There’s no getting away from trends. None of us want to stand still and design is constantly evolving to reflect changes in taste and technology and in society and the economy. And yet we’ve noticed a slowing down of change recently, a merging rather than a shift, so that there’s no need to throw everything out and start again as each new season dawns. Instead, personal style and discernment have become king, and distinct looks are hard to pin down, with cross hybrids making for the most interesting interiors – Scandi meets midcentury retro, beach house meets Highland cabin, country cottage meets industrial warehouse. Today’s trends are fluid rather than rigid, a starting point rather than a rule book. So read on and discover where the design world is heading, and then follow the paths that most inspire you.
Make way for colour
Pantone’s Colour Report is the ultimate guide to what’s going to be popular in the coming year. The colour expert named Radiant Orchid as its “Colour of the Year”, with the rest of the Spring 2014 top 10 list as follows: Cayenne, Sand, Placid Blue, Dazzling Blue, Paloma (mid-grey), Violet Tulip, Hemlock (a minty green with bluey tones), Freesia (bright yellow) and Celosia Orange. The collection speaks of both strength and softness; boldness with a thoughtful, grown-up twist. To add colour to your home in a very up-to-date way, try painting an unusual element of your room such as the ceiling, and make sure to choose statement furniture in bold shades.
Just a touch
If you’re not looking to undergo a complete makeover or simply don’t want to leave your neutral base behind, the emerging “colour pop” trend is going to be a useful way to add a touch of freshness to your look. A lot of designers are adding colour in small but powerful bursts, with neon shades being particularly popular in this setting, especially where the background neutrals are cool or monochrome. This is a great way to add a vibrant dash to your home without having to totally redo it – just add a couple of bright cushions, a new lampshade or a coloured glass vase to your room, and you’ll be surprised at the difference it makes.
Shade to shade
It’s worth mentioning one final colour trend – digital flow. Our love of technology has had its effect on last year’s ombre trend, transforming it into a more blocky, graphic form – much like a paint sample card – and it’s appearing on everything from wall art to curtains to furniture. One popular way to include this in your home is to paint the drawers in a chest in different shades of the same colour, graduating from pastel to a much brighter version in distinct steps. Speaking of which, stair risers can be painted in the same way, creating a beautiful effect as you ascend from one floor to another.
Pattern rules
Our love of pattern continues and this year we’re moving towards a more graphic representation. As well as the usual hard lines (stripes, chevrons and blocks are always popular), we’re also seeing softened, curved patterns inspired by the East and the Art Deco period. As with last year, don’t be afraid to combine several patterns together, although do make sure to create unity by using a coordinated colour palette, and try varying the size of the print for interest and texture. Also, don’t be limited to textiles – we’re seeing more patterns on tiling, wallpaper and even furniture, too.
Curated collector
Designers are still encouraging home owners to indulge their inner magpie, snatching up beautiful object d’art, antiques, paintings and sculptures, but we’re moving away from junk-shop clutter and taking a step towards a more sophisticated aesthetic. Think like a museum curator or a boutique stylist, displaying a few key objects for maximum effect. Oversized accessories make the most impact, or you can group smaller items together, for example on a display shelf or in a printer’s tray. The rule of thumb is still to buy only what you really love, following William Morris’s adage: “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”. Follow your instincts and you won’t go wrong.
Ethnic and indie
In particular, handcrafted and other artisan works are good choices when it comes to artwork and accessories, reflecting our continuing love of quality over quantity, of personal skill over mass production. Although supporting local and independent artists, craftsmen and designer makers is still very big news – as demonstrated by the continuing popularity of online craft markets like Etsy and the growing number of independent collective boutiques – tribal- and ethnic-inspired work is going to be big, too, so don’t forget to pick up a couple of good-quality souvenirs on your travels.
A sense of space
Perhaps it’s a reaction against the tendency towards clutter that’s built up over the past few years as we’ve embraced the idea of “displaying our treasures”, but the tide seems to be turning now and we’re moving back towards light and space. Open-plan living is still popular, but there’s a move towards bigger windows, skylights, French doors – anything to bring in more natural light. If you’re living in rented accommodation and can’t make structural changes, keep the line of sight through your house clear by choosing skeletal and glass furniture items, add plenty of reflective surfaces, mirror the exterior with plants and other natural touches, and keep window dressing to a minimum.
Tropical paradise
We’ve been obsessed with nature for some time now, but this year we’re breaking out of the more subdued “forest and fern” bracket and taking a trip to the island jungles, where shapes are bigger, colours are bolder, and we’re replacing foxes and squirrels with parrots, flamingos and hibiscus flowers. Black is a key contrast shade against which to splash hot pinks, citrus greens and oranges, and warm vibrant blues, giving the whole look an edge of sophistication. Definitely one to try if you love drama or are looking to shake up your style.
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
