Over the past couple of seasons in interiors, we've seen elements of the surreal - quirky furniture shapes, unusual surface patterns and Wonderland-inspired styling. We've grown used to seeing super-curvaceous, oversized, often eccentric pieces, but all that's about to change. As we take on a more focused mindset about how we want to move forward, so does design, with a far more dynamic, fractured and angular aesthetic.
We will see less celebrity admiration and those we do choose to focus on have a new face, that of the common man: passionate activists, forward-thinking entrepreneurs, even dedicated athletes. We will tune out the pretentious, the superfluous and the negative and tune into the classic, meaningful and dynamic. This is high-impact styling. It is bold and fully charged, with serious attitude. The mood is upbeat, youthful and both culturally and generationally diverse. It has a strong urban appeal, taking inspiration from contemporary youth culture, future cityscapes and society's changing attitudes.
We will see bold use of colour and a new trend in pattern clashing. Geometrics will play an important role, particularly hexagons and prisms, for a super cool and funky look. These fragmented and angular elements reference our new attitude of striking out alone: we will no longer conform or be restricted.
To work this look we have to move on from the primary pops of colour that we've seen recently, to sharp bursts of stronger colour that create an even greater effect. Think about a palette of sporty brights to reinforce the energy of this trend: Olympic blue, highlighter yellow, and hot pink-and-red clashes (as seen on the catwalk), all working with a concrete, city grey that adds that all-important urban edge.
Here are some key features to help successfully create this look:
Patterns
Bold geometrics and fractured, angular designs are key. Also look out for digital prints.
Shapes
Furniture shapes are sharp and angular, no more soft or rounded edges. Road signs are inspiring designers of display and storage pieces (look out for Serhan Gurkan), while dynamic, solid shapes are the basis for consoles, cabinets and even lighting.
Materials
Hard materials are key. Think lacquered high-shine plastics and ceramics in solid colours. Leathers with geometric quilting in sporty bright colours are also important. Polished cement floors maintain the urban edge.
Styling
A dynamic mood of high-energy, plugged-in colour, and influences from the future cityscape.
* Shelley Pond is the creative director of the trend forecasting company Scarlet Opus.
For more information, see www.trendsblog.co.uk or www.scarletopus.com.
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