2016 Trends

While the following thoughts are by no means set in stone as to what trends in interior design lie ahead, they are based on patterns we see emerging.

Certainly over the years architects and designers have approached design with "wellness" in mind. Much of this is to offer spaces which allow individuals to live and function in a positive environment.  In fact you only have to search wellness to see how relevant it is in many

sectors from food to town planning.

From here we see the family bathroom receiving the greatest makeover. No longer just a space to bathe or shower,  it has become the starter for creating that multi generation space. From wetrooms to steam rooms , showers are still evolving. Technology includes mirrors doubling as flat screen TV s,  electronic sensor taps, thermostatically controlled showers, led shower heads, sound systems recessed into ceiling, and air injected taps to reduce water use.
Ordinary tiles and grout on walls have been making way for ceiling height water proof panels. White raised shower trays being replaced by wetroom floors.

One crucial area too has been in the importance of good branding. By that I don't mean having Downton Abbey initials on some type of unknown porcelain, but the clear branding of suppliers like Villeroy and Boch, Hansgrohe, Laufen... It does seem that people once fooled by cheap quality are now looking for the tried and trusted.

While there will always be a favourite accent colour in furnishings, the bulk of showhomes still play safe with a neutral pallette.  Magnolia has long gone, with white being around some time. What we might see is layering of whites. By this I mean a few shades of white close to each other that work to highlight different surfaces. This is something that many people who use Farrow and Ball paint will be used to doing, but tricky to get right.
As an alternative to white, grey is becoming more popular.


Surprisingly feature wallpaper is still hanging in there. Big bold, brash, and often shiny - 3 rolls is generally all needed. Thankfully there are alternatives in the form of  faux brick, and both engineered, and recycled woods which bring more texture and life to a room.

The industrial  look is perfect for apartments and older properties. Shiny chrome taps have been replaced by antique brass or nickel to compliment a more relaxed kitchen space. It is surprising how many cookery shows have a background of exposed brick in the kitchen areas.

A few years ago it might not have been out of place to install a bright red signature kitchen. Now the look is more refined, greys and creams as popular as white.
Much more attention is given to the work surface.  In fact many granite suppliers will say how much in demand that product is now. Overall the use of natural materials like granite and porcelain have  been on the increase in the last few years, and this doesn't appear to be slowing down.
Porcelain on the floor is perfect for heavy traffic areas.

What I have written about elsewhere in this blog has been bio flame fires. While I see no emerging trend as such, they have been spotted in prestigious London apartments recently. They really do look stunning, so that will be my one off the wall prediction for 2016..

For advice on delivery of any of the products mentioned, contact me 

Wellness through Interior Design

There's a massive forum campaigning for wellness in the built environment concentrating on developing sustainable buildings to promote the health and wellbeing of the occupants. While it would appear that this is not rocket science, the effect of the environment on individuals, it certainly is something that appears to have been something certainly not fundamentally considered hence the need for promotion.

Creating spaces that are beautiful, practical and uplifting to the soul is by no means an easy exercise.
One could reflect and suggest that at their happiest their day has been spent in a large country park, or walking by the ocean. To others these wide open spaces make them feel uncomfortable with no sense of control, and they long to be back walking the crowded streets of London.

However if we look at what the mainstream thought is regarding a person's physical, emotional, spiritual and social demands - then a few key topics can be introduced and adapted.

Whether you are hunched over a computer, cooking dinner, playing a puzzle in a care home - appropriate lighting is required. Good strong daylight without glare is obviously ideal. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD, or commonly known as winter blues) is recognised by MIND and other health professionals as causing temporary poor frames of mind. A number of lighting products now exist that mimic the effects of sunlight to help cure this form of depression. We have all either said, or heard someone exclaim "Can't believe I've gone to work in the dark, and come home and it's still dark". Possibly the extent to which more of the population remain undiagnosed is a result of mental health problems being stigmatised.
Considering the home, no one light will assist all tasks. Properly backlit mirrors in a bathroom make it easier to apply make-up. A task lamp will allow a reader to enjoy their favourite book in comfort. Mood lighting creates a softer ambiance. The "big" central light might be employed to assist finding that contact lense that has made its way to the floor. In larger spaces the lux to lumens comes into play - determining how much illumination is granted from the position of the ceiling spots.

The type of air that is in a building is crucial. Opening a window for ventilation is sometimes not the answer, particularly if you live in an area where there are many vehicles passing or if the air outside is so humid that it becomes near stifling to breathe. Air conditioning units, humidifiers, ionisers, air purifiers have all been around for sometime. I remember years ago the fad for introducing negative ions into the air to create positive effects. Where cooker extractor hoods are great for removing unwanted cooking odours or the heavy air surrounding, steam in a shower room has positive mental and physical attributes. Bathroom extractor fans ultimately remove the steam from a room to avoid damage to tiles and walls more than anything else. Still in many old homes the choice is window open- or window closed.

No one likes to hear every step the tenant upstairs makes when they walk across laminate flooring which has not been properly insulated. Likewise people in modern homes with ceramic tiles and leather sofas forget that every sound will become an echo unless there are furnishings that will absorb the sound. In a commercial environment few people would want their private conversation echoed through a public space and often resort to a whispering tone. While this problem is best addressed at construction phase, there are solutions post construction that can assist in the form of surface panels.

So perhaps it is getting the built environment correct before adding those touches that inspire us - colour, plants, art. How often when we are looking for inspiration do we turn our head to a lovely outside view, a vase of flowers or a piece of personal art.

And no, I haven't mentioned feng shui - at least not till now.