What Interior Trends are Predicted for 2016?
Our experts say we'll wave goodbye to some 2015 favourites and put out the welcome mat for some exciting new looks
Janet Dunn
26 December 2015
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid interior design enthusiast. Ex-restaurateur and caterer, with a Professional Certificate in Gastronomy, University of Adelaide.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid... More
Interior trends are what keep us moving forward, embracing – or rejecting – new ideas and honing our concepts of how we want our homes to be. Some classics outlast fashion, while other popular features reach their use-by date in the blink of an eye. Then there are the things we just love and don’t care if they are trends or not. Here, a group of interior designers discuss their views on what decor elements from the past year are going, going, gone, and share their style predictions for 2016.
On the panel
Tennille Burnup, Tennille Joy Interiors
Jodie Cooper, Jodie Cooper Design
Nelly Reffet, Twinkle and Whistle
Brendan Guy, Thomas Hamel & Associates
Bronwyn Poole, Touch Interiors
Sally Klopper, Sally Caroline
Emma Blomfield, Emma Blomfield Styling
Tennille Burnup, Tennille Joy Interiors
Jodie Cooper, Jodie Cooper Design
Nelly Reffet, Twinkle and Whistle
Brendan Guy, Thomas Hamel & Associates
Bronwyn Poole, Touch Interiors
Sally Klopper, Sally Caroline
Emma Blomfield, Emma Blomfield Styling
Is it finally time for a digital detox?
We may have reached saturation point with the pervasive presence of technology in our lives, according to our experts. They foresee our homes will become more nature-aware and less perfectly curated, to counteract the impersonal robotic shininess of the digital world many of us inhabit.
Tennille Burnup from Tennille Joy Interiors notes, “we are always ‘switched on’ so we need to slow down, take the time to play and be mindful. We’re constantly looking at bright white screens – is this good for our senses?”
We may have reached saturation point with the pervasive presence of technology in our lives, according to our experts. They foresee our homes will become more nature-aware and less perfectly curated, to counteract the impersonal robotic shininess of the digital world many of us inhabit.
Tennille Burnup from Tennille Joy Interiors notes, “we are always ‘switched on’ so we need to slow down, take the time to play and be mindful. We’re constantly looking at bright white screens – is this good for our senses?”
Jodie Cooper from Jodie Cooper Design thinks not, calling on us all to engage with our environment beyond our computer screens. “We’ll be making the home a softer place to ‘land’ and escape from the structured technology-driven lives we lead,” she says.
10 ways to create tech-free boundaries at home
10 ways to create tech-free boundaries at home
The year of the green warrior
2015 was a year that saw the comeback of indoor plants – “yay to that!” says Nelly Reffet from Twinkle & Whistle. She hopes this is just the beginning of our increasing need to connect with nature however we can – even as urban dwellers. For Burnup, patterns are a way of nourishing our relationship with the natural world and she predicts gardening motifs, botanicals, flowers, vegetables and herbs for 2016.
2015 was a year that saw the comeback of indoor plants – “yay to that!” says Nelly Reffet from Twinkle & Whistle. She hopes this is just the beginning of our increasing need to connect with nature however we can – even as urban dwellers. For Burnup, patterns are a way of nourishing our relationship with the natural world and she predicts gardening motifs, botanicals, flowers, vegetables and herbs for 2016.
Scandi decline?
It’s been our magnificent obsession for quite a while. Although we’ve learnt a lot about the value of lasting design and simplicity from our long sojourn with mid-century modern style, some designers, like Brendan Guy from Thomas Hamel & Associates, observe signs of waning popularity and an exploration of other colours and textures, such as metallics, plaster and 3D finishes
Glamour clamour
Rather than single-style decors with a cohesive theme, Cooper is excited that her love of ‘global eclectic’ is enjoying an upsurge. She interprets this as “a fusion of classic, ethnic and industrial styles that pay homage to the past, present and future.” Decor elements reflecting this trend include tribal rugs; tarnished patinated brass, bronze and copper; chunky knits; soft rose gold, and some modern refined pieces thrown into the mix.
