Innovation in Interior Design – Key Trends for 2014

There are many developments that have affected interior design innovation in recent years; influences from overseas, developments in technology and the subsequent changes to the way we use space, have made innovation key to survival and growth in the British Interior Design business.

Homemakers, therefore, would do well to keep their ears to the ground when it comes to interior design trends if they have a revamp planned – it’s not hard to get left behind. But what are the key trends in interior design for 2014? 

Experts from WGSN Homebuildlife expand on the overriding trends for 2014 in light of the annual Spring Fair.

Industrial Transition

In-line with recent developments in manufacturing, such as 3D printing, we’ve seen a shift in design that focusses on materials and processes, mixing the visually hard lines and angles of the neo-geo, with the highly practical nature that’s typical of objects in the industrial age. These items either adopt a homemade, imperfect appearance, and hard materials, or a hefty, steely look, reminiscent of industrial practices. Think soft, organic materials, juxtaposed with wire frames and heavy metal. When it comes to print and pattern, simple grids and symmetry contribute to this look.

Deconstructive Design

This is another idea that stems from social trends; this time, in the form of images and the way in which they’re shared. What is real? What is manipulated? What is filtered? In a culture obsessed with images and the advances in technology allowing us to distort and share these images on a mass scale, this design trend plays with the concept of manipulation of the real. This is primarily portrayed through reconstruction and layering, often taking a playful approach to lighting, using glass and acrylic. Optical patterns and spatially-intelligent design blurs the lines between what is an image and what is reality, making us question concepts like proportion, space and the ‘real’.

Heritage Hybridization

This trend looks at storytelling and the contrast of various countries and cultures – an idea that stems from an increasingly dynamic and complex society. The multi-ethnic, wide-ranging nature of UK inhabitants creates fascinating, rich environment, which has sparked a ‘melting pot’ of design concepts, where boundaries between styles lose significance. Lisa White, Creative Director, WGSN-homebuildlife says:

‘British homes have been changing from a technological point of view, but also from an aesthetic point of view. The vibrant immigrant population in the UK, from all corners of the world, combined with natural British eclecticism means that consumers are open to a wide variety of styles.’

Here, symbols, patterns and motifs come together harmoniously, so archaic materials such as fur, bamboo and tartans are brought together and modernised.

Recurring themes       

On a more general level, there are some themes and motifs that have seen a rise of over the past year or so.  Lyndsey Dennis, editor, gift focus magazine, says ‘We will continue to see vintage, baking, owls, moustaches and animal motif themes throughout the giftware sector’, but these are also themes we’ll continue to see cropping up in interior design.

Finding the design concept that’s best-suited to you, your taste and the way you use your home is key when you’re planning any new interior project. By bearing these ideas in mind however, you can be confident that you’re in-line with the key interior trends for 2014.