Time to pare back with simple, clean aesthetics

Before Christmas I visited London for an event with the very inspirational trend forecaster Lidewij Edel- koort whose presentation was on the colour, fashion and lifestyle predictions for spring/summer 2017.

It was a fascinating glimpse into the world of design in the coming years. The overall theme was “the emancipation of everything”. Li talked about the fact that many areas of society are experiencing a new freedom and about how conventions are slowly being broken down, paving the way for a more pared back and honest approach to design – which is affecting everything from fashion to the design of our homes.

It was a wide-ranging presentation with some key themes including “rural urbanisation”, which essentially describes the creation of a more rural aesthetic and environment in an urban setting. Furniture will be humble in its appearance, made from unprocessed materials and showcasing their natural beauty. Styles of furniture associated with country living will become popular along with materials such as wood wicker and natural fabrics like wool, linen and cotton .

The “landscaping of design”, which describes the merging of the outdoors with internal architecture and design, will culminate in the greening of urban areas and is already becoming common. Projects such as the High Line in Manhattan have transformed densely populated cities, improving the environment and our surrounds.

Less stuff

“The luxury of nothingness”, which sounds a bit bleak, refers to the fact that “stuff” is becoming less and less important. We will be more focused on the functionality of the space we live in and less preoccupied with all that adorns it. It chimes with the philosophy of Marie Kondo that ridding our homes of all but the pieces we truly hold dear can have a dramatic effect on our quality of life.

The younger generation has less need for possessions as they travel more, so the boundaries of home are being extended. With this new way of living comes the need to travel light. Less stuff is acquired to fill our homes so we will have furniture that is less whimsical and far more functional.

Handmade and handcrafted items for our homes will become increasingly sought after instead of mass-produced products. Even companies such as Ikea are adopting a more craft-driven aesthetic and commissioning well known craftspeople such as Isle Crawford to produce ranges for them.

The “southern hemisphere” has not had much of an impact in the world of fashion or interiors up to now but according to Lidewij Edelkoort this is all about to change. We can expect to see more tropical, colourful and exotic patterns, furnishings and textiles as well as a southern slant on how these items are produced using more traditional methods.

Denise O’Connor is an architect and design consultant