DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2015

A new year brings with it the opportunity to refresh the interiors of our homes. Looking to emerging design trends is a smart way to ensure your interior has longevity and makes the most of the products that are becoming available on the market.

But what are the fresh design trends for 2015? We’ve discovered three that are going to give your home a new lease on life this year.

Earthy Botanic

Both Dulux and Paint Place revealed deep greens as the major players in their colour trend forecasts for the coming year, with Dulux in particular giving a generous nod to the desire to have greenery in both our homes and workspaces.

While Paint Place’s Forge Ahead trend had a muddier and moodier colour palette at play, the general consensus in the marketplace is that a desire to get back to nature is a strong one for 2015.

Look for green feature walls and emerald homewares to become prominent, indoor plants (and pots) to grow in popularity and vertical gardens to dominate balconies and courtyards.

If you’re looking to channel this vibe in your own home, connect with nature by opting for

LUXAFLEX Pirouette® Shadings, which will allow you to see your garden from inside your home, let in light but still retain a sense of privacy.

Baroque Revival

Love Game of Thrones? You’re set to revel in the medieval interior revival that’s been inspired by this TV genre. Leading UK-based trend forecaster Victoria Renshaw who presented at Australia’s Décor + Design Show says that people are looking to history for inspiration, with sumptuous fabrics like velvet, damask patterns on walls and brass decor making a comeback. Expect to see vintage store finds with a baroque quality returning, too. A sense of opulence is strong in this trend.

Pantone’s colour of the year for 2015, Marsala, is a rich red that further proves the baroque interior aesthetic is set to return. Its deep, romantic qualities will give your home a soulful and seductive edge, so expect to see more of it pop up across homewares and fabrics.

If you want to play to this alluring interior aesthetic, look to the introduction of the latest Silhouette Shadings Designer Series fabrics. The colours French Linen, Myst, Brio, Mystere, Monaco, Chateau and Nouveau all evoke classical elegance in a contemporary and striking way.

Future Industrial

Industrial design is going to be pushed further in 2015, with darker and moodier colour stories at play. Expect to see charcoal grey, dirty blue and muddy purple paints making their presence known, while raw textures like weathered woods and beaten metals will be prominent.

Both Colourways (a leader in local trend forecasting) and Victoria Renshaw seem to agree on this, with Victoria pointing out that the metals we’ll see won’t resemble the shiny varieties that were big last year, but materials that are beaten, stamped and chiselled to look as though they’ve been through something.

A more masculine interior trend with a lot of hardness at play, you can elevate this look in your own home with a set of LUXAFLEX® Newstyle Polyresin Shutters, which will further enhance the rawness of the Future Industrial look

Interior Design Insights; Fabrics, Colours and Textures - A Mixture for Success

Written by Lynn Malone, exclusively for Luxaflex

Hotels comes home

Fortune telling is not my forte but I predict lipstick-pinked red, opulent indigo blue and cranberry-infused purple winging toward Australian shores.  Evidence at Milan Design Week 2014 and resounded as I travelled five European cosmopolitan cities seeking interior design inspirations for Luxaflex and its valued customers, these were the prevailing colours.  Not only were the colours on parade, they were presented in an array of textures and patterns.  Is this the start of something new or is it history repeating itself?

Ham Yard Hotel, London; Firmdale Hotels

Ham Yard Hotel, London; Firmdale Hotels’

I believe design trends for the homes are often debuted in edgy hotel guest room interiors.  Cases in point are the boutique hotels created by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, iconic German fashion designer; and prolific French designer Phillipe Starck whose name-dropping moniker adorns luxury products from furniture, vehicles, lighting to homeware.  Then there is newcomer and ‘it-girl’ in the interior fashion arena, Milan-based architect Patricia Urquiola, best known for her signature collection designed for B&B Italia, leading Italian modern furniture manufacturer.

Dressed for success

Fabrics and window treatments in particular; bring softness and a semblance of comfort to a home.  Keep an eye (or two) open to observe and consider the significance that window dressings play in a home’s schematic. One of my favourite ways to bring vibrancy and intimacy to your home is with window treatments:  soft drapery fabric panels that are complimented by the functionality of window coverings that filter UV light and provide privacy. Luxaflex Duette Architella Shades using a fabric from the Elan range is my choice.  The Elan fabrics have a refined shimmer-like effect contrasted by a textural linen.  The colour spectrum goes from vibrant and bold to warm and subtle - a favourite being Frosted Mulberry.  Duette Shades enhance the aesthetics of a home; and of equally importance, serve as an efficient insulator that reduces energy costs.  

