LIVING

[interiors]

BRINGING THE INSIDE OUT

The last year has shown us just how important our outdoor spaces are and with a full summer of sunshine stretching before us, now is the time to make the most of our gardens. All products available from Next Home.

[interiors] TEN INTERIOR TRENDS FOR 2021

The last year has proved that home really is where the heart is. So let’s make it amazing! Here are ten of the top interior trends that are sure to turn any house into a home, says Tracy Baker of Open Door Interiors.

1. Working From Home

The way we use our homes has changed and will remain so for many years to come so perhaps it’s time to throw away that flatpack desk and invest in a workspace that’s more CEO than hell no. Remember, you’re working from home not living at work so make sure everything can be stored away once playtime starts.

Image: Oak Furnitureland

2.Checks

Once again, the catwalks crossover into interior style with oversized checks making an appearance in the best dressed homes. Keep it classic on upholstery for a heritage feel or, for a modern take, get playful with plaid and clash colourful checks with geometric monochromes for maximalist mayhem.

4. We Green?

We’re not talking pastels here. We mean Green! Whether it’s muted and matt or dripping in gloss, bold greens are a big, big trend in a year that has seen us realise the importance of green spaces. Green can be tailored to your own sense of style so easily. Wanting glamour? Then go with jewel like emerald. More of a nature lover? Then embrace woodlands hues and leaf tones. A little wild at heart? Then jungle is still massive- just choose your print wisely.

3. The Nu Classical

Mixing classical moulding and materials with the latest trends can create quite the statement. Look for ornate embellishments and match them with the super modern for a design that’s dual rather than a design that duels.

5. Silver Image: Furniture Village The days of ‘if in doubt paint it grey’ are gone. Now we need to paint it silver. Chic, light enhancing and glamorous without being gaudy, Silver offers a stylish solution for rooms which crave light. Use it everywhere to create a sophisticated setting or add coloured accents for extra pop.

6. Open Kitchen Storage

We spend so much time choosing the prettiest china and glassware for our kitchens and then hide them away in giant boxes on the wall that make our rooms feel smaller- what’s that all about?

The kitchen wall cupboard may be good at hiding chaos but do they also encourage it? Open shelves open up a space and lets you make a statement with your carefully chosen kitchenware. Add in accessories and your shelving can become a display case where wine glasses become winners, saucers become super and mugs can be magnificent.

7. Bring Back the

Bidet 2020’s toilet paper scavenging has made people more appreciative of the mainstay of the 1970s bathroom; the bidet. With us all pursuing a greener lifestyle, the idea of reducing our carbon footprint by reducing our paper usage and production is not a bad one plus, in a world where we are all more focused on hygiene, bidets are the more sanitary solution…

8. Granny Dearest

Mix bold florals with velvets and lace for an eccentric interior that’s reminiscent of granny’s front parlour. Perfect for vintage lovers that like to mix things up a little, layer textures, clash colours and accessorise with period prints, hand me down heritage pieces and gorgeous tchotchkes.

9. Mother Earth

Nature has always been an interior inspiration but the muted tones of the earth itself is now one of the hottest interior trends. Neutralised hues like olive, camel, darjeeling and turmeric are perfect for those looking to create a mature and calming environment in which to truly relax.

10. Blush

Blush has become the new neutral. Warmer than white and considered the millennials’ magnolia, blush tones can work with almost any style or colour combination and will make dark blues and greens sing and red, mustard and Secondhand Chic is not only good for your wallet, it’s also good for the environment and oh so stylish!

Who doesn’t love a bargain? writes vintage stylist Jonathan Fraser Urquhart. I remember, in my youth, how friends would brag about how much they’d spent on their designer outfits when they all just dressed the same. I’ve never been a fan of following the crowd and have always enjoyed the unique and the unusual and charity shops and second hand fayres have always been a hunting ground for me. I’ve always been a charity shop rummager and when I got older and needed to furnish my home, my mindset was more focused on chalk paint than Chippendale and hand me downs rather than Heals. There’s just something so satifying in taking a piece which has seen better days and making it into something truly unique and useful again. Not only is it great fun getting creative, but it’s also kinder to your wallet and the environment too - reusing is so much better than recycling!

TOP TIPS FOR A BARGAIN VINTAGE HOME

If it doesn’t move, paint it! The shabbiest of furniture can be made to look a million dollars with the application of a bit of paint. I love chalk paint best - the lack of sheen is super stylish, looks expensive and covers a multitude of sins. It also dries really quicly meaning makeovers in minutes! Slap it on and sand it off for a super smooth finish before sealing with furniture wax and buffing.

Think in threes. When arranging accesories always places items in threes - it always looks better, trust me! Think about scale and texture when grouping items and don’t be afraid to mix something mundane with something unique - a vintage trinket can elevate and enhance a chain store basic.

Always keep an eye out! Charity shops, auction sites and social media swap sites are your hunting grounds for some true treasures. Keep away from car boot sales unless you’re prepared to get there super, super early. If you see something you like then act quick and don’t be afraid to barter whilst offering a benefit - ‘what’s your best price? I can paypal you now and collect today’ for example.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! - particularly if you’re upcycling. We’ve made dog beds out of suit cases, table lamps out of teapots and bookcases out of fruit boxes. Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. You can always rethink and reuse. At the end of the day have fun. If your interior makes you smile then you have succeeded.