Interior Trend Lab

Creating a boundless universe of shapes, decorations and colours by using your imaginative ability of expression. In this universe a new type of aesthetic freedom reigns to research everything around us, coming up with a different approach and bring colour in our lives and get rid of boredom. Be inspired by artists and designers like digital artist Leonardo Betti (aka leonardoworx) or fashion house Missoni, who lead the way and show us how to embrace this new aesthetic trend. By combining materials, structures, colours and patterns they create an unexpected visual feast that brings this new style to life.

A Speakers’ Corner is an area where open-air public speaking, debate, and discussion are allowed. The original and best known is in the northeast corner of Hyde Park, although other areas for Speakers’ Corners have been established in other countries. Like a visual speakers’ corner designers are using words to bring their message to a broad public. Whether by branding the company’s name and reliving the logo craze of the ‘80s, or like artist Scott Albrecht’s mural in Brooklyn where his message “holding on to what will come” is concealed in the artwork trying to give the public a positive sentiment in difficult times. Let’s embrace this positivism and spread the word. 

The use of eyecatching prints and patterns is currently the most interesting trend in both interior design and fashion. Feeding our need for a more decorative style, they charm and inspire us. They can give an immediate tactility to spaces or products that appeals to our senses and evokes interesting conversations. From geometric styles to (vintage) flowers and marble stone inspired, they cover a vast range of interesting designs to go with many different lifestyles and preferences. We see them especially used in a variety of tiles to cover floors and walls to give that certain decorative, eclectic look and feel so much sought after in interior design.

Looking at the latest trends in interior design we see inspiring ideas of how to use the concept of tiles in your home. After so many years of clean white interiors there’s a tendency towards using more colour and pattern in interior design. Tiles have the advantage of quickly giving a strong visual impact on spaces and are very versatile in the way they can be applied. Not only do we see them in ceramics but also in glass or cork (think walls like in the seventies), textiles like woolblends or felted materials that can be used for carpets and other floor or wall coverings. There’s a whole new world of tiles to be explored, from eclectic to rustic, so check them out, create and enjoy.

One could say it’s a butterfly world when looking at the latest design developments. Designers like Victor & Rolf, Dsquared and Peter Pilotti all showed clothes inspired by the delicacy and beauty of butterflies. Their colours and patterns simply invite you to bring them to life and design equally beautiful products, (or surround yourself with them). Think of home textiles like carpets and cushions or use upholstery in warm hues for chairs and couches. Who wouldn’t want to linger on them? But they can also be a source of inspiration for lighting or home decoration items. So explore and enjoy!

Challenging gravity and searching for balance. Key words when it comes to characterizing some of the latest product designs, as presented at the latest interior design fairs. Designers are keen on exploring these principles and come up with ingenious new items that incorporate a certain pureness and longevity. Items that balance between art and design. Like the ‘Wireline’ lamp on the left picture, created by Formafantasme for Flos. Or the ‘Bold Table’, a table designed in 2018 by Daniele Lago that is the best example of challenging the force of gravity. The new table is supported by a single, off-centre element that bears the weight of an ultra-thin top with elegant rounded corners. The magic is in the shadow, a physical black element that sidesteps the presence of a base while stabilising the table leg. Or simply find balance in a harmonious compilation of square shapes to present some of your decorative treasures.

The search for design that really adds something to our lives, is gaining in popularity. We are looking for products that are made (hopefully) with sustainability in mind and have a timeless style that is future proof. Luckily we see a new kind of pure, minimal interior style emerging, where the essence lies in the aesthetic of the clean, mostly geometric lines and the choice of natural materials and colours. This style can cover a vast range of interior products like furniture, wall coverings and tiles, not to mention small furniture and home deco items. Combining materials and finishes that have contrasting structures or surfaces, think rough versus polished or matt versus shine, enrich this look. When thinking colours, add a touch of black or stark white that gives extra depth to the natural colour range where warm tones like amber, walnut and honey prevail. 

Lots of recent design developments come from new technologies like 3D printing or other computerized processes. Perhaps as a counterweight for this we see a renewed interest in (old) crafts and handmade products and finishes. Like for instance the bamboo installations of Taiwanese artist and designer Cheng-Tsung-Feng. His sculptural constructions are hand-crafted based on centuries-old bamboo weaving techniques and pay homage to a traditional craft that dates back to the prehistoric age. At the same time the goal is to preserve these crafts and envision an alternative future by adapting and optimizing them in line with modern life. Spanish luxury brand Loewe did this by asking craftsmen to use their signature leather to explore worldwide traditions of basketry and see just where their creativity takes them. It turns out that the combination of crafts and contemporary style is a match made in heaven. 

