What will 2018’s living room look like?

Seasons and trends come and go, but style doesn’t. The story is the same when it comes to interior design favourites this year. Sustainability, nature, minimalism are some of the themes that have dominated 2017 and are here to stay over the new year. From the living room to a personalised bed space, these home design trends were loved this season and could well find their way into 2018.

Modern clutter-free décor “This particular style has seen residences dotted with furniture containing straight lines and curves. These furniture pieces are prized for being examples of good wood construction and are usually combined with the use of bright colours in the décor. Spaces have been stripped of heavy ornamentation resulting in a light and airy feel, devoid of clutter,” says Mumbai-based architect Dhruva Samal.

Emerald/tropical green, colour of the year From sofas to upholstered bed-backs and other soft furnishings, the shade was everywhere. “From lime green to emerald, the hue works. It’s no secret that interior design and fashion trends on the runways coincide. This year, we’ve seen the likes of Marc Jacobs, Prada, and Emanuel Ungaro experiment with all things tropical. It continues to appear in the form of tropical-inspired wallpaper prints and designer fabric. It does not stop there, but moves to not so literal translation in terms of products inspired by tropical greens or paintings inspired by the same. It is a big trend, and is here to stay in the coming year,” according to design duo Dhara Tank & Hiren Patel of Saar Interior Design, from Vadodara, Gujarat.

Natural, organic, handmade Wherever your craft conscience takes you, there’s a design made to fit. Whether it’s cane and woven jute or reed baskets or handcrafted upholstery, the uniqueness of a handmade piece has found its way into many homes this year, and is here to stay. “As our lives become hectic and technology dependent, our urge to reconnect with nature and to return to a simpler way of life grows stronger. This reflects in the way we design our homes. Organic materials and traditional handicrafts will continue to gain momentum,” says Patel.

Heavy on metal Furniture brought on its metal side in 2017 and everything from coffee and side tables to sofa bases turned brass. “Copper lost out to brass as the new trending metal. There was a use of a lot of brass in contemporary furniture. You see a lot of sofas and chairs with brass legs, consoles and side tables with stone tops and brass bases,” according to Shalini Pereira, founder and creative head, Shalini Pereira Design Associates. This new metal of choice is also being combined with concrete in furniture and décor pieces like lamps and table tops. For designers, this one is a classic.

Geometry This one is a crowd favourite even for those who don’t like maths, with its neat rules and easy application. Think stripes, chevrons and bold patterns, in tiles, stone floors, woven rugs or even fabric with geometric prints.

One with nature Bringing the outdoors in has been the mantra for all who look to nature for inspiration. Elements from our greener environs are making their way into home furnishings, through Japanese florals, butterflies and even celestial influences for the space enthusiasts. “As we move to compact houses and busier lifestyles, bringing in nature to our works is the best way to stay connected with it. Plants are an affordable and natural way to decorate any space,” says Tank of Saar Interior Design.

Here’s what to watch out for in 2018:

Wabi Sabi The application of the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi, finding beauty in imperfection, across spaces and individual items. Wabi sabi conveys a story about the object itself through various layers of colour and texture. “Nature plays a prominent role in this style so sticking with earthy tones such as brown, green will work best in ensuring that everything is in sync. Also, with the increasing space limitations in apartments of metropolitan cities, indoor plants will be the next big thing in order to lighten up a space as well as act as natural air purifiers. There are numerous innovative ways in which one can decorate their house with plants, such as hanging small planters from the ceiling or green walls,” says designer Samal.

Wallpapers If you haven’t fallen for it, the new year is the time. The field of wallpapers has advanced substantially from a decade ago and this has allowed people to customise the look of a room to reflect their taste. “There has been a shift from the basic minimal designs to those containing bolder patterns and colours, says Samal.

Orange is back There is still room for pastel pinks and peaches in the new year or even bolder blue-grey and teal tones. But 2018 could see a possibly surprising comeback to intense orange, according to Pereira.

Comfort is always classy Soothing tones for the eyes and warmth that the right kind of lighting and sofa can project, will all be waiting in 2018. “Light linen, beiges add a sense of comfort to the space. The interior choices will become more comfort-oriented in the coming year. Comfort to the eyes, to touch and to feel,” says Tank.

Technology “What one needs to look out for in the upcoming year is an evident use of technology in interiors, especially luxury homes — one can also look forward to the use of energy efficient materials and equipment,” says Mumbai-based architect Prem Nath. 2018 will also be the year of minimalist designs, soothing colours and a neutral palette with textures varying in the same colour. Exposed ceilings, concrete accents and bold solid-colour contrasts in soft furnishings will also be visible. “Geometric wallpapers, brighter accents in kitchens, oak/natural wood tones are going to pick up in a big way. Whites are going to dominate the overall palette, with some really interesting textures in them,” concludes interior designer Karishma Baid of The Workroom based in Gurugram.

Manika Dhama is a Dubai based lifestyle writer