Looking for the most up-to-date decor trends? We’ve got you covered! Some of the top Interior Designers from around the UK have come together to share their design and decorating advice, showcasing what’s big in 2020.
Habitus Design (Glasgow, Scotland)
You may recognise Anna Campbell-Jones (formerly Murray) of Habitus Design from her recent work as a judge and presenter on Scotland’s Home of the Year. Habitus Design specialise mainly in residential projects, Anna doesn’t have a particular style but rather collaborates with clients to get a look that suits their lifestyle and taste, incorporating much-loved furniture and objects they already own.
What is on-trend at the moment in the Interiors world?
“Individuality and eclecticism is the current mood, lots of colour, including dark greens and blues, seems to be back for good in interiors as well as layering patterns and textures of different types, for example, florals with geometrics, create interest.”
Habitus are one of a number of designers championing the use of deep blues as well as greens. Anna is an advocate for creating individuality in her designs and the use of textures and, perhaps unexpected, uses of pattern to create bespoke looking interiors.
How do you see rugs being used in homes at the moment?
“Traditional patterns with a twist, pre-aged designs, bold colour and Berber seem to be hot right now! I think people see a rug as an investment piece akin to purchasing art as well as a way to instantly update the look of a space without doing much else.”
The world has gone mad for Berber patterns recently and it’s no wonder. The luxurious feel and texture, the simple yet vaguely nomadic pattern, the versatility… There’s not much not to like about Berber rugs. From cheap polypropylene to hand-knotted Moroccan wool, there is something to suit any budget.
Vintage rugs, or vintage and over-dyed, is another big trend that we’re seeing in the rug world and one that can be found at every price point. Old Persian and Oriental style (whether machine-made imitations or the real thing), shaved back and dyed to bright shades is a big hit up and down the country.
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Louise Misell Interiors (Cardiff, Wales)
Louise Misell Interiors specialise in residential interior design, offering an approachable and accessible design service. Louise focuses on bringing colour and texture into peoples’ homes, encouraging them to be brave and experiment to create truly unique and personal interiors.
What do you see as the big trends in decor for 2020?
“Our homes are more important than ever before, and we are starting to see the true value they can bring us. We want to cherish our homes, whilst allowing them to nurture us, so I see a shift towards making the most of the things we already own, with a huge rise in upcycling and repurposing items. It’s going to be all about our homes reflecting our personality, using a mix of vintage, retro and existing pieces in a modern setting.”
A definite move towards sustainability and mixing old with new, vintage and retro are “in” and likely to stay that way for some time. With Louise’s approach to design, the personality of the home (and her clients) can be brought out, a refreshing change from the days of old when everyone’s home was staged to sell. Mixing styles isn’t for everyone but can work wonders if the right balance is found.
How do you like to use rugs in your designs?
“Rugs are hugely important interiors pieces, they add a decorative element to the floor and can really bring a scheme together. This year we will be adding more texture to our schemes, and including deep pile wools for a sense of cocooning luxury. We’re also seeing a rise in the use of antique kilim rugs, which reflect the need to mix old and new for a fresh take on a centuries-old style.”
Deep wool and antique kilims equal lots of texture and tonnes of personality. If Covid-19 and the entire nation being on lockdown for months at a time has shown us anything, it is that now is the time to truly make your house your home.
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Furnished By Anna (Kent, England)
From their design studio, based in Kent, Furnished by Anna offer both residential and commercial interior design. They design homes that both look fantastic and function brilliantly, with schemes to reflect their clients’ tastes, ensuring their spaces always feel like home.
What are the big trends in Interior Design just now?
“Blue is really popular with our clients this year and mixing this with greys and metallics for a really luxe look. Strong ochre based colours are set to make a comeback, bringing a real warmth and grounding to interior design schemes and one that pairs beautifully with ever-popular Scandinavian decor. Smaller, more traditional patterns are also being given a new lease of life with up to date colour palettes, especially through ikat and block printed fabrics where the irregularity of the print creates something unique every time.”
The colour blue keeps coming up whether it be top advice or in paints, fabrics and floor coverings. It’s no wonder with Classic Blue being the 2020 Pantone Colour of the Year. Glamorous Luxe decor, achieved with deep and rich colour and metallic fabrics and trims and Scandi-design may well sit at opposite ends of the mood board but both are well deserving of their place on the decor-savvy wishlist.
How are you using rugs to help achieve your designs?
“Rugs are a real key piece in all our designs. We use them to create and define zones within the living spaces, wrapping larger rugs under furniture to pull different areas of the rooms together. They’re a great way to add texture and comfort and immediately set the tone of the scheme. A patterned rug can bring all the pattern and colour you need in a room when set alongside plain walls, likewise focussing on texture in a plain rug when paired with wallpaper in a room really helps to ground the scheme and ensure the whole of the room feels cohesive.”
Anna gives her insight into how rugs are used to balance a space, either by adding colour and pattern to create a focal point or by grounding a space with self-coloured textured pieces, perfect for pulling different elements of a scheme together. There has been an explosion of Art-Deco inspired rugs in recent times, featuring on-trend colours such as deep blues, bottle greens and blush pinks that work perfectly for those looking to achieve the Luxe look.
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Ruby Red Interiors (Kent, England)
Ruby Red Interiors offers innovative designs for both the residential and commercial markets.
The majority of their work, however, is within the residential sector, creating stunning home designs for the people of Kent and beyond. From bathrooms to bedrooms, kitchens to living rooms, Ruby Red Interiors liaise closely with their clients, discussing every element of the design to ensure that the finished scheme exceeds expectations.
