design edit issue 2

6 Key European Design Trends Influencing Home Design

Who decides what will be “on trend”? Where do these trends come from? In the interiors world, the Milan Salone de Mobil is one of the most influential sources. Over 350,000 of the design trade descend on Milan every year to attend the world’s largest furniture fair where 2,400 individual designers and large international businesses exhibit their new products. And this is where the latest interior design trends are created - trends that sooner or later will find their way into your home! 

While I’m a firm believer in not being a slave to trends, they are a great source of inspiration. So I thought it might be an idea to give you a heads up on what I’ve seen as the biggest trends coming through all the wonderful images and reports from Italy. Here’s my take: 

1. Boutique Hotel  

A decadent, warm and opulent feel - the kind of look you might find in that boutique hotel you’d like to stay in. More sumptuous, luxury fabrics like velvets (there’s a lot of velvet!) and full grain leathers. Beautiful detailing - tassels and fringing. Warmer metals rather than chromes and stainless steels. Definitely less of the Scandi look - lots of richer, deeper colours - oranges to bordeaux and berry. And lots and lots of blue.  

2. Moody and Blue

If there was one colour trend, it’s all blue - inky, navy, teal. Colours are muddied, rich and deep - lots of mustard, blush - and blue!

3.  Connected to Nature

This is all about creating calming spaces and connecting with nature - perhaps an antidote to our stressful lifestyles and 24/7 technology invasion. Bringing the outdoors in with the types of materials, fabrics and their design (printed foliage, natural and green-based colour palettes). Calm and neutral colours, tactile interiors that are raw and highly textured.

4. Crafted Raw Materials

A return to honest, beautiful materials.  Timber is a huge trend - in kitchens, furniture and wall cladding. Especially walnut and other beautifully crafted woods.  There’s a lot less light, blonded timber. Wall and floor tiles are crafted to look like natural slate or travertine. Marble continues to be key in furniture and with smaller touches of luxury (more wallet-friendly!) - cool clocks, candle holders and coasters. Glass table tops and lights are another big trend, especially moody smoked glass. 

5. Metallic

Brass is the key metal and mixing your metals is a big look - nickel, brass and copper. It’s not gloss or bling we’ve been seeing - but textured, eroded, natural metals that look aged or worn. I think it looks amazing paired with the high shine metals you might already have. 

6. Seventies Inspiration

There is a definite seventies swag in the air! Layering of colours and materials, super clean lines. Metal legs on sofas, coffee tables and consoles. Glass topped tables. Velvets and other rich, tactile fabrics. Rugs and sheepskin. 

While we might gather inspiration from Europe and beyond, it is an Interior Designer’s role to adapt these trends to suit each individual client and home. I also strongly believe that style trumps every time over a passing trend - filling your home with things YOU love rather than "on trend" items.  

I hope you've enjoyed my virtual tour of these European trends.  If you'd like some help incorporating this inspiration into your home just contact me to find out how easy it is to get started - I would love to help you create a home you love!