Last week I hit the Scottish Interiors Showcase. I know what you are thinking … tartan plaid, kilts, wooly sheep and whiskey. Nope. I’m here to tell you it was full on inspiration with the who’s who in all things textiles there to show off the new Spring 2019 collections. There was also a few furniture makers, lighting experts and paint companies too — but the real stars of the show was textiles. It was simply brilliant. So … What did I see? Who did I meet? What did I learn?
I’ve pulled together 5 “themes” from the new collections I viewed from the following design houses.
1
FRESHEN IT UP WITH BLOOMS
The first up was everywhere and a perfect pick-me-up after the winter blues. It was all about the blooms, the bigger and softer, the better. This was widespread with nearly every design house having some type of floral in their new Spring 2019 collection. What was so special or different about the blooms from past floral faves? Well I’d have to say three things:
The size — the motto “go big or go home” is perfect for these new blooms yet the super sized wall murals & fabrics don’t feel brash, they feel lovely & confident.
The softness — the layering of neutrals makes many of these designs soft and welcoming. From whites, greys, peaches, yellows, pinks, beiges, blues, greens – one colour seamlessly blends into another.
The vibe — is it art or is it a photo? is it contemporary or is it traditional? What’s great about these florals is that they are hard to pin down which means they are versatile and easy to pair up with different interior styles.
Who’s Who? Clockwise Designers Guild Peonia Grand wallpaper; Designers Guild Carrara Fiore linen fabric; The Design Archives Grand Floral wallpaper in orange; Osborne & Little Magnolia Frieze wall mural; Clarke & Clarke Oasis bedding collection; John Derian Rose Steel cushions via Designers Guild
2
JUNGALOW REINVENTED
That’s right, Jungalow is here to stay and was prominent among the Spring 2019 collections. HOWEVER, there is an interesting new twist – in many cases a step back from the bold & vibrant colours to a new softer muted colour palette.
Who’s Who? Clockwise – Mairi Helena The Explorer collection Woodland Rider wallpaper; Fardis Shangri La Maui; Scion Zanzibar wallpaper at Style Library, Harlequin Atelier curtains at Style Library; Sanderson Catathea Oliver wallpaper; Tektura Elli Pop Monstera wallpaper in new colourways; Osborne & Little Folium Greenwall wallpaper
3
HEAR ME CHIRP & ROAR
That’s right, animals are invading our homes in full force from birds, monkeys, cheetas, butterflies and even extinct animals. In most cases, this is combined with either the floral or jungalow themes. A very special shout out to the exquisite Arte International & Moooi collaboration inspired by extinct jungle animals. The designs are wildly elaborate (in a good way) and the textured wall coverings are pure luxury.
Who’s Who? Clockwise – Arte & Moooi collaboration with Menagerie of extinct animals wallpaper and fabric, John Derian Butterfly Thistle linen fabric at Designers Guild; Osborne & Little Animal Glade wallpaper; GP & J Baker Rockbird fabric; Clarke & Clarke Exotica Botany Tropical fabric; Christian Lacroix Bois Paradis Bourgem wallpaper at Designers Guild.
4
ABSTRACT LANDSCAPES
The wild landscape and countryside is serving as inspiration for many designers – however not a literal translation but an abstract one both in the design and the use of colours. The result is delicate moody backdrops to full on drama, you choose.
Who’s Who? Clockwise – Romo The Black Edition Mizumi wallpaper by Katsutoshi Yuasa; Mairi Helena Lost Valley wallpaper; Phillip Jeffries Scorched wallpaper; Mairi Helena Spirit of Munro wallpaper; Romo The Black Edition Hanawa curtains; Anthology Vitruvius wallpaper at The Style Library.
5
WATERCOLOURS
Think soft sweeping colours, think magical ombre, think one single colour with so many varying shades and tones that it creates and never ending depth and interesting patterns. I’m grouping these together under the “water colour” theme. Luxurious in velvets, muted in linens and just enough pow in wallpaper.
Who’s Who? Clockwise – Romo The Black Edition Hinoki curtains; Designers Guild Phipps Sky rug; Phillip Jeffries Glazier wallpaper; 1838 Wallcoverings Bellavista Azure wall mural; Designers Guild Savoie Colbolt fabric on the bench; GP & J Baker Falling Water fabric on the sofa.
Beyond these big themes from the new collections there were many smaller supporting themes that coordinate lovely with the above top 5 including geometric designs, loads of texture in the form of silk, linen, velvet & cotton in every colour under the rainbow and innovations in fabric created from the fashion industry cast-offs.
So .. tell me .. which theme is your favourite? Can you see yourself using it in your home or for a client? I’d love to hear your thoughts and if there is something that jumped out to you — or — if I’ve missed something you feel should be on the list, please share!
That’s a wrap on mid-week Inspiration. Hope you all have a great week everyone.
Cheers,
Liz xx
liznylon designs 