Updating your home is an exciting and creative time, and tester pots, wallpaper samples and fabric swatches can bring out the interior stylist in all of us. Whether you’re renovating the whole property or choosing new furniture for one particular room, your home will feel fresh and up-to-date if you make informed choices that will stand the test of time. Editing moodboards and shopping lists, though, can sometimes feel daunting – so what are the main things to consider when making your design decisions?
Look for sustainability
A move towards using sustainable materials and manufacturing processes has been one of the biggest shifts across the whole interiors market in recent years, from planet-conscious paint companies including Lick and Pickleson to eco-friendly fabrics and textiles by brands such as Kirkby Design and Hadeda.
We can make these positive choices with furniture, too – the new collection is a collaboration by Grand Designs, who feature architectural designs, and the sofa experts, DFS, prove that style can go hand-in-hand with sustainability, pairing beautifully shaped sofas, armchairs and footstools with innovatively crafted materials.
With four styles to choose from, including the striking, architectural Kent and the mid-century-inspired Edinburgh, each piece is structured on an environmentally friendly timber frame and made with reusable carbon steel springs. The comfortable seat cushions feature fibres made using recycled plastic from Plastic Bank, an organisation that builds ethical recycling solutions for coastal communities across the globe.
Choose your hue
Different colours have the power to uplift and energise our homes. Instead of following specific trends that will quickly become dated, take your cues from nature to create a truly future-proof space. By reflecting the world outside your windows, sunny shades of yellow, watery tones of blue and leafy botanical greens will stand the test of time.
Whether you choose to paint your walls or layer in the shades using accessories, classic neutrals such as warm ivories and cool greys pair well with these colours and make for a wonderful backdrop to mix and match them together. Upholstery and soft furnishings are key components in many rooms, too, so why not use your fabrics as a canvas to inject some timeless colour into your home?
Opt for classic designs
Timeless design will elevate your rooms, so look to the trends that have endured when you make your style choices. To bring a refined presence to any room, choose furniture and accessories with clean lines – architectural silhouettes feel particularly elegant and won’t date.
Mid-century-inspired design has become a staple, too, its mix of organic curves and smooth surfaces creating a smart aesthetic that can elevate any room. Generously sized upholstery will feel sumptuous and inviting, making comfort as important as the look. Modular pieces of furniture are another way to future-proof your home, as you can add or remove elements as your needs change and your home adapts.
Make materials matter
From indulgent velvets to tactile weaves, texture plays an important role in the look and feel of a space. In the sitting room, where a flat-weave rug may sit on top of your wooden flooring or a linen cushion might be perched on a cotton armchair, different elements are often combined together for a layered look.
The Grand Designs Collection at DFS features three different fabrics that can be used on each of its sofas, armchairs and footstools. The chenille fabric is made using excess textile waste, while the weave and velvet are made using yarn produced from recycled plastic bottles – fibres that are not only kinder to the environment but that will also provide lasting quality.
Discover more about the Grand Designs Collection at DFS at dfs.co.uk/content/grand-designs
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