Latest interior design trends at MAISON&OBJET

Hello, I’m Lorna from Garrendenny Lane and I’m delighted to share with House and Home readers my thoughts regarding the latest interior design trends at the MAISON&OBJET trade show that I attended last week.  I’m also going to direct you to some Irish shops that stock some of these trends so you can ‘buy Irish’ this season as well as making it possible for you to recreate some of these looks in your home

1. Animals

Animals were everywhere. Forget about the expressions regarding bringing your garden indoors or turning your garden into a room, this winter it is all about bringing the woodland animals indoors! You can choose from a plethora of different styles of deer heads to hang on your wall and you can have them made from a choice of wood, cardboard, tapestry, chrome, ceramic, aluminium, silver, flock, faux fur … you name it. Yes, having a large stag’s head on a deep red flock damask wallpaper is going to be a popular look for this season!  I have to admit I caved in and purchased some smaller ceramic deer heads for the online shop, ones that will look nice in a less dramatic, more streamlined modern interior. 

Other animals that seemed most popular were squirrels (squirrel candles for example), sheep heads, cushions and lampshades featuring dogs by Laissez Lucie Faire, and of course, antlers seemed to be used as a wall and coffee table decoration everywhere I looked.

2. Birds

Birds are very popular once again - the birdcage pattern is still on trend in wallpapers, cushions and wall stickers. The Owl seems to be the most popular - choose from Owl cushions, owl candles and owl wallpapers if you wish to be on trend this season.  One of nicest wallpaper designs was that of Elli Popp where you can choose from many bird designs on wallpaper and on crockery.

3. Home Knits

Get those knitting needles clacking as the winter evenings are coming in.  Knitted products seem to be even more popular this year than last year - choose from knitted tea cosies to cushions, knitted baskets and tubs to pouffes. If you have neither the time nor the ability to knit some homewares for your own home, then do check out Where there’s a Wool etsy shop where you can purchase knitted products made from Irish wools and knitted right here in Ireland.  

Lace is popular within fashion and will become more widely available in homewares as we move further into the season.  Knitted clocks from Diamantini  & Domeniconi also caught my eye and can be purchased online at Ubode.

4. Wood

Wood was everywhere, much more so than last year with a definite emphasis on comfort this winter. Last year, tidy stacks of logs were seen as a decorative feature whereas this year, there are so many more ways you can add wood and trees to your interior. Some of them looked downright uncomfortable such as creating a headboard from pallets or log offcuts whereas others did look stylish such as using birch tree trunks as a room divider. However, if you are lacking in a small forest outside your front door from which to decorate your home, then I suggest you could  choose an appropriate wallpaper design such as the Woven Tree wall panels or some wood effect candles or even some log-look-alike vases or candle holders from Ferm Living.

Between the emphasis on wood, faux fur and animals - there is a real ‘batten down the hatches’, Scotland meets the Canadian Rockies theme going on.

5. Colour

Colour Pop is a welcome trend this season with bright pops of vivid purples,  sizzling oranges, hot pinks and dynamic indigos standing out against a backdrop of monochrome geometric designs (wallpapers above are Amrapali from Designers Guild - available at various Irish stockists). Having said that, it wasn’t as popular as I expected - there was still plenty of soft greys, mauves and soft purples on display.

6. Glass Storage

Open shelving with your items on display is going to be another key trend - expect to see a wide selection of glass cake stands, glass storage jars, glass bonbon containers and more on display in kitchens. Check out the selection of glass storage containers available online at Eboutique.

So, as you can see, if you adher to these interior design trends for the coming season, you will be well prepared for the snow that is forecast in November!

Lorna blogs at www.garrendennylane.com/blog, her online store stocks many wallpaper brands, an increasing number of up and coming Irish designers as well as Scandinavian companies such as Scandinavian Surface wall panels, Greengate, En Gry & Sif and Lene Bjerre.