Interior products make our lives easier while looking good

As we head towards autumn and winter, furniture brands, paint suppliers and trend forecasters are predicting the looks and palettes that will be adorning our homes in winter and next year.

The interiors world moves in a different way to that of fashion – our furniture and our spaces are designed to last years rather than months, so they need to be more timeless than clothing. Having said that, fashion does have an influence on the design industry, and this clearly comes through in colour and texture.

Leading fashion trend forecaster Trend Council, presenting a report for WeConnectFashion, predicts plenty of mint through to jungle and emerald greens, along with various purple tones: orchid, African violet and paler, floral hues such as wisteria. These are reflected in Pantone’s colour palettes for 2015, which include Vineyard Green, Sea Spray, Misty Jade and Kelly Green, plus Violet Quartz, Winsome Orchid and Hyacinth.

Shades from fashion’s AW14/15 catwalks are also finding their way into our homes, with pumpkin tones, mustard yellows and burgundy reds a great choice for a look that’s warm and rich. Biscuit and Champagne hues and steely greys were also popular on the runways, and these make for ideal base tones if you are looking to repaint walls or bring new carpeting in for your floors.

At Danish home and lifestyle store BoConcept, greys made an appearance in 2014 and they will continue to do so in 2015, when they will be combined with a palette of different shades of blue. “Under this year’s collection headline ‘It’s a Concept’, we celebrate individuality by offering multiple options in a completely coordinated collection,” says Søren Barslund, store manager at BoConcept Hong Kong. “That’s why we’re introducing more blue this year; it enables you to mix and match with delicate grey or with shiny metallic colours. Additionally, blue will lighten the whole look and make it more elegant.”

For those looking to bring coming trends into their homes in simple ways that don’t involve resurfacing floors or painting walls, cushions and throws in 2015’s favoured colours are a simple solution. Cushion covers can be swapped when you feel the need for a refresh – as can throws. Start with a neutral base, with white, black, grey or taupe as your foundation colours on walls, floors, sofas, curtains and blinds. Then it is easy to layer seasonal shades on top.