INTERIORS
TOP TREND #4 – COLOUR EXPLOSION
Alongside “Sweet Embrace” (a delicate pink) and “Peach Fuzz”, which were named the 2024 Dulux and Pantone Colours of the Year respectively, two more colours to watch out for are yellow and silver.The darker shades of the yellow family (mustard, ochre, etc) that have been a staple of recent times are making way for softer, comforting shades like straw and butter. Similarly, silver is set to make its comeback alongside aluminium, chrome and stainless steel.We expect to see this in light fittings and kitchens the most.
TOP TREND #5 – SELF-CARE SPACES
Homeowners have let go of traditionally badged rooms and are preferring to make spaces that suit their lifestyle. Embracing “self-care” spaces, somewhere restorative that supports mental and physical wellbeing, is a rising trend. This might mean turning a study into a craft room, a guest bedroom into a home office, gym, library or child’s playroom, and not forgetting “spathrooms” ie bathrooms with spa-like decor! So how can first time buyers introduce these trends into their homes, especially as after all the costs associated with the house buying process have been met, there’s likely only limited budget remaining? BE SPACE SMART Most new build homes follow an open- plan layout, so try to avoid creating pinch points with bulky objects or furniture. This ensures the home’s logical flow can still be followed.You can subtly subdivide or “zone” these spaces with abstract art and lighting to allow for different activities such as relaxing, dining or home working. We also advocate vertical thinking in apartments and open-plan areas. TVs, drinks stations and shelving can all be wall-mounted while bar storage, hanging planters or pot and pan racks can be added to ceilings as stylish storage solutions. Remember not to overlook any underutilised or transitional spaces either. Under the stairs, landings, hallways and alcoves make great spots for a self-care space.You could add a ladder desk to make a home office, or an occasional chair and side table to create a cosy spot for reading, listening to a podcast or crocheting!
room, and they don’t have to include all four walls! Feature wallpapering and panelling immediately adds a luxe look and is certainly one way of introducing dopamine decor into your home. But one of the most versatile treatments is painting. This can be applied in many ways, from full and half- height walls to abstract shapes and colour block panels. Here’s when you can use some of 2024’s most sought-after colours to create a focal point, for example behind the bed, to frame a picture gallery or simply to inject personality into smaller rooms such as cloakrooms and utilities. Don’t forget to look up too, painted ceilings or ceiling canopies can add depth or make a child’s bedroom more playful.
costs less, but you have to replace it quicker. By changing your thinking, embracing circularity and investing in secondhand furniture you can achieve surprising results more sustainably. Painting, reupholstering, decoupaging or stencilling all, or part, of a piece of furniture can really give a new lease of life, think chair seat backs, table legs or cupboard doors. Then of course there’s upcycling. Repurpose smaller items such as rattan plant pots into lightshades, or what about using old gin bottles as candle holders? You can be more inventive with larger pieces too – make a desk from old fruit crates and timber, join two breadbins together to make a “breadside table”! By layering these alongside newer pieces, you’ll give your home its own identity.
WONDERWALL(S) AND FOCAL POINTS
RE-USE, REPLACE, UPCYCLE
Wallcoverings are one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to transform a
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Fast furniture is similar to fast fashion. It
First Time Buyer February/March 2024 39
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