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Spring Refresh

What’s in fashion for the home and garden and what’s not? Be in the know and read our round-up of the hottest trends, says Gillian Upton

: The Outside Inside | The trend towards oriel bay windows continues apace and this one, protruding from the main wall but not reaching the ground, creates the perfect light-filled window seat in this Balham house, from dRAW Architecture.

: Light In My Life | The Lumie Halo and Vitamin L lights help boost mood and productivity and banish SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and are some of the light therapy products from British brand Lumie. The company also sells wake-up and white noise lights. See our feature on lighting on page 38.

: Making space | Underneath the stairs is a favourite area to find space for extra shelving and this one from Roundhouse is storing kitchen goods. Says Clara Bee: “We love finding dead space; it’s a golden opportunity to create something out of those frequently unused areas whether designing clever storage under the stairs or making a cosy working space in an unloved corner.” cast london/Green Sheen adds this tip too: “Make sure every piece of furniture is adding storage value to you, and to keep as much floor space as possible add shelves, wall units or hooks.”

: Hide And Seek | It’s tempting to build high fences and hedges in the front garden to provide more privacy from passersby but there is a downside to that warns Robert Ditcham, CEO of Ayrton Bespoke: “Make sure there is no hiding place for burglars, such as a high hedge at the front of your property.” As an alternative, he suggests, “laying gravel instead so you can at least hear them coming! Gravel is a good old-fashioned deterrent!”

: Wool For The Walls | Handwoven textile artist Pamela Print creates stunning wall hangings which add a pop of colour to your home. Her work includes colourful cushions and throws

: Bend It Like Beckham | Fancy a one-off centrepiece for your garden? Some 41 individual pieces of oak have been steamed and bent into different shapes to create the Coliza sculptural bench. With no straight lines it has been handcrafted and made to order by Tom Heywood Bespoke.

: Anyone For Coffee? | Defying the laws of physics, this Megalith coffee table from Duffy seems ready to collapse. Made from white veined Marquina black marble or white Calacatta black vein marble, it has matching round and console tables.

: Two-for-One | A big trend in house refurbishments is multi-use or hybrid rooms and OLBC has some sage advice on the subject: “Avoid carving up spacious rooms into smaller spaces just to tick your ‘must have’ boxes as maybe a room could perform multiple functions,” says the company’s Rosie Caley. “In many cases, it is better to sacrifice one thing in order to achieve the best results throughout the house than settle for a string of compromises.” She suggests storage cupboards in a hallway are better use of space than a storage room which wastes floor space, or a family TV room or large guest room could house gym machines in cupboards, or pull-out desks. Pictured: TG-Studio created workspace between the back of the headboard and wardrobes in the bedroom.

: Outdoor Living | Complement your interior by matching flooring, colours and tones on the outside, advises Chris Harrington, founder of Harrington Porter. “Large porcelain tiles work well,” he says. He also suggests making any seating a focal point, particularly in small gardens.

Home Security Tips

The most vulnerable part of your property is the front door. Modern timber doors are thicker than original Victorian or later period doors (64mm) – adding more timber increases the strength of the door dramatically. Use Banham mortice locks and always two deadlocks, making sure these are engaged overnight, and always locked when the property is empty. Replace intercoms and your old spyhole with wi-fi video cameras, such as Ring, that can alert you to motion straight to your mobile. Double glazing is far more difficult to break and avoided by burglars as there is a higher chance of DNA being caught on the glazing materials. Toughened glass is essential for front door glazed panels and consider laminated glass for more vulnerable locations, such as the rear and side of a property. Like a car windscreen, it also has the advantage of not shattering. Source: Ayrton Bespoke

: Birds of a feather | Sixties Finnish furniture designer Eero Aarnio has upgraded his iconic Happy Bird child’s seat exclusively for indoor use with solid ash feet and available in four new colours: dark purple, curry, tortora and light green. The outdoor version is made entirely of polyethylene.

: All Things Bright and Beautiful | Farrow & Ball’s colour curator Joa Studholme reckons 2022 will see a return of simple and familiar colours drawn from the world of folk art, including sunshine yellow (Babouche, pictured). Michelle Blunt at Mint Studio thinks that people are going back to nature in terms of colours, with “earthy colours such as caramel, terracotta and different shades of green, and are more conscious of using natural materials, such as wood, stone, clay and marble.” Bethell Projects predicts “far less grey and more pale dusty pink and deep chocolate brown.”

