above all: comfort. “Comfort, practicality, and making your home your sanctuary on every level,” says Martyn Lawrence Bullard.
What does comfort look like, exactly? Think plush, sink-into furniture, every kind of wood, warm colours, overflowing bookshelves (but not the colour-coordinated kind, rather, ones stocked with tattered covers of novels you’ve read and loved). Less mass-produced furniture and more reworking of passed-down family pieces or ones you already own, giving new life to ancestral heirlooms. Fluffy throws and cushions, luxurious candles, objets d’art from local businesses. Essentially, the trend is to embrace what lasts, what is well made, and what makes you smile.
We will also be reworking our homes to, well, work: as offices remain closed across the country, people are investing in making their own Zoom-friendly spaces.
STEP OUTSIDE
This year's garden trends are reflecting interior design trends – having been heavily impacted by the pandemic as you would expect. Just as today’s homes now require multi-functions, so our gardens are being similarly used. With people relying on their homes as an office, utilising an outdoor space for connecting with nature as well as entertaining friends and family safely, is essential.
Small gardens continue to be a common feature in UK homes, creating demand for compact and practical outdoor furniture. Sets with a smaller footprint are ideal for patios and reduced outdoor spaces. The Teddington Bistro Table and Osmond Retro Chair are a perfect example, shown above. These pieces can be used in a variety of ways, and you could easily use the table for dining as well as relaxing with a drink.
Outdoor furniture can have a huge impact on how easy it is to enjoy your garden. Get it right, and you’ll automatically find yourself spending more time outside. Furniture is also a simple way to change the look of your outdoor space, and can be used to complement the overall style of your garden.
Another key trend we've noticed gaining popularity is for fire pits. These are a super-stylish, affordable way to create a focal point, while also providing light and warmth in the evening.
CURVES
There is a significant move towards rounded shapes in interiors, particularly furniture like this cocooning sofa below, by Liang & Eimil. There are no hard edges and the round shapes are kinder and more welcoming, perfect for now. This sofa in boucle plays on tactility and texture for softness and depth. Complete the look with a round rug, footstool, screen – even cushions.
With roots in the 1970s and ’80s, the curved furniture of 2021 serves as living proof that trends are, and always will be, cyclical. Rounded sofas and amorphous chairs are currently a hallmark of on-trend spaces, particularly if upholstered in textural fabrics, like sheepskin, boucle and velvet.
BLUSH
Blush pink is adored by designers for its versatility. Described as being 'gender-neutral' in comparison to shades such as bubble-gum and vibrant pink, blush makes for an uplifting living room colour palette and welcomes an array of compatible tones. A soft-pink living space bathed in natural light will re-energise and uplift. In dimmer light, by evening and night, blush tones will offer a warm, cosy aesthetic to your space.
Our personal favourite is 'Setting Plaster' by Farrow & Ball. This is one of their top selling colours, for good reason. It’s got a real following. We love how it’s saturated, but not too dark. It reads peachier in some sunlight, but also still has its roots in a dusty, tan type of pink.
Design Tip: Accenting pink walls with metallics, such as brass and copper, introduces a modern, exciting and masculine touch to your blush interior.
OLD WORLD INFLUENCES
Our desire for an increasingly sustainable way of life is leading a renewed interest in vintage and antique furniture. Older pieces not only look great but are also an easy way to integrate sustainable products into the home. The rising popularity indicates a broader return to traditional decor in interiors. This trend includes classic shapes; beloved prints from established design houses; landscapes and portraits in substantial frames; wallpaper, tapes, and trims to create rooms that feel exuberant, layered, and full. And yes—traditional mahogany furniture is part of this movement too. In a contemporary setting it is nice to have an old piece or something that you have grown up with, that has passed down from a family member to add a bit of je ne sais quoi and history to your home.
