Japandi, abstract colour and wicker: The mental health-boosting interiors trends to copy from your favourite influencers

Soaking up home decor inspiration can be tricky, especially when you’re not invited to the trendiest dinner parties in town on the regular (not bitter at all). We find ourselves scrolling through Pinterest or Instagram, but how can we confirm what the definitive interiors trends of 2020 are?

We’ve saved you the effort and collated the finest upcoming trends from interior retailers to inspire us for 2020. Like with any trend, fashion or interior, they can be mixed and matched to develop your own individual aesthetic and each will most definitely improve your mental health.

JAPANDI

Our love affair of Scandi-style and Japanese-inspired design merge together in 2020 to bring us Japandi. This fusion trend combines the mindfulness of Scandinavian Hygge (content cosiness) and the Japanese theory of wabi-sabi (simple, incomplete and beautiful aesthetics).

“In today’s modern world, we are increasingly looking for an idyllic oasis to turn to in our homes, especially in the spring and summer months. The Japandi trend is all about taking a deep breath and injecting a calm, fresh approach and sense of balance to one’s space, embracing the harmonious spirit of the season.”

The root of this trend is down to its muted colour palette, using mostly neutral tones it also embraces calming hues of pale blue, muted green and light pink with accents of richer shades like charcoal and teal. Combining calming tones, natural materials and clean lines, the Japandi trend exhales an effortless feminine elegance within the home. Both Japanese and Scandi styles share the principle of simplicity, where the home should be calm, uncluttered and minimalistic – that’s a vibe.

To give your home a Japandi makeover, you should focus on finding elegant statement features that are both functional and sophisticated. IKEA, with their nordic heritage, is a great place to find Japandi-style decor with little effort and little cost. HEAL’S also has a great collection of home accessories fusing the traditions of simple, Scandinavian design with classic Japanese materials. You could start by searching for floral decorations, statement chairs, stone vases and bamboo-style furniture.

NATURAL MATERIALS

Made popular in the 1970s, rattan and wicker is having its revival and it’s not doing it quietly. If you spent two minutes browsing home decor retailers like La Redoute, Homesense and Dunelm, you’re guaranteed to see an array of gorgeous chairs, benches, lampshades, baskets, the list is endless. The rise in popularity of this natural colour and textural style recently caused H&M Home to sell-out of their iconic cane-webbing chairs, the demand is so high they can’t be restocked quick enough.

“We will see a modern take on bohemian decor that’s all about creating a soothing atmosphere with soft, neutral fabrics and rattan. A neutral palette sets a solid foundation to start mixing and matching textures. The fabric and rattan layers add depth to the bedroom while sticking to a signature bohemian style.”

The need for an eco-friendly lifestyle is fast becoming an integral part of our everyday lives, so if that means more rattan, wicker and weave if sourced sustainably, we’re happy with that. We’re also seeing it as background props on the instagram feeds of influencers like Hannah Crosskey and Pernille Teisbaek, so we predict that it’s going to be even bigger in 2020 than it was in 2019.

GRANDMILLENNIAL

If you’re a wearer of a maxi floral dress and a chunky white trainer then you’re probably gonna love the grandmillennial style. The Millennial in us craves a simple and contemporary aesthetic, whereas the Granny in us can’t resist a bit of pattern and glamorous nostalgia from the art-deco era.

It’s essentially the marriage of vintage from the 1920s and minimalism from 2020. If you’ve ever been to Sketch London, you’ll know they adopt this style perfectly with scalloped soft-pink chairs, tassels galore and wild floral print paired with modern lighting, tableware and artwork. One influencer that really nails this in every photo on her feed is @one_day_girl – check her out.

Matching patterns are having a bit of a moment within this trend and it could be a great way to kick-start grandmillennial style in your own home. Look out for anything with a similar pattern, like cushions, armchairs or wallpaper. Adding a mixture of patterns with modern features can revolutionise it to glamour-granny-chic.

RIAD RITUAL

Cool tones may have stolen the limelight for the past few years, but this trend is all about warm, earthy hues. Inspired by Moroccan Riads (traditional Moroccan house or palace) like Le Riad Yasmine with canyon clay walls, an abundance of tropical plants and textured rugs.

“The riads of Marrakech were one starting inspiration for the Habitat summer collection for 2020, bringing together an exotic colour palette of earth tan, turmeric yellow, palm green and azure blue, mixed alongside hand beaten metals, natural wood grains and textiles featuring re-worked traditional kilim designs.”

The best thing about this trend is that it fuzes perfectly with rattan, wicker and weave. You’ll find the best rattan lampshades you’ve ever seen in the souks of Marrakech, if only they could squeeze into hand-luggage. By combining riad ritual, wicker or weave and throwing in a few touches of gold you’ll inevitably feel like you’re chilling in a chic version of a Moroccan palace. This trend transitions smoothly from inside the home to outside into the garden. During Summer you could throw a flatweave rug and some embroidered cushions onto your decking leaving you with an idyllic African picnic scene.

“This look is about introducing eclecticism to your space, mixing together rich textures and colours within light, airy rooms to create beautiful interiors that are reminiscent of holidaying and relaxation.”

WAREHOUSE LUXE

Industrial architecture is having a serious moment in the world of interiors, concrete and exposed brick are no longer just for minimalists. While we can still be pared-back, we are moving away from the rustic approach of industrial style and introducing luxury elements to create a new warehouse chic aesthetic. Think furniture features like x-frames, angled legs and clean lines on a backdrop of metals, natural woods, concrete and stone.

It can sometimes be tricky to make an industrial-style room feel cosy and homely. But, you can throw in elements such as artisan textiles, pottery, velvet and greenery that warm a room without detracting from the rawness. Adding soft lighting and rounded shapes can make the room feel less factory-like.

You don’t have to start this trend in a master bedroom or living room straight away, a great place to start is the hallway or an office. It gives you the opportunity to play around with the warehouse-luxe style and test the road before you take over one of your primary living-spaces.

ABSTRACT COLOUR

Most of us Millennials have minimalism ingrained into our very being, that’s no clutter, no colour, no fuss. We just like it plain and simple. But, 2020 is about to drop a Skittles-style grenade into our homes. We’ll be encouraged to widen our palette from fifty shades of beige to a bright and bold rainbow palette. We can expect an eclectic mix of citrus hues, geometric patterns, statement furniture in block colours and metallic highlights for an urban finish. Inspired by the expressionist era, an injection of this retro colour and abstract energy in the home creates a lively and playful vibe for the year.

“Not only are the shades beautiful, they are energetic and give the home a sense of vibrance and warmth. Brighter colours reflect the warmer weather and by choosing these colours you can bring a bit of the outside, inside. This trend is all about making minor changes by incorporating small items such as throws or cushions, making this an easy trend to bring into the home.”

If your home is a blank canvas (if you’re a millennial it probably will be), introducing a mixture of colourful patterns and block colours will inject personality into neutral schemes. Colourful abstract patterns are growing in popularity, especially in soft-furnishings, they have an eighties feel and can be the easiest way to transform a room.

Statement furniture makes the most impact, like a sofa, armchair or a bed, or even duvet covers. Decorating a bold colour with accents of contrasting and complementary colours or patterns can instantly deliver the abstract colour aesthetic.