Creativity can be applied to many areas to generate anything, ranging from new ideas to tangible objects and everything in between. If there is a need, creativity can be there to offer an answer to a question or give a solution to a problem. Focussing in this blog on artistic creativity instead of the more technical side of creativity, we see that it has a more personal approach, more intuitive and closely associated to arts related activities. The emphasis here lies more on design that is pleasant, aesthetic and beautiful. This free flow approach, where beauty lies in the unexpected, but also in the combination and creation of shapes and structures that are perhaps unusual, gives room for new interpretations on creative design. So run free, explore all kind of shapes, patterns and colours and let your creativity flow.

Tie-dye is a term used in the mid-1960s in the United States for a set of ancient resist dyeing techniques, and for the products of these processes. The process of tie-dye typically consists of folding, twisting, pleating or crumpling fabric or a garment and binding with string or rubber bands, followed by application of dye(s). The manipulations of the fabric prior to application of dye are called resists, as they partially or completely prevent the applied dye from colouring the fabric. This technique became very popular in in 1960s following the example set by rock stars such as Janis Joplin. Currently we are witnessing a revival of this tie dye technique and its different styles like shibori and ikat in fashion. But also in interior design the free spirit of this colourful style is being used to create interesting new product ranges and home textiles. … Read More (Members only) →

Already for some seasons bulky, chubby shapes have been an inspiring source for many designers. Perhaps it derives from the current revival of the seventies where chubby, tubular shapes played an important role in interior design. Or from the desire to take a more playful approach to the design process and create products that are functional but also tactile to the eye and touch. Combine for instance bulky looks with soft curves or soft materials to create that playful yet elegant design. Or make small furniture like stools and tables or home decoration items in this style. All these will fit perfectly in the current zeitgeist and will certainly attract the attention of anyone interested in contemporary design. Feel inspired? You are kindly invited to please check out my Pinterest ‘bulky’ board for more ideas.

The latest trends in interior design are as versatile as ever, ranging from evergreen neutrals to new pastels like coral, mint and honey yellow, to darker seventies inspired hues. For this blog my preference went to this darker side of the colour spectrum with colours like dark aubergine, teal, mustard and blue. When combined with a little creative courage, you can create interesting combinations that give a new look and feel to interiors. Think using these colours on walls or floors, add some (vintage) furniture in this look or opt for home textiles like curtains and/or carpets in more outspoken colours and patterns. When opting to work from a neutral base, you can add some eyecatching items or objects like for instance the sofa or the mirrored folding screen, to create this look.

There are lots of new developments when it comes to using flowers in the interior. Whether it be composing exciting and inspiring bouquets to give beauty and a joyful touch to a room or using the diversity of flower prints and patterns in decorating our homes. If you want to go all the way and make an eclectic combination of different types of flower prints, then be sure to use a well-chosen colour scheme where colours don’t clash but have the same kind of intensity, like with the above shown pictures. If an eclectic style is a bit too much to your taste, then opt for adding small details to a more neutral base and use flower prints for decorative items like for instance lamps or poufs or use them on tableware or home textiles.

A lot of new interesting design and architecture is emerging, where geometry is combined with sculptural flow. Playing with these contrasts is much at the forefront currently, as can be witnessed when taking a closer look at all the latest developments in architecture and interior design. Just have a look at the above shown pictures which bring us an array of ideas to work from, ranging from more complex ones to the more easylyadaptable, when designing new products. The structures as seen on the pictures on the right can for instance be translated into carpets and other home textiles like curtains and bedlinnen, but also into tiles or table tops. The structure on the left could be a starting point for room dividers, benches or side tables. So be inspired and let your creativity flow!

The idea of a secret garden appeals to our imagination. We would like to wander around and get ourselves infused with the calm and beauty we can find in this garden. We take a closer look at the diversity of trees, flowers and herbs that traditionally symbolize feelings, moods or ideas. Not to forget the avifauna with its richness of colours that also inspires us. This secret garden (that symbolizes our natural environment) is a place to preserve and keep safe for future generations. This awareness is growing and is perhaps one of the reasons that lies behind all the flower inspired home decorations items and patterns we are seeing these days in fashion and interior design.

