Interior design tips for a seasonal reset

Shops are on a roll with the latest products for the year ahead, with certain looks standing out with an emphasis on how the natural world is shaping our choices

Colour, natural materials, plantlife and a feeling of bringing the natural environment into the home are trending in 2022 (Sweet Caper wall paint by Colourtrend, €33 p/ltr).

Fri, 11 Mar, 2022 - 07:00

Carol O’Callaghan

So what are we up to in interiors these days when the nesting season is bringing out our instincts to spring clean, organise and vamp things up?

One common thread influencing many of the trends for 2022 is nature, according to Aoife Hayes, owner of design destination shop Objekt in Newcastle West, Co Limerick.

“It’s influence is in colour,” she says. “Brown is back with warm earthy tones, though acting as a strong neutral to wonderful terracottas, cappuccinos and creams.

“Green is also seeing a continued revival, from textured velvets to marbles, crystals and glass. Shapes are natural and organic, lots of soft curves and mushroom shapes. Look for curvy sofas, lighting and tables, rounded edges in furniture, architecture and decoration.”

Aoife Hayes, owner of Objekt Design Space in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.

It all points to a softer approach to the home which, according to Aoife, stems from more intangible influences like feng shui, hygge and wabi-sabi.

“There is more and more research into the fact that our home influences our mood and general well-being,” she says.

“As we enter the third year of a global pandemic we need to feel safe and emotionally well in our homes. The trend for softer tones and warm colours creates a sense of welcome and cosiness. Soft curves in furniture are enveloping and safe.”

And she’s also spotted biophilic design, which connects our homes to nature.

“It’s a hot topic,” she says, “the human desire to connect with nature, bringing outdoor life into our homes with natural materials and planting and large glazing. We are also moving outdoors to entertain, extending our home outside, and we’re choosing organic shapes and learning about sustainable living.

“Materials, too, are veering away from man-made to natural. Think marble, stone, terracotta and travertine.”

Soft organic shapes are trending in furniture and lighting, free from corners and hard edges. The curvy Big Lebow lamp is €1,399 at Objekt Design Space.

But while it’s exciting to hear what’s coming in, it’s also interesting to see what’s fading from fashion.

Aoife is emphatic when she says: “Open-plan living. We wave bye-bye as we return to more traditional segmented space, to re-attain peaceful environments, quiet spaces and privacy.”

Cork-based interior designer Kate Hobbins-Lockett is seeing a shift in our attitudes; how that’s influencing our next steps when revamping, and, like Aoife, how the outdoor environment is influential.

“We’ve spent so much time cooped up indoors, people are looking for a sense of calm and a connection to the outdoors in their homes,” she says.

“Obviously, the pandemic has changed how we live in our homes. It has changed how we use our spaces but also how we feel when we are in them.

“Taking a more considered approach to what we put into our homes has never been more of a priority. The connection to the outdoors, a more mindful buying process and awareness of how it all functions for us is directly linked to what we’ve experienced these past couple of years.”

Cork-based interior designer Kate Hobbins Lockett.

Specific elements she sees being used are textural finishes, wooden elements, organic shapes, natural fibres and shades of green. “And, of course, plants,” she adds.

But with a sustainable touch about it, she’s also seeing an interest in vintage and antique pieces.

“The days of matching furniture suites are far behind us,” she says.

“One second-hand piece in a room can bring a whole different vibe to a space, along with some character that is hard to achieve when everything is brand new.

“This approach to buying for your home also means it is a slower, more deliberate way of shopping for décor. Finding that gem on a second-hand market place is going to be more desirable than ever.”

Dual-purpose space is another trend she’s spotting, making our homes work harder.

Outdoor space for living and entertaining has become more important in the last two years, taking the indoors outdoors. The Bolleke lights from Objekt Space Design, €89.

For the future, Kate says: “I’m hoping fast interiors are becoming a thing of the past. Buying bargain décor items just to replace them six months down the line doesn’t seem like the best idea anymore.

“Really minimal, stark décor is probably on its way out as well. Most of us just don’t live that way. We have stuff, things that we love to have on show. Our homes should be a reflection of the people living in them, not just a collection of furniture.”