WORDS
Gemma Billington
Get cosy with Cottagecore
Cottagecore may sound like the latest dance craze doing the rounds on TikTok but it’s actually a huge cultural movement that has gathered serious momentum over the past year. Essentially, Cottagecore is going back to basics. Technology may have been a lifesaver during lockdown, but being confined to the home has also brought out more wholesome, traditional activities such as gardening, baking bread and making macramé plant pots. As people turn their backs on cities for more space and access to gardens, they are also embracing the cosy, rustic nostalgia of their parents’ and even grandparents’ homes. It may seem a little twee, but Cottagecore is here to stay and, interiors wise, the aesthetic is brought up to date with contemporary designers and sustainable materials. Part William Morris, part Taylor Swift roaming the woods in Folklore, Cottagecore is an escapist fantasy that extols the virtues of reconnecting with nature and embracing a slower, more meaningful approach to life.
Get the look
Add a splash of Pantone colours
Influential colour specialist Pantone has just released its annual ‘Colour of the Year’ – a surprisingly complementary duo of sobering ‘Ultimate Gray’ and canary yellow (Pantone 13-0647 Illuminating). Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes the combination as ‘aspirational’ and ‘a message of happiness supported by fortitude’. While we would advise against revamping an entire room in one colour or the other, the trick is to introduce subtle elements of the two to create a scheme that balances elegant neutral grey tones with unexpected sunny bursts of yellow to lift your spirits.
Get the look
Interiors are turning ‘Japandi’
With their refined, minimalist palette and penchant for natural materials, Scandinavian and Japanese interior design share plenty in common. But the fusion ‘Japandi’ trend isn’t just about bringing two extremely complementary styles together. The beauty of it is that Japandi schemes soften the sometimes clinical Japanese aesthetic with the warmth of Nordic hygge. By investing in thoughtfully curated pieces, the Japandi trend balances simple elegance with a dash of playfulness. A contemporary yet timeless style that oozes good taste.
Get the look
Lift your spirits (literally) with a home bar
With seemingly endless lockdowns meaning we are spending more time indoors, many of us have had to adapt our living spaces accordingly. While transforming dining room tables and spare bedrooms into chic home offices has been top priority for many, others have turned to transforming their drinks cabinets into standalone bars worthy of glossy magazine spreads. Home bars can be as simple as a wheelie trolly stocked with your favourite tipples, or as ambitious as renovating the shed into a miniature version of your local boozer or even designing your very own wine cellar. ‘Investing in stylish ways to store your wine and spirits is proving more popular than ever,’ agrees Lucy Hargreaves, managing director at Spiral Cellars, specialists in bespoke at-home wine cellars and cabinets. Indeed, over the past year, Spiral Cellars has seen enquiries into their services double. Any oenophile thinking of upgrading their collection needs to keep in mind the size of the space, says Hargreaves. ‘The other thing that we always remind customers to keep at the forefront of their decision is what the purpose of the space is,’ she continues. ‘Are they looking to make a style statement with their wine storage, or are they simply looking for a pragmatic means of storing wine bottles? Or perhaps both? And of course, the size and composition of what the space is required to store will, to a degree, direct how it is designed.’ Companies like Spiral Cellars can create eye-catching storage solutions tailor made to your exact requirements and style. If you’re keeping things on a smaller scale, invest in luxe 1920s-inspired materials such as lacquer, marble, mirrors and gold gilding.
Get the look
Natural wonder is here to stay
Like the overgrown cheese plant that’s slowly taking over your living room, the biophilic interior design trend is one that refuses to die. But the desire to bring the outside in (metaphorically speaking) makes perfect sense given the amount of time we have spent confined to our homes this past year. But rather than filling every space with palm tree prints — a trend that is already dating fast — the nature-inspired trend of 2021 is more subdued. Think soft, organic materials, rattan furniture and calming earthy shades of green, orange, olive and blue. Carry on filling your home with as many living plants as possible, and if you’re missing sun, sea and sandy beaches (who isn’t), a tropical-inspired accessory or print provides an instant boost.
Get the look