December 5, 2016
Retro, romance and rustic woods- the trends defining our interiors for 2015
Retro, romance and rustic woods are the trends defining our interiors for 2015. Luxury bespoke furniture designer Barbara Genda takes a peak at how people are incorporating next season’s hottest looks in their homes Three defining trends shaping the interiors scene that are likely to continue into 2015 are ‘retro’, ‘romance’ and the resurgence of rustic, character woods. Where modern interiors are shaped by a clean perfunctory aesthetic, retro furniture engenders emotion and a fondness for the design quirks of a bygone era. Kitsch or whimsical, bold or art deco – the looks that define the ‘retro’ trend are being rejuvenated with a modern industrial edge, with subtle adjustments to shape and texture bringing the nostalgic look into the millennia.
Roomsets with 70s-style mismatched furniture are no longer the result of poor taste and a bad eye for design; it is an emerging aesthetic that sees the fusions of very different styles clashing into a visual harmony that simply just works. Sleek sideboards, leather bound furniture, low-standing coffee tables, accents of chrome and colour against a backdrop of loudly patterned walls and typography art have all been rehashed and reinterpreted for the modern house. The great thing with ‘retro’ is that it’s readily accessible. Crafty folk have been picking up pre-owned pieces from the flea market or antique store and freshening up its style using paints or funky print decoupage for a cool, urban edge. Crazy patterned wallpaper is once again embraced, but its visual loudness is tempered by grey or bold block colour primaries so that the overall look is striking without being over-the-top. ‘Shabby chic, is still going strong. Distressed, antiquated looking furniture with an air of old world opulence is being married with splashes of colour so that we see the worn-and-weathered working beautifully with the vibrancy of ‘new’. Adventurous shades of blue, red, yellow and fuchsia give the trend a new lease of life.
Finally, exotic timbers and rustic or salvaged wood are becoming the material of choice for furniture. From sidetables to cupboards, mirror frames to desks – the imperfections and individual randomness of the grain and its textured surface form an essential part of the overall design, which seems to pay homage to nature and the material’s roots itself. We’re seeing this visually tactile look complemented by contrasting textures – think deep pile fluffy rugs, chunky cable knit throws and pouffes and white and billowing muslin drapes offset by accents of slate, stone and marble for a truly earthy look.