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Biophilic design, pre-loved pride and energy-saving secrets: the A/W interiors trends to know and love this season and beyond
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Interiors lover and sustainability expert Jo Linehan shares the trends we should know about this season, from organic design to sustainable finds.
No matter how much of a social butterfly or adventurer you are, once back-to-school schedules have been set, the nights begin to draw in, and the inevitable turning back of the clocks is complete, we all become homebodies. This time of year, our primal instincts kick in, making us yearn for cosy nights on the sofa and the soft glow of lamps and candlelight. Call it nesting or hibernation, but the effect is real.
Autumn/winter trends play a key role in creating and maintaining this special mood. Not only do trends tap into a zeitgeist, but they also help spark our inspiration, give us direction, and ultimately spur us on to improve our spaces and make them our own.
Before we embark on this trend update, the most important thing to remember is to take the elements of a trend that suit you and your way of life and leave the rest. Trends are supposed to be fun and ignite our creativity, not put us under pressure to keep up with the Joneses.
So, without further ado, here are the autumn/winter 2024 trends to know and embrace this season.
Colour Analysis (for your home)
If you’re an avid trend follower, you may already have tried colour analysis, which exploded online this year. The fun process involves a colour consultant analysing the naturally occurring tones in your skin, hair and eyes to create your perfect palette (see Irish aficionado Terri Cooper @thestylecoop for inspo).
Now, those same principles are being applied to home decor. There is an endless list of online quizzes you can take to determine your colour “season” (it turns out I’m a winter because of my cool undertones). Once you’ve figured out your season, you can fold your palette of complementary colours into your home.
A spring might invest in a lemon yellow bedspread and pastel pink comforter; a winter like me might add a rich, grey woollen throw to the sofa or a berry red candle to the living room coffee table. If you’re an autumn, you can enjoy adding deep terracottas, browns and sky blues, while summers can incorporate teal greens, sunset reds and burgundies with prints, flowers or a bold rug.
At the heart of this trend is the principle that every home should reflect our true selves. Tapping into those traits, whether by taking inspiration from our wardrobe or season, helps us connect with our sense of style in a new way.
Biophilic Design
There’s nothing better than a trend that boosts mood, happiness, and productivity. Biophilic design has become essential to interior designers in recent years, thanks to the endless studies that support it.
So, what exactly is it? Put simply, biophilic design brings the natural environment indoors as much as possible. Incorporating natural colours, textures, and elements into our homes has been proven to reduce stress, lower cortisol levels, improve cognitive performance and enhance mood.
The best part about this trend is that it’s accessible to everyone. It can be as small as bringing plant life into our spaces to help clean our air, using naturally occurring colours like green, orange, or neutrals to boost concentration, or swapping synthetic fibres in our bedding for natural fibres like cotton and linen to help us feel more grounded.
If you can bring just one piece of inspiration from nature into every room in your home this autumn/winter, you’ll boost your health and your home’s aesthetic.
Positive Energy
This is less of a trend and more of a lifestyle. You won’t look back once you adopt positive energy practices in your home.
Over the last five years, in particular, our home’s energy footprint has come into sharp focus. Previously, how and where we used most of our energy was a mystery – our energy bill arrived at the end of each month, and we simply accepted it. Now, thanks to its environmental and financial benefits, adopting a positive energy approach has become de rigour.
But forget generic advice like turning off the light switch when you leave a room or “just use less energy”. This positive energy approach is about taking control of your energy, which means understanding it.
First, switching to an energy supplier that uses 100% renewable energy is essential. This is the easiest way to ensure that all your energy use supports Ireland’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. As a proud Pinergy ambassador, I have ticked this box, as the energy provider only uses 100% renewable energy for its customers.
Next, choose a provider that will help you reduce your use. Pinergy’s phone app allows you to track and trace where and how you use your energy, the best times to use energy-intensive appliances (like your washing machine or dishwasher), and how your energy use compares to other users (perfect for the competitive homebody).
The best part about this growing trend is that once you adopt it, you’ll enjoy the benefits season after season. Plus, lower energy bills mean a bigger budget for a seasonal candle or two.
Pre-Loved Pride
Finally, this autumn/winter is all about thrifting. Yes, readers, second-hand is now sexy. It’s out with generic, high-street tat and in with vintage furniture finds, salvaged china sets and bargain Facebook Marketplace essentials.
Once you catch the pre-loved bug, you’ll find yourself trawling online marketplaces for that perfect mid-century armchair, popping into your nearest second-hand store to peruse their home pieces, investing in local artwork and scouring markets for unique plant pots and pretty picture frames.
Ironically, this trend centres on a rejection of trends. It’s so easy to get caught up in feeling the need to buy new. But by seeking out unique, pre-loved, antique, retro, or simply pre-used pieces, we can express that creativity for ourselves and our spaces without spending too much or creating more waste.
And the best part? Once you start to shop and decorate this way, you’ll enjoy a sense of smug satisfaction like no other. Get ready to say, “Thanks, it’s pre-loved.”
So there you have it – trends to love and embrace this autumn/winter that will continue to serve you and your home long after this season ends. Each trend is an opportunity to enhance your home, how you live in it, and ultimately, the feeling you have when you close the door after a long day.
If like Jo, you are interested in taking control of your energy, visit Pinergy.ie today.
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