It’s been our magnificent obsession for quite a while. Although we’ve learnt a lot about the value of lasting design and simplicity from our long sojourn with mid-century modern style, some designers, like Brendan Guy from Thomas Hamel & Associates, observe signs of waning popularity and an exploration of other colours and textures, such as metallics, plaster and 3D finishes
Glamour clamour
Rather than single-style decors with a cohesive theme, Cooper is excited that her love of ‘global eclectic’ is enjoying an upsurge. She interprets this as “a fusion of classic, ethnic and industrial styles that pay homage to the past, present and future.” Decor elements reflecting this trend include tribal rugs; tarnished patinated brass, bronze and copper; chunky knits; soft rose gold, and some modern refined pieces thrown into the mix.
Bronwyn Poole from Touch Interiors believes interiors are edging towards a boho aesthetic – “long overdue in my book,” she says. “Family-friendly spaces with personality and liveability have a life force that transcends style.”
She maintains that unpretentious homes with an abundance of plants, exotic collectables from travels and secondhand finds have an authenticity that has nothing to do with budgets and renovations, and everything to do with the people who live in them. “We’ll see adaptations of this type of interior,” she says. “Not boho per se, but with the intent that this trend has taught us.”
How to channel your inner bohemian
She maintains that unpretentious homes with an abundance of plants, exotic collectables from travels and secondhand finds have an authenticity that has nothing to do with budgets and renovations, and everything to do with the people who live in them. “We’ll see adaptations of this type of interior,” she says. “Not boho per se, but with the intent that this trend has taught us.”
How to channel your inner bohemian
Your 2016 material world
“We’ll embrace more earthiness and ‘realness’ in the materials we choose,” says Reffet. In line with a wish to ‘warm’ and soften our homes, she feels that although marble is a fabulous material that will never date, it won’t be used as much in 2016. “Once something starts appearing on mousepads and other paraphernalia, it’s a sign a trend is reaching its end,” she says.
Metallics are still all the rage, but hard silvery metals are being replaced by burnished coppers, bronzes and aged brass and iron, in furniture accents, lamps and accessories. Tapware and handles are getting in on the act too. Brass in a brushed or satin finish is one to look out for, according to Reffet.
“We’ll embrace more earthiness and ‘realness’ in the materials we choose,” says Reffet. In line with a wish to ‘warm’ and soften our homes, she feels that although marble is a fabulous material that will never date, it won’t be used as much in 2016. “Once something starts appearing on mousepads and other paraphernalia, it’s a sign a trend is reaching its end,” she says.
Metallics are still all the rage, but hard silvery metals are being replaced by burnished coppers, bronzes and aged brass and iron, in furniture accents, lamps and accessories. Tapware and handles are getting in on the act too. Brass in a brushed or satin finish is one to look out for, according to Reffet.
Timber will continue to enhance our homes, especially sustainably-produced timbers. Recycled and distressed timber in slightly imperfect pieces of furniture feature in Reffet’s forecast for 2016, along with tactile neutral and tan leather.
Recycled timber is a ‘macro-trend’, says Burnup. “Warm metals are deeply luxurious and a brass lamp, for example, with a natural piece of recycled timber is editing luxury in an unconventional way,” she says. “Glossy cabinetry will be replaced by a more natural look – a reaction to our spending too many hours reading shiny tablets.”
What about new gadget releases in 2016 then? Will these move towards vintage and nostalgic pieces? No chance, says Cooper – high-tech appliances will be mixed with rustic, natural textures: “kinda like the Jetsons moved in with the Flintstones!”
Recycled timber is a ‘macro-trend’, says Burnup. “Warm metals are deeply luxurious and a brass lamp, for example, with a natural piece of recycled timber is editing luxury in an unconventional way,” she says. “Glossy cabinetry will be replaced by a more natural look – a reaction to our spending too many hours reading shiny tablets.”
What about new gadget releases in 2016 then? Will these move towards vintage and nostalgic pieces? No chance, says Cooper – high-tech appliances will be mixed with rustic, natural textures: “kinda like the Jetsons moved in with the Flintstones!”
