WHETHER IT’S A total overhaul or a few tweaks here and there, most people have something they’d love to change about their home.
The most important elements of your home’s design are your own personal taste and needs, but if you’re stuck for inspiration, it’s worth checking out what’s popular right now in the interior design world – and what’s about to be popular soon.
“I try not to lead by what’s ‘in’ too much and go with what a client likes, but still you do see different trends coming through,” says Maria Fenlon of Maria Fenlon Interiors.
As part of our Make The Change series, we’re helping home renovators and design lovers stay on top of all they need to know. So what can you expect to see more of in other people’s homes (and hopefully in yours too) over the next while?
We asked Maria, along with interior designer Ruth Barnett of Interior Living, to weigh in…
“Concrete can be beautiful, restrained and stylish,” says Maria. “People like the idea that it is low maintenance, too. Yes, it does scratch but that kind of wear and tear adds to the appeal. Concrete floors and walls can add a seamless flow from space to space.”
Concrete can come with a high cost and a need for expert craftsmanship, so Maria advises adding touches of the material into your home with accessories and bathroomware as a lower-budget alternative.
Sick of hipster grey? There’s a new hue in town. “Navy walls and also kitchens will be big next year and I can see the colour becoming the new grey,” says Ruth.
“The deep navy will be complemented with tan coloured furnishings and offset with hints of gold to create a rich contrast.”
“Wall decals have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years and by using some of the higher end designs, you can create a playful look for kids that feels stylish too,” says Ruth.
I tend to steer clear of these in adult spaces but for kids, they’re a great way to make the bedroom a place that they love to be in.
A long-time British living room staple, the Chesterfield sofa is having something of a comeback. “Try an oversized Chesterfield for larger spaces or scale it down to suit smaller homes,” suggests Ruth.
Leather also works great for families with smaller children as it’s easily cleaned and wiped down when any of those unavoidable accidents do occur.
Skip the succulents and think bold, leafy plants, draped across shelves and bursting out of quiet corners. Ruth says 2019′s greenery will hark back to the 1920s and 1930s:
Adding corners of greenery through large plants is a nod back to times past such as the Art Deco era, and it’s an easy look to achieve on very little.
“Softer pastels are getting a revival and are a great way to soften all those grey tones,” says Maria.
Women’s fashion magazines and cosmetic photoshoots are always a good guide of what’s coming in, and pastels have been huge of late.
Maria divides her time between Belgium and Dublin, and one trend she’s brought back with her from Brussels is a focus on layering textures of a single colour, usually grey or black.
“Irish people are very brave with colour,” she says. “You can see that in our bright villages. I brought some friends from Belgium and they nearly collapsed. But the Belgians are good at mixing muted tones, with varying fabrics like wool and linen, all in one colour.”
“We’re doing a renovation of a city centre home in Dublin at the moment and we’ve picked a beautiful dining table which folds into a side wall so you have an open space in the centre of the room,” says Maria.
Ruth agrees that flexible furniture can add to a home’s potential:
I recently worked on a project for a family with three boys. One of the ways I overcame the storage solution needs was to use an Ottoman bed with storage underneath.
Want a more spacious kitchen or that long-awaited extension out the back? At Bank of Ireland we’re determined to make the mortgage switching process as easy as possible. See what you can save to design the home of your dreams. Find out more.
Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank trading as Bank of Ireland Mortgages is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
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