Bright colours and patterns are in, stark whites are out. Home offices are gradually being taken over by more integrated spaces and curves are back in a big way.
The design trends of 2023 are here and they are making a departure from some of the popular looks of last year.
Porter Davis Homes’ Bahamas-inspired Astor 43 design. Photo: Mick Brandon
Perhaps the biggest change can be seen in the move away from minimalist-inspired crisp whites, says Koraly Fasone, senior interior designer at Porter Davis Homes, where interior specialists advise customers on the latest trends, from colours and textures, to soft furnishings and furniture.
“There’s a shift from the cooler white and grey tones that have dominated the industry recently, to warm neutrals as an overall palette,” she says. “So soft takes on beige, bone and creams, to integrate with natural materials and create a sense of warmth and optimism.”
These warmer colours create a sense of calm and can be paired well with earthy colours, Fasone says.
Creating a contemplative space inside the home is another emerging trend, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Many home owners are now trying to separate their working lives from their home lives, and are looking to repurpose their home offices.
It has given rise to the need for multifunctional spaces, says Fasone.
“With a shift for many businesses partially back into the traditional office environment, maintaining one of the only perks or benefits of COVID, of working from home, has been very important to many,” she says.
“However, with this comes the balance of converting our home between the two worlds of working space and our home sanctuary, which often needs to be properly thought out.
“This means designing a space that will allow you to pack away the crazy working week and convert the previous dedicated home office into the recreation space, bedroom or living area, whilst still allowing for the ability to switch back and forth easily.
“The dedicated home office is now transforming more to a den or integrated office that can have various uses.”
Curves and arches are never out of fashion for long and this year, they are most definitely in. They can be seen across architecture, cabinetry and furniture, and are used by designers to soften spaces and break up sharp lines and hard finishes.
“Whether it be curved walls or archways transitioning through a space, curved corners on fixed cabinetry or simply furniture pieces, curves are alluring and can be enhanced by many fixtures and fittings,” says Fasone.
Two major influences over today’s interior aesthetics are a growing awareness of sustainable materials and, with interest rates rising, an eye to cost-effective techniques.
The two trends often go hand in hand, says Chris Stanley, architect and director of Splinter Society studio.
“In response to COVID and now with things tightening up … we have this inevitable and, thankfully, massive shift towards more sustainable solutions and outcomes,” he says.
“And it’s no longer people just wanting to greenwash or impress their friends with sustainable credentials. There’s an actual genuine interest in it now and it’s creeping up the list of priorities.”
Creating a sustainably designed home means using fewer imported materials and more locally sourced options, such as Australian timbers. Stanley points to a rise in the demand for spotted gum and blackbutt flooring.
Despite the move towards more relaxing spaces, there’s also a rising design trend of bold colours and patterns, says Stanley.
“There’s been a real love, and almost a return to postmodernism, of lots of colours and patterns and brightness.”
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