Current Interior Design Trends - Spring 2010

One plain, one purl,

Knitting is not just for jumpers and scarves because knitting is very much becoming part of interior design this coming season.  From knitting patterns etched into candles to knitted woollen lampshades to knitted hot water bottle covers, there were knitting patterns everywhere.  The most striking knitted objects were the clocks by Diamantini & Domeniconi - large, colourful, varied knitting patterns and eye-catching.  Perhaps the most exciting aspect of seeing these clocks were the postmodern nature of it all - the taking of two age-old inventions - that of clocks and of knitting - and having the technology and skill to bring them together to create something that is totally new, modern and exciting.

Hand-knitted cushions and throws were everywhere too but if you don’t feel like sharpening up your own knitting needles, you don’t have to head to London or Paris to view and purchase beautiful hand knits.  Dublin-based Angela Carr has just set up an online store under the clever name of Where There‘s a Wool, selling her beautiful hand-knitted cushions which are in a beautiful variety of sizes, styles, wools and colours.

Bloomin’ Lights

Lighting has always been an interior design feature in its own right, capable of making a statement in any interior.  Lights this year have become much more tactile and interesting, created from numerous different materials.  From knitted lampshades to brightly coloured goose features to flowers, the choice was incredible.  Some of the most striking were those of flowers literally seeming to  bloom from the lampshades and butterflies escaping from having just metamorphosed within the fabric.

Sticks & Stones

Natural product were very evident too at the fairs, in an continual move away from modern excesses and back to the basic nature of natural materials.  From slices of logs being used as place mats at a dinner table to large stones being used as decorative features.  With winter here, there is nothing more comforting than an open fire with a large pile of logs beside it in readiness.  Of course, the logs have to be perfectly shaped and aligned to be considered a decorative feature but expect to see much of this during these winter months.

Colours

Magenta is very much the dominant colour for the season but it was hard to decide on one colour.  Here are some other suggestions for what will be seen this coming season.  Pale grey is popular again with lilac as an accent.  Browns are popular too combined with purples and pinks. Strong earthy natural colours are in vogue as well as Scandinavian pastels. The monochromes are still strong too with bright accents.

Wall Panels

The single feature wallpapered wall has been on the wane for some time.  But what if you don’t want to wallpaper all four walls because it would be too expensive? What if you like a large-scale vibrant pattern but it will overwhelm your room if you put it on all four walls?

Wall panels are the answer, and a very fashionable solution too.  Wall panels can be so varied in terms of style and size and so effective in bringing a new dimension to a room.  Most wall panels are 280 cm in height so perfect for standard rooms but some designers will offer a bespoke service and will produce them to fit your room height perfectly.  The width can vary, most being 52 cm which is the standard width of a roll of wallpaper but some, such as Designers Guild’s new wall panel designs, have a very large scale pattern, hence require a wider width.

The wall panels can create a feature wall in themselves, whether used singly or in multiples. A single wall panel used in an alcove can be very effective.  They can also be used to create a tall headboard behind the bed, or placed horizontally along the wall to create a frieze.  Other ideas include using a series of them to break up a long corridor in a landing or hallway, or letting them define the eating area in an open plan space or a single wall panel can be very effective placed as an eye catching statement at the end of the hallway.

Another beauty of wall panels is that while each panel can have its own identity and story, there is often a connection between the designs so panels from a single designer can be mixed and matched very effectively.

Bobbles, buttons and blooms

Texture is important once again but even more so this year.  Every single cushion or throw was textured - from being adorned with items such as lace, bobbles, buttons, velvet stripes, textured flowers and trimmings.  Texture was also evident in raised velvet patterns against a plain linen background or raised velvet stripes.  There was also plenty of texture within the yarns giving them a comforting and homespun feel.

But texture is not just limited to cushions.  Wallpaper can now have a 3D effect which is extremely luxurious and decadent but also means that it can change throughout the day as the light is absorbed and reflected.  Tracy Kendall’s sequinned wallpaper (which won the Scarlet Opus award at Decorex) is truly decadent and incredible.

Cardboard - it’s not just for boxes!

Cardboard was also prevalent - from clocks, chairs, sofas, and lampshades to decorative accessories and wallpaper - it was almost as though if you could imagine it, a designer had it made in corrugated eco-cardboard.  There is an important message there too I think, as we have become a very throw-away rather than make and mend society in recent years (although this is changing).  Cardboard is commonly viewed as a throwaway recyclable material, yet now we see it is possible to make beautiful items for our interiors with something as simple as brown cardboard.  Giles Miller’s creations are some of the most beautiful, intricate and unusual, giving a modern twist to historical pieces of furniture and accessories and yet beautiful in their plainness.

Exaggerated Scale

The ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme is still very current and indeed, Nina Campbell’s display on entry to 100% Design featured a strong Alice in Wonderland theme with it recurring in many of the displays throughout.  Playing with exaggerated scale is so much fun, the piece is a wow statement within the interior and the whole narrative and theme of the piece is altered by the different scale.  One of the most striking examples has to be Claire Coles’ ‘Midnight  Garden’ wallpaper where fragments of vintage wallpapers and fabrics are meticulously collaged and embroidered together to create a display on a wall that is truly unique and different.

While having an oversized sofa may not be suitable for many homes, we hope you have fun picking out which trends to adopt within your own home this season.