Back to nature: Interior Design Trends and Materials Used by Interior Designers

Just like fashion, interior design trends can be fickle. But, there are some home trends that transcend seasons. And, no matter which other styles come and go, interior designers will always take their inspiration from Mother Nature.This year, the use of natural materials is not just a classic design staple, but is band on trend.

Natural Wood – One of the latest Interior Design Trends

On show at both the London Design Festival and the Maison et Objet exhibition in Paris, furniture took on a very natural appearance and texture. Simple, raw wooden surfaces featured in many of the latest designer collections with pale, unvarnished woods like oak, beech and birch chosen for chairs, tables, bookcases and flooring.

Zebra Wood Chair by Interior Designer Vido Nori

The trend was encapsulated at the Victoria and Albert Museum when Royal College of Art students exhibited hardwood chairs, some of which were still seemed to be covered in lichen from the forest floor. At the 100% Design fair, the UK’s largest design trade event, Hungarian interior designer Nori Vido exhibited Twiggy, a solid walnut chair she says is inspired by a deer being startled by the sound of cracking branches in the forest.

Glass

Rather than hang a group of photographs or works of art, the trend for grouping small mirrors together is a recurring theme this year. At Tent London, billed as the most creative event in the design calendar, Annick Petersen of ALP Design showed off some rather dreamy leather-framed mirrors that looked a little like the doilies our grandmothers used to put under the fine china on the sideboard.
Cut glass, while once thought to be passé, has been given a style makeover. And, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the look. Ikea has Julmys votives which bring a little bit of Great Gatsby-style glamour to your home.

Marble

Once the preserve of fire surrounds and bathrooms, marble has been brought into other parts of the home. At the Bagatti Valsecchi exhibition in Milan, Netherlands-based interior designer Tomáš Gabzdil Libertíny presented a solid marble chair. But, while there’s no getting around the fact marble is a very expensive material, you can add it to your home in the finishing touches, perhaps in a vase or photo frame. Or, Ferm Living has just added Marble wallpaper to its collection, which just looks like the real thing at a fraction of the price. You can cover an alcove or a feature wall.

Leather Floor Tiles

Leather

Smart, funky, refined, leather comes in many forms and is a material well known to most of us. It’s just not a product often associated with interior design. People are accustomed to seeing it used on clothing and chairs. Specialist interior leather designer, Bill Amberg, recently said at his London exhibition that you can make leather from almost any hide including snakes, eels, ostrich, sheep and many more animal sources. The unique properties of leather can be used to perfection for touch and to see with longevity in the material. Leather products can have many values but don’t underestimate the value of true quality craftsmanship.

Leather Trunks

Plant Inspired Designs

While retro-inspired botanical prints have been on trend for some time now, they’ve come into their own for 2013. Simply called House, Orla Kiely’s new collection mixes two trends in one, with retro leaf-style patterns woven into natural wood furniture. MissPrint has launched leaf-print wallpapers with a 1950s vibe.

Brass

While the metals in our homes in recent years have all had very much of a chrome or steel vibe, current interior design trends are all about a softer look. High-end appliances manufacturer Kohler, for example, is now producing its iconic Karbon faucet in a range of warm golds and bronzes along with cooler hues.
With a nod to old fashioned brass fire accessories, Tom Dixon’s Eclectic range is inspired by British heritage. Add a touch of opulence to your bedside table with beautifully scented candles in brass containers.

Eclectic Brass Candle by Tom Dixon

Whether you choose to bring the natural trend into your home through a few carefully chosen accessories or with a statement piece of furniture, it’s a style that’s sure to stand the test of time.

Bill began learning his artisan skills in Australia 30 years ago before opening his studio back in the 90’s. The studio creates bespoke products and interiors for individuals and companies across the world. Bill can be found in his London studio at Bill Amberg Studio.

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