From the industry experts: the year ahead in interior design

Maarten Groven, senior concept and interior designer for the design company Creneau International. Courtesy of Creneau

Five industry experts share their views on the trends, products, designers and events that will shape the coming year.

Maarten Groven Senior concept and interior designer for the design company Creneau International

Poetic minimalism versus urban jungle – these are two trends that have been building up over the past couple of years, but this year all those ideas will take form in our living rooms and beyond. Marble, brass, glass and stone will be used more than they have in the last 30 years. It may sound clichéd to some, but designers are going back to these trends in a big way. In a world filled with innovation and technology, we’re searching for ways to keep ourselves in touch with Mother Earth. By working with the elements of earth, wind and fire, designers are creating objects and materials with a certain purity, which we like to call poetic minimalism. Also, jungle prints have been around for some time, but in 2015 these will come back in various shapes and designs, mostly combined with modern patterns and techniques.

George Foster-Vincent Head designer in the UAE for the furniture brand Ethan Allen

The colour of 2015 is going to be dramatic and luxurious – marsala is the latest trend in home fashion at Ethan Allen. This hot shade has been introduced with its family of berry tones to provide the option of intensive and softer tones. It can also be paired with coordinating colours such as Guilford green, Portland grey, Chantilly lace and pink damask. Metallic finishes are also taking over. We have been seeing these shades shine throughout 2014 but they will continue to be popular in 2015. Ethan Allen will introduce 19th-century sculptural-style pieces that will help this rich tone to remain cool, hip and chic. In 2015, the Ethan Allen customer can expect classical designs with a modern take, from smoky colours such as marsala, our colour of the year, to soft tones such as powdered pinks, French grey, and sky blues. Customers can also expect the arrival of two new collections in spring/summer 2015. The first to arrive in Dubai will include handcrafted pieces inspired by the 19th century, with hand-distressed finishes as an option, and beautiful silhouettes on upholstery pieces. The second collection, arriving in the summer, will combine 21st-century and French-influenced design.

Lyndall Fernie Tutor at the Chelsea College of Arts in Dubai

The biggest trend forecast for 2015 is the use of copper and brass finishes. Incorporated into switch plates, handles, lamps, taps and accessories, these beautiful materials are both warm and elegant, and add shine and depth to a scheme. Combined with a midnight blue, I believe, will be the prevalent trend over the forthcoming year. If dark blue is distressed, this provides a fabulous backdrop to the smoothness and warmth of the metallic finishes. Wooden flooring has been popular for a while now, but for a truly contemporary feel, lay it in a herringbone pattern using a pale grey finish. This is an extremely sophisticated look that sits comfortably in both traditional and ultra-modern interiors. The use of full height, Crittall-style doors and windows has been influenced by the large loft-style warehouse apartments in New York. The thin profile of the black frames combined with the rectangular glass draws the eye up inside a room, creating an added sense of height.

Gianfrancesco De Falco Tutor at the Chelsea College of Arts in Dubai

Remember, trends are just guidelines that don’t have to be followed unconditionally, but 2015 will be a year for eco-friendly design. Natural materials, such as wood, glass, stone and metal will be used together, creating a unique, organic and eclectic style. Also, accessories will be inspired by nature, such as glass vases and wooden sculptures. China dinnerware will be a popular accessory, while animal prints and textures will also be trending next year. In kitchens, under-cabinet LED lighting will be a popular option and energy-saving appliances and water faucets will be in demand. Bathrooms will move towards more simplicity, with cleaner lines and a more minimalist vibe. You can expect quartz countertops to replace granite. The vibrant and elegant calypso blue has recently been selected as the 2015 Interior Colour of the Year by designers and interiors experts, as a result of an initiative by the colour-design experts at Robert Allen. Now that you have these hints, remember that it’s always necessary to learn the rules before you break them.

Cyril Zammit Fair director of Design Days Dubai

Design Days Dubai prides itself on being the most diverse limited-edition design fair, and after three editions, we are expanding our geographical reach even more, with new entries from Taiwan and China. Visitors to the 2015 edition of the fair can expect to see newly elevated works of design by emerging designers that are of the same calibre as established ones. The Emirati designer Aljoud Lootah will be previewing her first full collection of limited-edition design objects at the event. Having seen her enter the scene a few years back and establish her identity, we are thrilled that she chose Design Days Dubai as a platform to an international audience. Newcomers such as Gallery All and Gallery Fumi will be showcasing exciting and refined works by Zhoujie Zhang and Study O Portable respectively. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the fourth edition of Design Days Dubai, and seeing the first great steps in 2015 that confirm Dubai’s position as a world-renowned design hub.