With international trends now available at the click of a button, Australians are drawing heavily on foreign influences when it comes to everything – including our interior design choices. What’s hot in France or Italy today can now be in the glossy mags and on Australian shelves tomorrow, so staying on top of the latest in interior design has never been easier. If you’re renovating or building, here are some of the iconic trends to look out for in 2017.
Materials
Cool white tones are becoming a little passé, and warm materials such as terracotta are predicted to gradually replace them in 2017. Formerly used as border tiles back in the 80’s, terracotta will now make a reappearance as feature walls around fireplaces and in bathrooms, adding colour and warmth to interiors once again.
Cork is also predicted to have a starring role in the new year. Not only is cork a stylish material that can add warmth and texture to a room, it’s also an excellent sound-absorbing material. This makes it ideal for homes where hardwood floors and open plan living areas tend to create a somewhat echo-filled lifestyle. Cork could even be used for the entire wall in a home office, making it a giant board for pinning notes to.
As far as metals are concerned, the pundits are predicting that shiny imitation copper and brass have had their day and a more industrial look will begin to emerge, featuring burnished metals such as dark steels, rather than the shiny over-polished look.
Polished marble is also expected to decline in popularity in favour of the more earthy textures of timber and clay. Blonder woods will give way to timbers with richer and darker tones.
Colours
As for colours, green is the colour of choice on everyone’s lips. Not only does it go well with all these new dark, earthy materials, it also adds depth to a room and gives it a vintage and decadent feel.
Dark shades of green are predicted to become the new must-have interior colours, replacing navy and midnight blues. You can expect to see them contrasted with the new dark timber and metal hues.
Jewel tones inspired by metals are also expected to become popular colours in the new year, with opal, quartz and other precious metal tones adding a dash of sparkle and interest to our interior spaces.
Design trends
As for the actual design trends expected to emerge in 2017, furniture items, such as beds, are predicted to change dramatically from timber frames to fully upholstered bed heads for that splash of luxury, glamour and elegance.
We’re also likely to create more digital-free spaces in our homes this year where we can escape from our computers and smartphones. These havens of calm and tranquillity will feature simple low-tech furniture and materials such as comfy sofas, over-sized love seats, day beds, sheepskins, wool rugs and floor cushions.
Open plan may also slowly be replaced by more defined living spaces. Open plan layouts often have problems with acoustics and cooking smells from the kitchen, so separate areas could become fashionable once more. Opening onto a common space such as a veranda or interior courtyard to pay homage to the open plan concept could also become popular. Bi-fold doors and fly screens can still accommodate that indoor/outdoor feel, without allowing the creepy crawlies to invade your living areas.
Repurposing, upcycling and reusing will remain a key feature of our furniture and décor, with more of an emphasis being placed on artisan pieces that demonstrate the fine skills of their makers. This helps to create a feeling of solidity and certainty in the uncertain times that we live in, and counteracts the digital dominance currently impacting our lives. People are going back to basics, if you will.
Modular and minimalistic are also trends to watch, particularly as more of us gravitate to urban vertical living where space is at a premium. Bathrooms are becoming more intimate and less opulent, without compromising on function or style.
Retro will remain a strong element in interior design this year, particularly in furniture and lighting. Many ideas popular in the 60s and 70s are being given a new lease on life in the new millennium.
Keeping on top of interior design trends in 2017
Naturally, whether it’s interior design or fashion, all trends are subjective,g and should only be taken as a guide, rather than gospel. Personal taste and individuality should dictate what you do with your own design spaces. The best way to approach interior design is to only take the parts of trends that feel right for you, and reinterpret them in your own unique way. Then, when the new looks for 2018 are being announced, your spaces will still be as relevant and interesting as ever, requiring only minor alterations to update them and give your home a fresh look.
