The next big thing in colour

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04 Sep 2018

Interior design is a highly personal thing but in designing a showhome, Robertson Homes’ award-winning designer, Jon Pilling of Interiors by Abode, has to create a look which resonates with very different people, at very different stages of life.

Kids rooms are fun. It’s all about creating excitement. A designer has to be careful however not to patronise, or merely jump on a current trend. Kids are pretty savvy and they’d know if they were being served a cliché.

We tend to focus on activity themes for younger children. For teenagers, it’s more about recognizing what they want from a bedroom. It has to be very much “their space” so we aim to create an appropriate vibe in which very different young people will feel comfortable.

In public areas, there are more definite fashions – one of which being the colours of the day. At the moment, dusky pink is still very much in vogue, according to Jon.

This soft hue is surprisingly versatile as it lends itself to tactile fabrics and knits for furnishing but works well too on the harder surfaces of statement pieces of furniture and lighting.

“Strong” colours such as navy and emerald green are also to be seen everywhere this autumn, providing effective visual contrast to calming neutrals and soft pinks.

This is not a return to the Gothic dark walls and heavy furniture of previous years, but rather using contrast to add interest and depth to the landscape of a room. Brass accents are also extremely popular as their rich shine is hugely effective in the right context.

For anyone who wonders how colours become on-trend, Jon says it’s largely driven by the fashion industry.

You can quite easily see what’s “in” by visiting leading clothing designers’ websites. And it’s not just colour; fashion flirts with pattern, with spots and stripes, different textures and levels of ornamentation at different times. These trends will be echoed in interior décor but the knack is not to become slavish followers of fashion.

Most Robertson Homes’ buyers have strong opinions of their own and our job is to create room settings which pique the imagination and feel welcoming, without being so fashion-centric that it might put people off. Interior design is a passion for us but we never forget that we are designing for real people, living real lives.

When it comes to furniture, the Interiors by Abode team are constantly monitoring exhibitions across the globe for statement pieces. This year they have sourced from as far apart as China and Las Vegas, though much of what they use is designed and manufactured right here in the UK.

For anyone looking for some future hints, Jon says one of his favourite designers in 2018 is Swoon.

And the colour trend for 2019 is “spiced honey”. You heard it here first.

willow garden room pink theme living room

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