SHAPE: Curvaceous
Cool, linear pieces have had their moment to shine. Now gentler silhouettes with enveloping curves, rounded corners, and retro lines are giving furniture a more welcoming, cocooning effect. A more specific offshoot of this trend is the return of the plumped-up sofa — cue an influx of squashy, comfy living-room pieces that aren’t a trial to sit on for more than 20 minutes. The fatter and rounder the better: take Hayon Studio and Austrian manufacturer Wittmann’s collaboration on the design of the Vuelta chairs (Spanish for “rotation, turning, or return”), which are designed to embrace.
Décor trends: Comfort zone
The current décor trends are steering us in a direction that soothes and appeals to the senses. Think curvaceous shapes, warm palettes, and handmade finishes
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PALETTE: Warm
Although a wave of green shades is coming to the fore (Pantone’s choice for the 2017 colour of the year is a zesty hue called Greenery), the proliferation of earthy hues that have made their case for the last season or two are proving that they have no intention of going anywhere just yet. Warm tones, ranging from the now catchphrase “millennial pink” to an almost 1970s-inspired terracotta, are still where we’re turning for comfort, particularly indoors. India Mahdavi’s just-launched range of velvets for French maison Pierre Frey is all about warm nostalgic colours.
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VESSELS: Matte
A matte, unfinished texture on decorative vessels feels very modern now. Understated and self-effacing, such vessels are the epitome of minimal sophistication: the restraint involved in not taking the finishing process too far encapsulates a less-is-more approach. In addition, the lack of adornment allows the form to shine. Ferm Living’s angular vases offer a Scandinavian appreciation of simplicity that is refreshingly minimal and easy to live with. Ferm Living is available from Mezzanine Interiors.
Image: Supplied
SHAPE: Curvaceous
Cool, linear pieces have had their moment to shine. Now gentler silhouettes with enveloping curves, rounded corners, and retro lines are giving furniture a more welcoming, cocooning effect. A more specific offshoot of this trend is the return of the plumped-up sofa — cue an influx of squashy, comfy living-room pieces that aren’t a trial to sit on for more than 20 minutes. The fatter and rounder the better: take Hayon Studio and Austrian manufacturer Wittmann’s collaboration on the design of the Vuelta chairs (Spanish for “rotation, turning, or return”), which are designed to embrace.
Image: Supplied
KITCHENS: Black
Black is the new white when it comes to culinary zones in the home — whichever material you choose to use, whether it be timber, stone or glass. Rather than feeling morbid, the darker colour feels secure and grounding, not to mention very sophisticated. The best effect will be achieved with a combination of materials and enough light so that the colour doesn’t hinder cooking and entertaining. This Cesar Unit design is dark, but also very warm and welcoming.
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ALL STAR: Marble
The use of marble, and marble lookalikes for the more budget conscious among us, has evolved to include new colourways and combinations with other textures. The Caesarstone Convivium collaboration with Weylandts’ father-daughter duo Chris and Anna Weylandt saw the pair explore the material’s diversity in a range of striking interior pieces, including the Mark Anthony and Cleopatra side tables, which illustrate how you can play with texture and pattern for a truly contemporary application. Consider this too in a bathroom, where marble, used together with timber and metallics, makes for a really up-to-date interpretation.
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FINISH: Handmade
Never more than now has the mark of the human hand and the crafting process been so appreciated in design. Textures that indicate and even show off the work that went into making them are part of the appeal. Okha’s recently debuted collaboration with local artisans features, among others, Mema Designs’ Ukhamba lighting range – intricate aluminium lampshades that illustrate ‘a journey of intuitive discovery led by the material’.
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BATHROOMS: Coloured faucets
Over the past few years, bathrooms have evolved from sterile rooms into curated spaces that have a major living focus. This has happened through the incorporation of colour and texture, as well as items that have traditionally been the domain of the living room – like textiles and artwork. And this sense of personalisation and uniqueness applies to the hardware too – coloured faucets as opposed to the standard chrome are cropping up all over, and this Patricia Urquiola design for Agape has a particularly crisp and fresh feel, but black is also on the rise.
Image: Supplied
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