: Life in 3D | One of the stars of the recent Planted contemporary design show was British home furnishing brand Teer & Co for their stylish and sustainably-sourced furniture including stunning 3D timber wall panelling. They work equally well as kitchen islands, bedheads or room dividers.

: Past and Present | There is no need to update your William Morris-covered sofa as Liberty has teamed up with Farrow & Ball for a curated edit of 15 timeless and richly pigmented paint colours complementing iconic printed interiors fabrics from the Liberty Modern Collector range. Says Genevieve Bennett, head of design interiors at Liberty: “I always feel that our heritage pattern really comes alive when used with solid colour….it gives the patterns space to breathe and sing.”

Put a Cork in it | Sustainable flooring brand Recork is producing flooring without the carbon footprint. Made from waste cork, the company has transformed it into a high-performance surface available as flooring planks that flex and absorb impacts. The Una Collection is available in five shades beyond the classic brown and is scratchresistant and provides chemical and wear resistance. Interior designer Emma Green adds that reclaimed floor tiles are another sustainable option.

GARDEN SEATING Built-in or off-the-shelf? Integrated seating is a great use of space, especially in a small garden. As it is bespoke, it can cater for many or for a few, and be designed in any style, material and colour to complement your garden design. However, it cannot be moved so can be restrictive, and never build storage into your seating – it won’t be watertight. Seating is only as good as it is comfortable. When building bespoke, emulate the ergonomics of off-the-shelf furniture. Seat height should be 400-500mm off the ground and back height 700mm- 900mm. Consider cushions or a sloping back – a right-angled seat is usually uncomfortable. Beware buying sub-standard furniture online when you can’t touch, feel, and try it out. Read reviews, speak to friends, and discuss with industry experts. Source: Harrington Porter

Timeless Windows

To create a classic look with timeless bespoke shutters, look for a company which offers a custommade range with a large variety of materials, colours and finishes. White adds elegance to the interior of both homes and commercial properties, but colour is central to many interior designs and if shutters are required to be the accent colour in the room, choose a manufacturer with an unlimited colour-matching service. For colour-drenching use bolder colours for a dramatic look, or to create a more subtle effect use matt-finish pastel colours for shutters, walls and woodwork. Consider tier-on-tier installation to be able to open top and lower panels independently and fold back against the wall, particularly suitable for bay windows and front rooms. Always choose bigger louvres if in doubt, which let in more light and are especially suitable for large windows.

AS NATURE INTENDED Biophilia is a major trend in home interiors, stemming from the extra time we spend in our homes as a result of the pandemic. “Today, homes need to work harder than ever and biophilic design can really help,” says Peter Oudejans, director of leading biophilic design studio Oudejans Interiors. He explains: “Biophilia is the human connection to nature. It’s that calm and uplifted feeling when walking in the woods, strolling along the beach or just sitting in a park. It’s known as the ‘Biophilia’ effect and we’re simply bringing that inside”. It might mean creating a living wall, installing an air purifier, improving ventilation, installing a new window to integrate more natural light, more planting, including a simple yet multi-sensory element such as a fireplace or redecorating with natural hues, patterns and textures; all these will help boost body and mind.

BOTANICS ROOM

This Whitby sofa from the Brompton Collection, a collaboration between the V&A and Sofas & Stuff, is absolutely spot on with this year’s trend to biophilic design. Says interior designer Emma Green: “The pandemic has really had a positive impact with clients actually requesting biophilic design in their homes. Wallpapers featuring plants, flowers and general foliage are also increasingly popular right now, as are earthy and neutral paint colours and tones.”

“CONNECTING WITH NATURE BOOSTS OUR PRODUCTIVITY AND IS PROVEN TO CONTRIBUTE TO A STRONGER SENSE OF WELLBEING. NATURAL LIGHT, INDOOR VEGETATION, GOOD AIR QUALITY, LIVING WALLS AND NATURAL TEXTURES AND MATERIALS WILL HELP WITH ACHIEVING THE NATURE AMBIENCE” KITCHEN CONNECTIONS

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