Clean geometrical lines and strong colour combinations are the backbone of inspirational design. They will never fade but will always be on trend because they never tire us. By using them in product and interior design or in architecture you can create clarity and freshness in an overcrowded world. Perhaps this is the reason that we’re currently seeing so much of it, both on the catwalk and at the interior fairs. The above shown pictures give you some ideas as a starting point when developing your own collection or products. The colourful circles can be translated to carpets, poufs or tabletops. The colourblocking as seen on the right side can be a source for creating small furniture items or decorative home accessories, it can also be used on walls to create a jawdropping background for your product presentations. Enjoy discovering all possibilities!

Already from the 1600s on, the atelier was a place of creating all kind of pieces of fine or decorative art, most of the time supervised by the ‘master’ who taught the apprentices and assistants. This way of working in educating visual or fine arts was often enforced by local guild regulations who taught the essence of these crafts. This system was gradually replaced as the once powerful guilds declined, and the academy became a favoured method of training. Although the methods varied, most ateliers or academies trained their students in the skills and techniques of creating some form of art. Not much has changed there, except for the fact that emphasis nowadays is more placed on individual creativity, because students will then exhibit a wide range of personal styles, an increasing amount of creative experimentation and thus diversity. And that makes design a lot more interesting! … Read More (Members only) →

The term monochrome comes from ancient Greek monochromes, meaning having one colour. A monochromic image is one composed of values of one colour, that is a presentation of a single colour in different shades. This just means that a single colour is depicted in different values and intensities. The colour remains the same but the elements that differ are brightness, lightness, darkness or dullness of the colour. The values and intensities become different when the main colour is mixed with black, white or gray. The weighting of all these individual components is selected to achieve a desired effect and allows a wide range of artistic expression. The images show us the many monochrome compositions when only using the all-time favourite colours black and white. Not to mention all other options when adding components like different materials, surfaces and patterns.

The word ‘tradition’ derives from the Latin ‘tradere’, literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. As with many other generic terms, there are many definitions of tradition. The concept includes a number of interrelated ideas, the unifying one is that tradition refers to beliefs, objects or customs performed in the past, transmitted through time by being taught by one generation to the next. Currently we’re seeing a renewed interest in tradition based cultural elements and craftsmanship and we seek ways to incorporate them in daily life, thus preserving them as a precious legacy for mankind. For this week’s blog item the base is a picture of a woman in traditional clothes from ‘Hindeloopen’, a small village in the Netherlands. The combination of prints and colours used, the flower inspired pattern, the choice for sturdy material, but also the typical glass bell that was a decorative item those days, are all elements we saw in the latest collections and they could be a source of inspiration for interior design items and home textiles.

Beauty in nature has historically been a prevalent theme in art and books, filling large sections of libraries and bookstores. That nature has been depicted and celebrated by so much art, photography, poetry and design, shows the strength with which many people associate nature and beauty. Coming from the Latin word ‘natura’, or ‘essential qualities’ it probably is one of the most researched sources for fashion and interior design inspiration. A collection based on the beauty of natural things can express a timeless elegance and subtle refinement that appeals to many people because of its power to create a harmonious atmosphere. For the coming seasons trend and colour forecast agencies embrace once again this natural trend with its broad range of colours and materials waiting to be turned into the classics of tomorrow. … Read More (Members only) →

Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest forms of decorative art. They have been widely used due to their durability, technical properties and visual richness. The word “tile” comes from the French word “tuile”, which is derived from the latin word “tegula”, meaning a roof tile of baked clay. As for the word “ceramic”, it comes from the Greek word “keramikos”, which means “of pottery” or “for pottery”, and it is related to the Indo-European word “cheros”, which meant “heat”. The history of ceramic tiles begins with the oldest civilizations. It is known that Egyptians of the 4th millennium B.C. already used to decorate their houses with blue tile bricks and the Islamic Empires were responsible for spreading the use of the ceramic tile as wall covering. Taking a closer look at the history of tiles around the world you see beautiful examples with magnificent patterns and colours giving lots of inspiration for all kind of products, not only as floor- and wallcovering but also for home textiles like plaids, cushions, carpets, as well as home decoration items and small furniture. No wonder we have recently seen a lot of new interpretations of tiles in product development and interior design. … Read More (Members only) →

Flowers have a privileged position in Chinese culture and play a significant role in daily life. Chinese believe that many flowers convey positive messages and so they appear in literature, food, textiles and other decorative items, each displaying its unique (traditional) meaning. Plum blossom for instance, stands for noble and modest qualities, but is also the name of a famous snack in Nanjing and Suzhou;) The lotus flower is an important symbol of pureness, the flower along with its leaves, seeds and roots have been widely used in both Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Until today, the magnificence of these flowers in shape and colour is a rich source of inspiration for designers and can be applied to (home)textiles, wallpapers, mosaic tiles, folding screens and many other interesting interior products.