“I believe design should be timeless! So what is 'in' is that old-world aesthetic that never gets old. Darker, moodier rooms, old oil paintings mixed with a modern light fixture to the tune of not being able to place what era the room is from — that's how to achieve timeless-ness; mix and match eras!” — Joyce Downing Pickens
WARM HUES
Cool neutral tones like black, white and grey ruled supreme throughout the early 2000s, but the time has come for warm, earthy neutrals to have their moment in the spotlight. Neutral colour palettes lend themselves all too well to long days working from home with pared-down beiges, creams and subtle pinks contributing to a calming home environment where the balance is tipped towards the less is more school of thought.
We'll see lots of earthy palettes and textures in 2021. Think the continuation of plaster and travertines, lots of rattan, camels in lieu of grey, as well as deeper colours like olive green, burnt orange and moody berry tones.
DRIED FLOWERS
A favourite on Instagram, colourful dried flowers will be a growing interior trend of 2021. This is reflected in the data as "How do you dry flowers?" received a 187% search engine uplift. Drying flowers couldn’t be easier, the simplest way is to air dry them. Remove the leaves and arrange the flowers into a bouquet. Tie together. Tie the arrangement upside down to a stick, hanger, or wire. Ensure that it can support the flowers for a long period of time. Hang the flowers in a dry area that rarely experiences light pollution. The flowers should be left for a minimum of three-four weeks.
Another trend that seems to be gaining momentum is the pampas grass craze. The tall wheat-like grass has dominated social media and interior staging over the last few months. The ornamental plant is low-maintenance, making it the perfect alternative to flowers and foliage for those who aren’t green-fingered. People have taken to designing their whole room around pampas, drawing inspiration from its textured fluffy fronds and soothing neutral colours. You too can create a sanctuary of calmness with a bohemian feel. Layer nude-on-nude colours with bright, airy tones. In terms of furniture, look for modern designs with clean lines in light woods. A touch of black is the perfect accent, while a large rattan piece makes a subtle statement. Look for natural materials that will complement the overall theme.
ART DECO
100 years after it first emerged from Paris, Art Deco is set to make a comeback. Refined for the 2020s, this style combines a modern sophisticated colour palette with sweeping curves, sleek geometric detailing, organic shapes, the classic fan motif and luxe metallic.
Today Art Deco is part of a wider trend that has been building. From the rise of speakeasy style bars to the popularity of the at-home bar trolley and carts. During lockdown it’s been hard to go out so the millennial trend has been to experience high-end dining in your home. At a time when things are a bit glum and the world seems distressed, we often look to treat ourselves to luxury homeware and accessories. The current appetite for gold and brass hardware, velvet and fringe details make this easy to incorporate. Look for furnishings in sumptuous fabrics and decorative pieces that ooze glamour to complete the look. A show stopping sunburst mirror or chic shell-back chair will be the perfect statement piece to inject this style into your home.
Look to the Liang & Eimil and Eichholtz collections from some incredible Art Deco inspired pieces
THE 'SHELFIE'
Being at home so much makes us look around at what we have and see it in a different light, creating displays and moving things around for a better look. There is something soothing about choosing favourite pieces and arranging them, then re-arranging them, or adding new pieces. Floating shelves are the perfect way to achieve this and of course it makes the perfect Zoom background.
Our first styling tip for curating the perfect 'shelfie' is to get creative with heights and sizes. Now, undoubtedly this may be a simple tip but the impact created by variations in heights is not to be underestimated. It prevents a space from becoming one-dimensional and a bit flat. Here are a few ideas that we recommend for mixing things up:
- Layer your candlesticks. Prop candlestick holders on vintage books to add extra height or vary your candles e.g. opting for a mixture of tealights, pillar candles and candlesticks. We recommend opting for beautiful, quirky and unique candle holders to add extra wow-factor to your display.
- Fill vases and plant pots with different plants, grass and florals. House plants are genius for creating impact with different sizes and scale. If you struggle to keep plants alive or want a lower maintenance option then consider opting for faux plants instead. The impact is just as spectacular and with so many life-like faux plants out there it can be hard to tell the difference!
- If in doubt, go for oversized or giant artwork and mirrors. Statement pieces in themselves, an oversized mirror with an ornate surround or an incredible giant artwork will never fail to turn heads. Hang them above your styled console tables and mantlepieces. The variation in size and scale adds a sense of grandeur and elegance to your home décor.
