INTERIORS
FINDING YOUR STYLE: WHAT’S ON TREND FOR HOME INTERIORS? Thinking about how to style your first home can be exciting and daunting in equal measure. Our resident expert, Steve Hird, Director and Co-founder of showhome interior design specialist Edward Thomas Interiors, breaks down some of the most popular styles and how to recreate these in different rooms...
STYLE: SCANDI/HYGGE
STYLE: MODERN FARMHOUSE/ COTTAGECORE
Inspired by: Danish/Swedish/ Norwegian architecture and design Best for: living room, kitchen/ diner, bedroom, bathroom Probably one of the most enduring design styles, Scandinavian interiors offer a stylish beauty and simplicity. This style’s key principles emphasise minimalism
Inspired by: quintessentially English rural decor Best for: kitchen/diner, utility room, hallway A style enjoying a revival right now is modern farmhouse. Appealing because it can work
and functionality, everything has both purpose and place. This combination of aesthetically pleasing yet practical interiors is what makes this style so popular. Traditional Scandi decor has a light and bright feel, clean lines, and is characterised by a use of natural materials and patterns alongside neutral, earthy colours and unfinished woods. It makes for an extremely versatile base, with warmth and texture being added through accent colours or layered fabrics. Another reason for the rise in popularity of Scandi design is the Danish concept, hygge. This introduced us to interiors specifically designed for comfort, those that embrace cosiness and relaxation. Think log burners, throws and cushions in luxury fabrics, warm lighting, hand-crafted accessories and you get the idea. The latest iteration of this is the Swedish “mysa”, which has similar connotations but also focuses on spaces to promote self-care and wellbeing. Scandi design is also extremely budget-friendly so is a great choice for first time buyers. IKEA anyone?!
in both town and country locations, modern farmhouse takes its cues from the classic British country aesthetic. Think rustic- inspired furniture and accessories, an emphasis on crafts and homemade items, and a desire to embrace a more sustainable, “back-to-basics” lifestyle. Modern farmhouse goes hand-in-hand with the cottagecore trend that really took hold during the lockdowns when people embraced hobbies such as baking, knitting and gardening. Both styles have a relaxed, liveable, even vintage aesthetic focused on comfort and a slower pace of life. The key differences are that modern farmhouse is more uniform with colour and prioritises function, so repurposes rooms like the utility into a pantry or mud/boot room (“bootility” is my preferred description!), whereas cottagecore is more whimsical, introducing busy patterns and bright colours. Both styles can be achieved by upcycling vintage, secondhand or inherited pieces, making it an affordable option for first time buyers.
44 First Time Buyer October/November 2024
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