Pinterest Home Ideas: Interior Design Trends for 2017

Pinterest claims that navy blue is 2017’s new black. which may not be such a bad thing. Easier to use as an all-over colour and just as intense but less dramatic (and therefore slightly more liveable) than its pitch relative, the trend toward the hue marks a mature but confident move down the colour path.

A statement navy blue velvet sofa, navy walls, navy panelling or navy curtains – the colour offers a heavy dose of high saturation wherever you place it.

It doesn’t come without designer endorsement either. Fans of the azure hue include Katharine Pooley (especially in this central London project), Taylor Howes and Jean-Louis Deniot. Even tableware is experiencing a bolt from the blue with painterly designs by Marie Daâge channelling the look. Plus, blue benefits from connotations of security, trust and loyalty which are always welcome.

The bookshelf with its endless style possibilities is soon to have had its day (for a little while anyway) with bedside table styling currently experiencing a staggering increase of 721%.

Style minds are set to make a turn their attention to the perhaps neglected humble bedside, creating compact vignettes and elevating the bedroom staple in one fell swoop.

Similar components of bookshelf styling (varying heights, different textures, stacking) comprise a well-curated nightstand with a few unique additions.

Carefully proportioned art work, jewellery trinket boxes, a mini vase to display a fresh arrangement and, of course, a good book work particularly well. Don’t feel the need to over-style though – less is definitely more.

Next year, traditional tiling (including the now ubiquitous subway tile) will be challenged by a more natural competitor. While surface designers like Giles Miller Studio, Lamellux and Fameed Khalique have led the way in high-end surface designs (including innovative woodwork) for many years, it seems that the look is now making its way into private arenas.

A directional choice for hospitality interior design, in particular, dimensional wood tiling offers a textural contrast of marble or copper-clad bars, for feature walls and as installations.

Don’t pigeon-hole the look though. Translating the trend to the residential sphere, mosaic or diamond-shaped tiles take the place of traditional beadboard panelling and architectural features such as chimney breasts (in the style of Kelly Wearstler) and staircases can be transformed into incredible focal points. Wood tiling is also extremely heat and sound-insulating which makes it a double-edged sword. Mother Nature wins again.

Pinterest says farmhouse style; we say rustic chic á la Sophie Paterson – our answer to the charming-but-not-quite-stylish-enough shabby chic look.

After a trying year, it seems homeowners are opting for some peace and quiet. Luckily, it’s a look that is no respecter of eras, transcending decades with its timeless appeal; nor does it matter if you actually live in the countryside. If all you crave is the bucolic atmosphere of the simple life, rustic chic will be a welcomed trend for the coming year.

Pale woods, limed finishes, reactive glaze ceramics, antique furniture and tranquil tones – what’s not to love? The lived in, rural look is nothing short of welcoming, making coming or leaving home a day’s most enticing or regrettable moments, respectively. Preempt the look by starting small with herringbone wool throws, natural decor and traditional rugs. Once you’re ready to make the commitment, linen upholstery and blond wood (such as grey-stained oak) furniture are your go-tos.

This one seems like the odd one out but who’s to argue with data? The trend for heated flooring may seem less appealing than the other, more decorative trends on this list but enjoyable living is as much about function as it is about style.

Unnoticeable, self-contained and will make your bathroom time akin to a spa-like experience, maybe the time for standardised underfloor heating has come.

Why should our plant life be confined to vases and tabletops? The great Jeff Leatham is constantly hanging blooms from ceilings for weddings and his tourist-drawing Four Seasons arrangements so we’re happy to see that hanging plants will soon be found much closer to home too.

A grand-scale take on the look translates it from its kitchen origins to a perfectly hallway/living room/bathroom-appropriate alternative to florals. Forgo spiky traditional ferns in rope-suspended pots in lieu of whimsical wisteria canopies, delphinium chandeliers and balls of trailing ivy.

Jonathan Adler and Alexandra von Furstenberg are just two contemporary designers deserving of the acrylic royalty title. Their barely-there designs (Jonathan’s combined with brass edging; Alexandra’s with neon) revived the aesthetic of Philipe Starck’s iconic 2002 Ghost chair and bring the designs of the likes of American designer Charles Hollis Jones into the twenty-first century.

Ideal for smaller spaces (or spaces which don’t suit visually heavy pieces), acrylic furniture is contemporary delicacy. Acrylic decor is a fresh way to accessorise a console or coffee table, and even more so if contrasted with classical elements such as marble obelisks, busts or vintage trays.

Based on its prolific and successful past, it is unlikely that marble will ever be anything but the timeless choice it’s proven itself to be. Marble furniture and accessories have been in style for millennia and marble or marble-inspired fabrics and lighting have been the designs du jour for the last few years.

Proving that there are no bounds to the arenas this material succeeds in, Pinterest has been blowing up recently over marble wallpaper. The look is modern edge and works a natural monochrome look which creates a suitable backdrop for black and white art and modern cabinetry. Still, we say go for the real thing and commission a smartly bookmatched feature wall – it’s almost impossible to compare.

This year’s penchant for pastel pink most likely has its roots in the copper metal trend of a couple of years ago and has gained so much traction that copper metals are now back for a second round.

The look is best when realised as part of a modern scheme where the design principles of shape and space are determining factors. When paired with cool hues (grey and black are favourites) and nonchalant materials like concrete, the delicate metal acts as a warmth conductor.

This super-cool Australian hotspot, The Penny Drop, masters the neo-copper look by utilising the material in the trim for its curving barista bar, complete with matching disc pendant light. The malleability of the copper creates lustrous bands of light which mirrors the shape of its white high-gloss boards.

Of course this phenomenon would make the list for the coming year considering all of the articles, books and tutorials it has launched as the world has struggled to define its true meaning. The uniquely Danish ‘hygge’ has both captivated and perplexed the world this year, and it seems its draw will be continuing into 2017.

The somewhat elusive notion is characterised by cosiness, comfort food (hot chocolate and porridge are as hygge as they come), candlelight, fireside relaxation, chunky knits and, most importantly, quality time with family and friends. Danes are widely and regularly reported as the happiest people in the world so embracing hygge (especially during the bleak midwinter) can’t be a bad thing.