Nisrine El Lababidi Moghraby Founder of Harf Noon Design Studio shares her tips trends and colour themes for the new season
The sun is out and we are starting to feel the early days of spring with all the beautiful flowers blooming and the start of the warmth in the air. With that comes lighter colour palettes for interiors. Always think of a new season as an opportunity to be a bit more experimental and creative in how you put things together in your home.
An easy way to update your home is by replacing throw cushions on the sofa with new ones in various textures like silk, brocade, chenille and jacquard. Always consider playing with textures and layers, mixing and matching cushions. Enliven sofas with solid colours and ambient lighting from various indirect light sources. And don’t forget to ignite the sense of smell. Use scented candles and oils to brand spring differently from the rest of the year. Opt for light floral scents in candles and scented oils that will evoke the essence of spring.
For fabrics choose light and airy options and try natural fabrics like organic cotton and recycled polyesters. These could complement furniture in lighter colours and contrast with brass, bronze or gold for an aged mirror effect. Don’t shy away from mixing & matching prints – switching up the textures in your room by having a variety of fabrics on your draperies, rugs, and upholsteries allows for a more personal touch in a space.
With that, I’m keen on three colour trends that I feel will be big this season:
EARTH TONES & NATURAL LUXURY
Say goodbye to the cool tones that have ruled for so many years. Shades of chocolate brown, olive green, and yellow ochre are all taking over in homes.
We will also be seeing more natural materials with a luxurious spin like weaving, marble accents such as vases, bowls and candleholders that balance modern and traditional style. Linen will also be big, but in beautiful jewel tones, with finished edges that feel more polished than the raw-edge boho take we’ve seen in the past. You will also see a lot of soft peachy corals and terracotta—colours that feel soft yet grounded. I also love golden yellow tones in lush fabrics like velvets to buttery, caramel leathers or leather-look. Particularly interesting is the comeback of the curved sofas trend transporting you to the ’60s and ’70s but with a modern twist and a focus shape as well as the actual fabric.
GRAND-MILLENNIAL STYLE
This look is traditional with a twist: blending elements of classic design like chinoiserie, scallops, handmade elements, topiaries, and more, with a contemporary edge, think: modern art and clean-lined furniture. You will also see a lot more pattern on pattern. Patterns, especially layered patterns are becoming more prevalent for tabletop and textiles designs. The key to this trend is that there aren’t any rules. Also think of pattern mixing with colour, bringing together patterns of varying origin and scale. Pattern matching, e.g. where the same pattern flows from the wall to upholstered furniture or bedding, is also becoming more common.
THE NEW NEUTRALS
Neutrals will be replaced by warm colours, saturated hues and jewel tones. Shades of pink (which are a more sophisticated evolution of the millennial pinks we’ve seen in recent years), will be strong in 2021. Particularly interesting is the comeback of purple which combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red. It is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, and power but also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, mystery, independence, and magic. I love adding it as accents paired with silver and grey in this bedroom.
For simple solutions, consider updating wall colours. This is the cheapest thing to do with the biggest change. Also, think of refreshing some rooms by switching up a couple of pieces of furniture, art, or accessories. Moving things around in the house gives a new instantaneous spirit to any room. Something as small as switching up your coffee table books and styling them differently can help.
Always think of your balcony or outdoor space as an extension of the house and not a separate space. Style your outdoors just like your indoors. Landscaping a garden or balcony with lots of crawling plants and bushes is great and keep a small area for an organic garden. Think of multiple pots in various shapes and sizes to create interest. Using plush cushions, a throw, and a nice outdoor carpet softens the scape. As for accessories introduce a tray with candles, small green pots and even vases. And don’t forget lighting. Small string lights, lanterns and outdoor LED lights are great for creating a relaxed mood.
The kitchen has become an even more important part of the home over this past year and we are seeing a lot of changes in kitchen design with three if the biggest being; open shelving, stone cladding and two-toned kitchens. Shelving opens up the space with an airy aesthetic and allows you the creates styled silhouettes in the kitchen (but keep these well-styled and clutter-free in the Marie Condo way!) They can be rendered in wood, marble or even glass. Playing with metal hardware to hold it gives it an added bonus.
The two-tone trend in cabinetry aids in creating an airy kitchen especially if you keep a lighter colour on the top cabinets and a darker colour on the bottom. Charcoal grey with white, black and white, delicate brass details or even indigo blue cabinetry with marble are all great colour combinations. The darker walls and luxe touches add drama especially paired with pendant lighting that keeps the space right and well lit. Finally, marble, granite and natural stall cladding are popular choices this year. Not only are they easy to clean, but they’re strong and long-lasting and can help you achieve any interior style, whether it’s rustic, sophisticated or contemporary. You can limit it to one show wall or even clad the backsplash with them.
When it comes to kid’s rooms I have been seeing a lot of murals either painted stick-on ones which are easy to remove once you are bored with them. Pastels paired with geometric patterns on walls also create interesting shapes that start on the walls and continue on the ceilings. Space-saving solutions are great too, especially with a lot of kids having to do homeschooling and needing study spaces within their rooms. Try hanging storage that frees up floor space enough to place desks, or bunk beds that allow for a play area underneath them.
What has happened in the past year has definitely influenced home life. Working and learning from home has meant a rise in multifunctional spaces, home gyms and spas. This was also the driver towards sage colour and green walls. Also, technology and the trend to move towards sustainability has been a major player with everyone now more cautious about the plants and our actions
Although trends are necessary for change, it is key to always invest in timeless pieces of big furniture that will transcend trends. Think neutrals and well-built pieces in classic shapes. Their timeless beauty means they will always be in style. The beautiful pieces are usually easy to style too. What to look for? high quality, long-lasting materials, innovation and skilled craftsmanship. Buying a nice piece of design is like buying a painting or a sculpture: it’s something to pass down.
Nisrine Reccomends
Creative Wrap has revolutionised kitchen makeovers by introducing engineered wrapping that is a cost-effective solution to completely transform cabinets, counters, backsplashes kitchen walls and even flooring in a matter of a few hours.
I also love Wallace & Co.’s botanical range of candles and scented room oils. They are all hand made from the finest perfume oils and packaged in stunning design ceramics.