Evidence of patchwork (putting smaller pieces together to create new ones) was found throughout history. The earliest examples have been located in Egyptian tombs and also in China about 5000 years ago. Further finds date from the early Middle Ages, where layers of (quilted) fabric were used for all kind of products, from clothes to hometextiles and so the practice of embellishing a simple cloth with patterns and embroidery developed. Today, creating new styles by means of patchwork appeals to many designers because of various reasons, the most important, I think, being the aspect of recycling it incorporates. Besides that ‘patchwork’ for me also has to do with combining different styles/patterns to create new styles.

Design trends in the 1970s were marked by a backlash against the bright colours and futurism of the 1950s and 1960s and a rise in popularity of dark, earthy tones with extensive use of brown, green, purple, and orange. These darker colours reflected the back-to-nature mindset of the decade. Wood decor and paneling was integral to 1970s interior design as well, replacing the obsession of the 1950s and 1960s with chrome and aluminum. In architecture, buildings were created with more open space and groundbraking geometry. Many of the above mentioned style elements are at this moment being reinvented as contemporary design items, as can be seen in the images.

We see a lot of new interpretations of glass objects in interior design. The transparency and reflection of glass make it an interesting material to work with, in addition to the vast variations and combinations that can be made of it. Play with plain transparency and interesting structures, combine glass with metallics, wood or marble, create new patterns by e.g. looking at pictures of stained glass items, transform old styles into new by making them in a glass version. Let your mind wander to boost your creativity and be inspired!

It’s interesting to see the shift from white oriented neutrals to darker ones. We saw terra as a newcomer about a year ago and now it is joined by, and combined with, dark oranges and browns. Copper and gold are still important and combine perfectly with these warmer hues, adding glow, depth and warmth. Using this colour palette together with strongly defined shapes, as shown in the pictures, can give an interesting design language to work with. You can also easily update existing product ranges by using these colours to give new spirit. … Read More (Members only) →

…….is a series of four large-scale paintings by Barnett Newman painted between 1966 and 1970.He started the first painting in the series without a preconceived notion of the subject or end result; he only wanted it to be different from what he had done until then. But after having painted the canvas red, he was confronted with the fact that only the other primary colours yellow and blue would work with it, like the works of De Stijl and especially Piet Mondriaan, who’s geometric shapes and specific colour use are currently having great impact on fashion and interior design. … Read More (Members only) →

Can we expect a revival of sculptural design? I would say yes, because I’ve seen some interesting new interpretations lately. Left, Frank Gehry’s “Bubbles” chaise longue, for which he used corrugated cardboard. As the material wears it becomes suede-like, malleable and soft. Gehry first used corrugated cardboard in his Easy Edges furniture collection, introduced in 1972. The “Bubbles” Chaise Longue belongs to Experimental Edges, a second collection, introduced in 1979. Gehry’s intention was to make durable furnishings from throwaway material “to suit the homes of young as well as old, of urban sophisticates as well as country dwellers,” he has said. Right, Ross Lovegrove ‘serpentine’ sculpture at the latest London Design Festival, made from suede-like fabric. … Read More (Members only) →

The variations you can make with simple geometric lines are almost endless and therefore favorite by architects and designers. This trend has been hanging around for some time, think of all Scandinavian design that was omnipresent some years ago, but I see the trend evolve and deepen and thus becoming more interesting.

The pattern of these products resemble the grid of squares and blanks that form a puzzle. This grid can be the canvas for many pattern and design interpretations. Left you see a design by Gunta Stolzl who was a German textile artist who played a fundamental rol in the development of the Bauhaus school’s weaving workshop. Her work is thought to typify the distinctive style of Bauhaus textiles where modern art and mathematics were incorporated in their designs. Her work is of an extraordinary beauty.

Art deco originated in Paris around 1925 after the World Exhibition on decorative art. This was a period just after world war 1 and there was an idealistic and optimistic spirit in Europe. New art movements like Art Deco, Bauhaus and the Dutch Stijl had great impact on architecture, interior-, graphic- and product design. Currently we see originals or interpretations of these styles and patterns recurring in fashion and interior design. Also the use of colour from this period is a great source of inspiration.

The western influences are also translated into a more modern look. Shapes are cleaner and with a more neutral colour palette. Embroidery and patchwork are applied in contemporary design and can be easily translated to home textiles. Rattan plays an important role and is used in many home collections.