Don’t be afraid of the dark
Sally Klopper of Sally Caroline predicts a distinct shift away from safe monochrome palettes, a view shared by several of our experts. She sees enjoyment ahead as we dive into the fun of colour, moody hues and daring applications – after all, grown-ups are rediscovering the colouring-in book!
“The white wall/white painted floor combination has probably had its day,” says Poole. “It’s ideal for a photo shoot, but not for a real home.” Reffet agrees that high-maintenance white-on-white will move aside in favour of deep, warm tones mixed with neutrals and pastels.
What goes with dark walls?
Sally Klopper of Sally Caroline predicts a distinct shift away from safe monochrome palettes, a view shared by several of our experts. She sees enjoyment ahead as we dive into the fun of colour, moody hues and daring applications – after all, grown-ups are rediscovering the colouring-in book!
“The white wall/white painted floor combination has probably had its day,” says Poole. “It’s ideal for a photo shoot, but not for a real home.” Reffet agrees that high-maintenance white-on-white will move aside in favour of deep, warm tones mixed with neutrals and pastels.
What goes with dark walls?
Instead of space-expanding white, thrill your guests with a dramatic velvety-dark powder room and striking pendant light, suggests Cooper. Guy says the soft Scandi look, with its pastels and cool greys, has dominated design for years now. But we are starting to look at richer colours and finishes and more interesting textures.
Goodbye pineapples, quotes and flamingos
Emma Blomfield of Emma Blomfield Styling thinks we’ll wave goodbye to pineapples in decor. These prickly motifs have sprung up everywhere, from fabrics to wallpaper to ceramics and beyond. They’ve been a ray of sunshine in our interiors and may linger longer, but Blomfield feels we’re ready for the next feature motif.
Emma Blomfield of Emma Blomfield Styling thinks we’ll wave goodbye to pineapples in decor. These prickly motifs have sprung up everywhere, from fabrics to wallpaper to ceramics and beyond. They’ve been a ray of sunshine in our interiors and may linger longer, but Blomfield feels we’re ready for the next feature motif.
Reffet won’t be sorry to see the disappearance of ‘one size fits all’ inspirational quotes in bold letters. “They’ve come to illustrate a global and marketed way to think, not a unique internal voice,” she says. “Time to go!”
Move over giant words, say hello to numbers
Move over giant words, say hello to numbers
Flamingoes will be shown the door too, says Blomfield. These quirky birds, with their backwards-bending knees and upside-down feeding habit, became part of kitsch ’60s style. Once seen as lowbrow lawn art, they rose phoenix-like from their tacky plastic beginnings to flock into today’s interiors. Their unapologetic pinkness has popped in white and grey interior palettes for some time now. So if it’s bye bye pretty flamingo, what’s next?
Hello, astronomical accessories and futuristic prints
Burnup suggests that the patterns and motifs of the future will be astronomy-based, following the discovery of the planet Keplar 425b – “Galaxy designs, crystals, stars shaped like the Southern Cross, faceted elements,” will be the next big things she says.
Cooper and Blomfield predict the demise of chevron prints too. “Chevron prints and zig-zags have had their time in the sun,” says Blomfield. “I think we’ll be moving on to other shapes.”
Burnup suggests that the patterns and motifs of the future will be astronomy-based, following the discovery of the planet Keplar 425b – “Galaxy designs, crystals, stars shaped like the Southern Cross, faceted elements,” will be the next big things she says.
Cooper and Blomfield predict the demise of chevron prints too. “Chevron prints and zig-zags have had their time in the sun,” says Blomfield. “I think we’ll be moving on to other shapes.”
