Spring is not just for cleaning – it’s also a wonderful opportunity to freshen up your interiors. So says interior designer Alison Lewis, who teaches people how to make the most of their own space.
Ahead of the upcoming season, we asked her for some tips on spring’s biggest interior design trends. (Spoiler alert: it’s all about nature and feeling as cosy as possible.)
Nature-inspired colour palettes
“Nature is having a real moment in interiors,” Lewis says. “It evokes a sense of calmness and tranquility that people really want to surround themselves with at the moment.” Deep neutrals like camels, terracottas, mustards, russets and greens are everywhere at the moment, and Lewis predicts they’ll be here to stay.
“Colours like this have longevity,” she says. “These Turkish hand towels are colourful, cosy and their softness is really beautiful. It’s a nice way to put a pop of colour through your bathroom.”
No more white walls
“People don’t want to surround themselves with all-white anymore,” Lewis says. “They want to create a mood and energy in their homes that puts them at ease and enhances their mental wellbeing.”
Stark whites in living areas have been replaced by whites with warm undertones, and if you’re keen for a change, Lewis says she’s seen a resurgence of bold paint colours. Be brave and paint a whole room – including the ceiling – in caramel or terracotta. “At the end of the day it’s paint, it can be painted over. But it can be transformative and it’s a great way to create a different zone.”
Separate your spaces – and bring back the rumpus room
“Our houses have become the places where we work, sleep and socialise, and people are wanting to create spaces that reflect how they want to feel,” Lewis says. To separate life and work, she’s seen a huge trend in people creating secondary living spaces and retreats throughout the house.
“A sunken lounge or a rumpus room is something more and more people are leaning into. And a really beautiful desk – like this one with black timber veneer and rattan – makes the experience of working from home a little more comfortable.”
Organic shapes and materials
Squares are out, circles are in. Lewis predicts that organic shapes and natural materials, which bring a sense of softness to the room, will also have a moment this spring. “Again, anything that comes from nature is going to be huge,” she says. “Marbles, rattan, mushroom shapes – anything with curves and texture to keep it interesting.”
From coffee tables to mushroom shaped lamps, don't let your imagination stop you. This green lounge is plush and soft, with beautiful curves and a bouclé fabric, and this round coffee table has the potential to really soften a space.
Bringing the outdoors in
In spring, we naturally start to open up windows to bring a sense of the outdoors in, but Lewis says this year biophilic design will be a huge part of our homes. “Something I think we’ll see more of is people decorating their gardens like their interiors. Spring is the perfect time to bring that garden to life and make it a space that’s an extension of our home.”
Invest in some outdoor furniture and quality outdoor furnishings. “Soft furnishing can really help to make the connection between those two spaces.”
This article was produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Adairs.
