Every year we’re presented with countless home interior design trends. 2018 has graced us with everything from statement ceilings – the new fifth wall of interior design, to maximalism and metallics. We look at a few of this year’s interior trends and consider the best ways to update your home, from injecting colour, installing beautiful new light fixtures, extending your existing space or repurposing a room, all of which will instantly revive your space and add value to your home.
Remember when the kitchen was at the centre of a home renovation? Times have changed, and the bathroom is now a space where we can express our own personal style, integrate new materials or try bold colours. There are plenty of ways to add a sense of style or a touch of luxury to your bathroom. Using natural materials and textured finishes can completely transform a traditional bathroom into a cool, contemporary space that radiates elegance and character. For a more daring approach, delve into the dominant trends from the past year with statement wallpaper, bold sconces, graphic tiles and matt black fixtures that add an element of sophistication to your bathroom. Remodelling or simply updating your bathroom can make a significant difference to enhancing your home as well as improving its value.
2018’s approach on colour has been bold. Pantone set the tone with its colour of the year being ultra violet and from there we’ve seen more of the same; from crimson and ocean blue, against dark wood furniture and white upholstery, to rich textured feature walls and emerald green flooring. Luxe style is constantly changing however one way to restore character and vigour into your home is to give your walls a fresh coat of paint. Break the boundaries of traditional colour pairings and delve into the popular luxe two-tone scheme. If you prefer a more neutral colour palette but eager to inject a burst of colour, consider a feature wall with texture, pattern or a pop of colour. Whether you opt for rich decadence or crisp elegance, 2018 has produced some creative colour combinations that will awaken your sense of wonder and redefine your luxe home feel.
A great way to add value to your home is by repurposing a room. A secondary bathroom or ensuite is an effective and inexpensive way of adding value to your property as well as injecting a touch of luxury into your home. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to an ensuite, as long as it includes a well-proportioned shower, a basin with a vanity unit and a toilet, it should increase the value of your property. In some cases, the only option for adding a secondary bathroom is at the expense of a bedroom, which could negatively affect the value of your home. As such, it’s important to check with your local estate agents before doing so.
Loft conversions provide the perfect opportunity to expand your home to incorporate another bedroom, home office or kids’ playroom while adding an extension such as an orangery, if you have the room, will open-up your home and create new dimensions to an existing space. An orangery differs from a conservatory in that it contains more brickwork than a traditional glass conservatory, but it still has the glass roof and partial walls that turn the room into a suntrap. An orangery is a win-win solution providing a sense of the outdoor with the advantage of being an additional room in the home. Comprising of more brickwork provides more privacy than a conservatory, as well as giving better insulation. Like an extension, it adds to the square footage of your home, which increases the value.
Maximalism is a creative way to display your luxurious décor and accessories as well as elements of texture, colour and pattern, with no limits and countless combinations. There is no better way to update your home than to completely revamp whatever stylistic themes you have become accustomed to. Maximalism is all about saying yes. It screams decadence and luxury, oozes style however it’s not for the faint hearted. From a mis-match of textures and colours, to a clashing of themes and an eye for committing all preconceived interior must-nots, maximalism is a fresh take on everything in your home telling a story. It will turn book shelves into display cases for trinkets, turn cushion placement into a centre piece and your walls into an intriguing, conversation starting canvas. Maximalism is all about having fun and making your home an extension of you. Whether you choose textured walls, wallpaper or brightly coloured feature walls, maximalism allows you to find the right fit for you and your home without altering the foundation.
One of our favourite designs is this bold jungle foliage from the House of Hackney Foliage Mural Collection. Named ‘Limerence’, it’s perfect for walls or reupholstering a sofa. It’s available in a range of colours, however we particularly love this dark ink blue and green combination.
From wall light installations to drop pendant clusters and invisible lighting, lighting and light fixtures have the ability to steal the show in the design of many luxe home interiors. We’ve come a long way from the mundane, one trick light switch and lighting no longer serves a purely functional purpose but also as a unique and elegant complement to the interior scheme of a room. In our post on how to use lighting in your home we discuss the difference between ambient, task and accent lighting. Accent lighting can be used to create drama, add character to a space or highlight personal objects in a room. A room can be completely transformed when elements such as artwork or the striking architectural features of a space are accentuated with accent lighting and is a fantastic way to incorporate an instant update to your home. Accent lighting can be achieved using picture lights, wall lights, mirror lights, LED strips or uplighters.
First impressions count! Curb appeal is important, as well as the impact upon entering your house. Updating your home’s exterior can include painting your front door, bringing your entrance to life with greenery and plants in beautiful pots or adding striking wall lights or a bold pendant light that is a welcoming element when you get home or for guests. Once stepping inside, if budget is tight, focus on the hierarchy rooms, such as the living room and master bedroom.
Looking for more interior inspiration?
How to transform your home with accessories
How to add a sense of luxury to your bedroom
Luxury bathroom design that radiates elegance, warmth and character
Photography by Richard Waite
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