TELL US
Are you looking forward to some decorating fun next year? How do you feel about our experts’ predictions? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Are you looking forward to some decorating fun next year? How do you feel about our experts’ predictions? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Trend Forecast: Key Colours for 2016
The Pro Panel: “The Best Advice I Ever Received”
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I think we are trying to express the same thing here. Maybe just a little confused as I'm approaching it from my professional offering, and you as a homeowner, who may or may not engage professional help. I am in full agreeance that the responsibility of creating your space should never be abdicated to someone else. Although it appears many people are happy to do this, I agree it's far from ideal. Hence my need to offer an alternative service in conjunction with my others. A service that promises to guide, support and appreciate the wants, hopes and desires of the more holistic homeowner. I call it space healing. It's just my pet name for it. Rhi who works with me calls it 'no smoke and mirrors'. Sure there are other designers out there that feel the same need to help in this way. But it's tricky if all the homeowner has to go on is liking their work in order to connect with that designer.
To Touch Interiors I appreciate your explanation and the soul searching you appear to have done in order to offer me this perspective. I'm a homeowner- once a self employed art teacher and I now teach creative art privately. In general I am one who is compelled to adorning spaces by creating interesting, practical, decorative and uplifting things through the use of colour and shape and ."out of the box" concepts...often including ideas that seem to be attracrive illusions but that are, in reality the "glue" that holds it all together. I tend to indulge in creative abstraction when describing how I feel about decorating a space, so I suppose this is where we've 'come off the rails' so to speak. My concept of anything to do with externalising mine or anyone else's artistic aspirations for a congenial, satisfying environment is that this must hinge on personal likes and dislikes..always and never deviate. I believe that there is a designer (artist) in everyone. True, not everyone is able to externalise their aspirations so needs guidance from people who have spent years accumulating concepts and investigating whatever can be utilised to create something interesting, who are, I suppose, somewhat adept at making a space fit imaginings and feelings....and I grant you, that is not easy, especially since people do not believe in themselves and should be very discriminating when selecting a designer.
Love HOUZZ for the opportunity to find the perfect match! That many are so tentative and disbelieving in self provides an opportunity for an ambitious 'guide' to impose what's trendy, acceptable, accesible, profitable and even their own preferences...in order to put their own style out there... rather than labouring to interpret the clients' desires. I think that this is an area where a designer should tread very carefully if they decide to undertake the specific task of "guide". Designers are aware that there's much more to interior decorating and designing than just the material aspect. Remembering the old adage : "The home is where the heart is", not good to tread wearing boots on people's hearts..its worse than having a flood devastate one's home.
Speaking plainly, not judgementally, based on experience that I would rather not have had, I felt that the term "Space Healing" could appeal a bit too much to the esoteric and could attract clients for the wrong reasons...that your very catchy (and I appreciate catchy) advertising could suggest, granted, inadvertantly on your part, some sort of special intuitive faculty, or psychological approach that could intuit the clients' needs. That may sound quite left of centre, in fact quite out of the ball park, but I've encountered this sort of thing..(.and please know that I am not putting this out here to discredit you or your ingenuity in advertising how you approach your work..why would I?.) Some people...(perhaps those you describe as "happy to abdicate responsibility...etc" or even those who have more money than sense... depending on their choice of designer, can be led to accept something entirely the opposite to what they wanted or envisaged or "felt" and sorely regret it later. This is why Ibelieve that 'guidance' should centre on encouraging people who attend my Colours and Shapes classes to go with what they like one thing at a time...eventually, very often inadvertantly...Surprise!... everything comes together.
I appreciate what you aspire to do for your clients, your advertising is clever.... and I do wish you all the success that your innovative 'bent' can draw your way!
I'm hearing you. I agree that knowing what you like is solid advice for the typical homeowner. It's the best possible start. This along with advice from someone who really understands space is invaluable. The space must be considered in equal measure however and this is an art, often developed of years. No doubt someone who has your training can rely on instinct and it will work out in the end. From my experience this is rarely the case for the average homemaker. They purchase because they like the piece and often live with regret, paralyzed to move forward as they don't know how to fix it. Of course it can be fixed. Nothing is ever a mistake in my book, just an opportunity for more authentic and original self expression. My current mission is to build up a data base of Aussie designers who are inspired to help homeowners in the way you and I feel is truly meaningful, (without treading on people's hearts)....so so important. This is my start http://www.completepad.com.au/pages/the-perfect-stylist-for-you
Hey, I would love to learn more about the course you do.Email me.