Their style is bold, using strong colours where appropriate, with special attention given to sourcing the perfect furniture for the design.
What are the interior design trends and colours for 2020?
“Blue (with its many hues) is a big trend this year. Dark, rich blue tones have been used on living room walls for the past 5 years or so, but new on the block is blue in the kitchen. White kitchen units have dominated the market for nearly 20 years now, so a change is well-overdue. Dark blue or nearly black shaker-style units are becoming increasingly popular and work equally well in both small and large kitchens.
Bare plaster walls are also a trend for the coming years. If you’re not brave enough to go totally nude, there are paints and finishes which subtly mimic the real thing. The result is a more up-to-date take on the industrial look.”
So, more blue on the horizon according to Karen Robinson, owner and designer at Ruby Red Interiors who advocates the use of raw finishes such as bare plaster walls for a new-age industrial finish.
How are you using rugs in your designs?
“Rugs add much-needed warmth (both physically and aesthetically) to painted or tiled floors. The kind of rug selected depends on the client’s preference but their important function is to complement the scheme, not detract from it.
Deep pile rugs can add a touch of glamour to most interiors but really popular at the moment are flat weave rugs particularly with a herringbone pattern in muted, neutral shades.”
Flat-woven rugs feature again, with a leaning this time towards neutrals and classic patterns to help create functional texture without overpowering a space.
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Falchi Interiors (Berkshire, England)
Falchi Interiors are an Interior Design service who also provide spatial design, joinery design, project management, interior architecture and much more.
Operating from their Berkshire design studio, Falchi cover clients in London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas as well as further afield, working in tandem with their client’s taste and preferences to help bring their vision to life. However, if Marion Falchi, Director at Falchi Interiors had to choose a preferred style it would be leaning towards the contemporary.
As a team though, the designers all have slightly different style preferences which, Marion claims, makes designing together that much more enjoyable.
Are you seeing any trends coming through this year?
“We have noticed a lot of rattan being used this year and this will definitely continue through the summer in both exterior and interior design. We’ve also been loving the cladding and panelling trends that have been used this year – panelling can work with any style and adds great detail to any home.”
Adding texture doesn’t have to stop at just fabrics and floor coverings. Falchi Interiors are keen on pushing the boundaries with interior (and exterior) cladding or panelling with a modern twist; creating architecturally stunning and bespoke spaces. Rattan furniture links once more with the trend of sustainability with its eco-friendly credentials and offers exceptional depth and texture – used correctly it can tie in and add to massive variety of styles.
How are you using rugs in your designs?
“We love using rugs in our projects especially as a lot of our clients are putting in engineered or solid wood flooring. Rugs add warmth and also give zones to more open-plan spaces. We love abstract rugs that can pick out lots of different colours within the room. On the other hand, we also love a plain rug with a scalloped detail for a more traditional quirky look!”
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Stylemongers Of Bristol (Bristol, England)
Stylemongers of Bristol, led by lead designer Zoe Hewett, work with homeowners to create unique and joyful spaces, either at one of her workshops, through consultations or by creating and implementing a fully-fledged action plan. Zoe started her career as a theatre designer and scenic artist so her work often has a touch of drama and is always colourful.
What are the upcoming interior design trends?
“My prediction for interior design is that ethically and sustainably produced products are going to be big, not just as a trend but for the long term. That means fair pay, good conditions and working environments for makers like weavers and everyone else involved, as well using sustainably sourced and ideally natural plastic-free materials. Consumers are beginning to expect this more and more and ask questions of manufacturers and retailers which is just fantastic.”
As the world becomes more and more switched on to the issues of sustainability and fair trade it only makes sense than interiors will follow suit. Zoe is a big advocate of ethically produced materials and this follows on to her designs. Not only are natural and ethically produced materials better for the environment but help to add a sense of grounded luxury to interiors, a warmth and texture than often cannot be achieved using synthetic materials.
How do you style a room with rugs?
“I love to use rugs to help demarcate space, and it is such a great opportunity to use pattern and colour with absolute impunity because being under the feet and below the eye-line, there’s no need to worry about it overpowering the room. For me, rugs are the perfect place to go all out with colour, pattern AND texture all at once. I love the soft geometric shapes that are making their way into designs at the moment as I do like to try to use curves in my designs as often as possible as they are soothing and ultimately good for us to be around.”
Using rugs to create zones is particularly useful in increasing popular open-plan spaces. Rugs are an excellent way of completely changing the style of a room without having to carry out a complete decor overhaul and do so by providing an opportunity to be adventurous without taking an all-out risk. An otherwise neutral space can be transformed simply by adding a rug, bringing comfort, colour and warmth along with an unlimited number of styles.
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The Last Word
So there we have it, straight from the horses’ mouths – no offence guys!
Individuality is a big hitter in the interiors and decor trends for this year. As we continue the movement away from staging a home to sell and towards one that reflects our own personality it’s all about touches of charisma and intrigue, mixing old with new and a drive for sustainability, something that is a little unique. Luxe has its revival and the colour blue is in vogue and here to stay; while Scandi and Hygge are still desirable, but with added comfort and warmth in a New Nordic style. Texture, texture and more texture seems to be the message from the pros, whilst most are making a big push for individual personalities to shine through.
Designers and home decor enthusiast throughout the UK are using a mixture of textured, vintage and Berber style rugs with, flat-woven and kilim rugs making a big come-back in 2020.
With the variety of designs that are top of the style list right now, it won’t be hard to find the perfect style to suit not only your home but your personality.
