New year, new trends: ideas & inspiration for your next build
If we could choose one word to encapsulate current interior design trends it would have to be comfort. It’s the big theme for this year with home as the haven from all the drama being played out on the world stage in addition to the financial and social pressures being felt across Australia.
If one of your financial goals is to build a new home or investment we’ve got plenty of design inspiration to show you how to transfer the latest trends into your home design.
Getting cosy with curves
Repeatedly the message from interior designers is soft and rounded curves. These can be found in curved soft furnishings, plump settees, round cushions, arches, organic-shaped tiles and round edges on benches. Incorporating a variety of textures from natural stone to natural fibres, including throws and plush rugs.
Colours to reflect the theme
For further inspiration to build upon the notion of a safe and cosy home, the Taubmans Colour Forecast has pitched four palettes to provide a backdrop of comfort while still offering a splash of colour. Each palette encourages different styles and unexpected colour combinations allowing your individuality to shine through.
‘Composure’ is all about rest and relaxation. Perfectly described as “soft yet fun, sophisticated without being clinical.” Think light earthy tones paired with natural stone and timbers of different shades.
The ‘Grounded’ palette includes warm olive greens and dusty blues. This scheme invites you to imagine ‘an escape at home’ and sits well with the biophilic trends of recent years, to “bring a sense of nature into your space” further enhancing indoor-outdoor living.
The third palette, ‘Centred’, is all about ensuring a state of calm with soothing variations of white and cream. It offers the perfect antidote to our busy lifestyles allowing you to create a haven of tranquillity.
‘Euphoric’ is the fourth palette and encourages the big bold statement while still contributing to the cosiness of your home. Inspired by the maximalism trend, the Euphoric range is about boldness in colours, patterns and textures.
Natural flow
It could seem that this year’s interior design trends are a variation on last year’s themes with ‘bringing nature indoors’ still one of the favourite trends amongst designers.
The ongoing yearning to connect with nature can be achieved by ensuring your house design includes flow from indoors to outdoors.
Nicholas Kaiko of Kaiko Design believes that great contemporary designs that feature open, airy spaces pay homage to Australia’s love for the outdoors, while interiors, thoughtfully curated with both modern and traditional elements, can create spaces that are timeless yet trendy.
Large windows also help create links with nature to feel more relaxed and grounded at home.
Taking advantage of the best aspect of your block of land will allow you to incorporate a grand vista into your home design. Even if you’re not fortunate enough to overlook a sweeping valley, a clever design can frame an old gum tree or garden feature within any window’s outlook.
Cost effective measures
High on the list of 2024 building trends comes functionality and sustainability. There’s great desire to incorporate cost effective measures into house designs to reduce initial outlay as well as ongoing maintenance of the home.
One of the easiest ways this can be achieved is by designing rooms to serve more than one purpose. Keeping the heart of the home centred around the open planned kitchen-living room areas, the island bench can be extended to serve, excuse the pun, as a dining table with the lounge area sitting just beyond this space. This design eliminates the need for separate dining and lounge rooms.
A lot of people are also choosing to take full advantage of their outdoor entertainment area, fitting it out with screens, fans and heaters to maximise indoor outdoor living all year round.
Combining the boot room or mudroom and laundry space is also an effective interior design trend. Streamlining the space with well crafted cabinetry and handy baskets can make it look attractive as well as highly functional.
Built in cabinetry is also trending. We’re seeing this in custom home design that’s done away with an office space altogether by incorporating an office alcove within the living room.
Sustainable greens
Another area in which functionality and sustainability can flourish is landscape and garden design.
The big trends here are edible gardens – from large herb pots to vertical gardens for growing salads and micro herbs.
Drought proof plants, hardy natives and pollinators to encourage native bees are also popular garden approaches for the year ahead.
A home builder to support your vision
Ultimately, whatever inspires your new building design, you want it to reflect your own personal taste so that you can truly feel at home. Which is precisely why it’s important to select a builder capable of offering custom home design to suit your specific needs and desires. Hunter Valley builder, Valley Homes, has been designing and constructing homes from Port Stephens to Newcastle with their expertise and craftsmanship achieved from over 50 years in the industry. If you can dream it, Valley Homes can build it – call us today find out how.