The Interior Trends You’ll Be Loving In 2017

If you’re renovating or building a new home, look out for the following trends to include, and those to avoid, for 2017.

WHAT’S IN

1. Terracotta

Warm materials such as terracotta tiles will replace currently popular cool and white tones. Unlike in the 80s, they aren’t used as border tiles. Instead they will have a natural matte finish and be used as feature walls in bathrooms or for cladding fireplaces.

We suggest that by avoiding terracotta tiles that are too rustic and keeping with a matte finish, this trend could add character and warmth to interiors again.

2. Cork

You heard it here first – cork is making a comeback..Not only is cork a stylish material idea that adds warmth and texture to spaces, it’s also ideal for absorbing noise in our increasingly large, open plan homes. It’s used in coffee table bases in combination with stone tops, and as solid cork stool or side table.

“We predict cork could be used to clad entire walls in the home office and used to pin notes to.”

3. Dark green

Dark shades of green will become the new must-have dark interior colour as we say goodbye to navy and midnight blues. Dark green as a paint colour for rooms such as a bedroom creates a wintery Scandi backdrop for tan leathers, reindeer furs, brass lamps and natural linen. Used in a feature armchair or cushions and decor items as an accent, it adds depth and can bring in the colours from the outdoors.

4. Upholstered bed heads

Beds will change dramatically in 2017, with upholstered bed heads set to replace the timber bed frames currently dominating the market. They’ve been a staple in luxury hotel bedrooms and celebrity homes for a while, but now we’re all falling head over heels for the bed head trend. Whether you opt for the classic model in neutral colour with buttons, or a plush one in velvet, a bed head is an easy way to update and add instant glamour to a bedroom.

5. Escapism

Homes with nooks and places to retrieve will become more popular as humans react to our increasingly technological lives. With an ever-increasing amount of time spent in front of a computer or smartphone screen during the day there will be a greater desire to create spaces in our lives devoid of digital distraction. This may not mean listing the 65 inch flat screen on Gum tree, but we will seek to create havens of calm and tranquillity, whether it’s a bedroom or a nook we can escape to, even if it is to lazily scroll our Instagram feeds in peace. Relaxed furniture and materials will follow suit, from deep sofas with linen slip covers, to oversized love seats, day beds, Icelandic sheepskins, chunky knit wool rugs and floor cushions.

6. Jewel tones

While pastel shades of pink and blue are currently having their day in the sun, they will soon be overtaken by jewel tones inspired by metals, space, stars, clouds and the cosmos.

Metallics, metals, raw-cut quartz, Lucite and opal will add a dash of sparkle and interest. X-ray materials, transparent fabrics, floaty silks and sheers will create a lightness and soft romantic element to this trend, which embodies an optimism for where we have come from and where we are headed.

WHAT’S OUT

1. Copper

Our experts almost unanimously agree that copper and rose gold will be out by 2017.

As a material, copper is beautiful and will always be in style in some way or another.

However, the over saturation of cheap and shiny imitation copper just ends up looking like you’ve tried too hard, and by doing so, you’ve already missed the boat. In its place, a more industrial aesthetic is anticipated. Warm metals like copper, brass and rose gold will continue to be on trend for autumn/winter 2016, but as we move into summer 2017 you’ll see a shift away from this super polished look. You’ll see a more industrial aesthetic, with black steel and burnished metals taking over the home.

2. Marble

With marble homewares all the rage in the mass-produced homewares market, we can soon expect a sharp decline in interest. Marble has had a good run, but it’s time for a change.look forward to raw, earthy textures like timber.

3. Quote artworks

After years of popularity, consumers will predictably move away from quote artworks. We have all seen the ‘Keep calm and …’ posters and they have had their day.

4. Open plan living

Defined living spaces are returning to modern homes as consumers seek more private home layouts. As people have now lived with the open plan living areas incorporating kitchen, living, dining and even study areas, they have found problems with acoustics and cooking smells through the space. The living, kitchen and dining areas could be located around central courtyard, breaking up the large open space.

5. Subway tiles

Modern bathrooms and kitchen commonly feature the humble subway tile due to the affordable price point and its versatile look. However, the proliferation of this look will see its popularity decline. We have seen them at our local cafe and basically they’re everywhere. A beautiful option for a kitchen splashback is a “finger” or “kit-kat” tile. Long and thin, they look great laid in vertical or horizontal rows.