Mixology at its best
In central London, a household name in the high street design circles is hotelier and designer, Kit Kemp who along with husband Tim owns Firmdale Hotels.  The Kemps are opening their eighth London property, Ham Yard Hotel in June 2014.  Kit beautifully designed the guest rooms and suites, each individually styled, in keeping with her award winning luxurious, modern British style renowned for its innovation; and daring mix of colour, pattern and texture.  As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words so let’s take a sneak preview of the colours, patterns and textures that bring Ham Yard to life.

Ham Yard Hotel, London; Firmdale Hotels

Ham Yard Hotel, London; Firmdale Hotels

Ham Yard Hotel, London; Firmdale Hotels

Mixing at home

Ham Yard Hotel interiors are inspirational and cleverly considered but how does one achieve simpatico when mixing colours, fabrics and textures at home?  Here are my tips for successful mixology:

1. Vary the scale of the patterns
2. Mix textures  – not only colours and patterns
3. Combine fabrics – as example a decorative pillow using one pattern on the pillow front, a second pattern on the pillow back and a third fabric as cording
4. Give consideration to the pattern scale and the item that it will be applied; as example, a small pattern fabric often works well on a small chair.  That said, the contrary works too – a bold stripe wallpaper for a small room can be a winner
5. Know when enough is enough and when to stop adding to the mix

Interior Design Insights; Trend spotting for Luxaflex

Written by Lynn Malone, exclusively for Luxaflex

Each year in April, Salone del Mobile and Milan Design Week showcase the best in interior design fashion for the perusal and scrutiny of design trade professionals – many of who have travelled over more than one continent to attend.  Exhibits range from deep-pocketed international luxury brands with extravagantly dressed showrooms to emerging design talent operating on a shoestring camped out in a pop-up stand.  Despite the budget or showroom amenities, resoundingly there are concurrent threads that prevail.

For three glorious days, I traipsed through the football field-sized exhibition halls of Salone del Mobile and the back streets of Milan’s fashionable districts in search of embryotic trends.  I rediscovered trends that have stood the test of time, being simply reinvented.  As the saying goes, “what’s old is new again”.  Reporting exclusively for Luxaflex, here are my observations to share with you.

More are merrier
Why use one upholstery or window treatment fabric when you can use two or three!  How many times when selecting fabrics or finishes you experience difficulty narrowing your choice to the final one? If Milan 2014 design trends hold true, those days are by gone. With Luxaflex Dual Roller Blinds and Linked Roller Blinds, adding different fabrics to either compliment or contrast the room in your home is easy. From upholstered furniture to kitchen joinery finishes, there are multiple finishes – often three or more to one furniture or joinery item.  Chairs upholstered in multiple fabrics – complimentary or contrasting patterns – there are no rules in this game, it’s in the dealer’s hands.

Nature calls
If you can bring the outdoors inside then, do it!  At Milan 2014, greenery is abounded – from bathrooms with planted green walls to mini-fridges purposed to grow herbs; particularly suited for inner-city apartment dwellers.  Green is in – and its inside.

Unrefined timbers, textural - both visually and to the touch, were a key player for kitchen and bathroom joinery finishes; often counterbalanced by a polyurethane finished surface with a metallic finish thrown in for good measure. Natural earthy tones are a must in this year’s Milan 2014 design trends, if you are looking to apply this trend to your blinds, Luxaflex Verve Fabric for the Duette Architella Shades range features an urban chic with an eco-friendly quality. Made from 25% recycled materials, the irregular texture is enhanced with a subtle reflectivity in natural hues that reveal iridescent shine in natural light, making it the perfect addition to any home wanting to subtly incorporate the natural design trend.

Black out
The prevailing colour palettes were muted yet vibrantly engaged the sense of new:  biting shades of green from olive that creep to evergreen; champagne and mushroom representing the brown family; and warm grey toning from high to low.  Complimenting these palettes were splashes to swells of colour:  cobalt to indigo blues was a stand out; orangey reds and lipstick pink; and a tasting plate of mustards.  Missing in action is black and white.  One finish is a trend in its own right with descriptive to follow.

Copper colours Milan 

The finish and the ‘go to’ colour of the season is bronzed patina.  Versatile in its application, bronzed copper was the toast of the town from tables, chairs, and fabrics; and used for interior finishes from top to toe.  Polished, honed or brushed, bronze is a brilliant companion; and now is its time to shine.

Interior Design Insights; Sleepless in Milan

In part one of Lynn Malone's insights into the world of interior design, she heads to Milan to get the exclusive first look at new trends and designs for Luxaflex.

Described as a city where design never sleeps, Milan is host to the Salone del Mobile, the largest global design exhibition held annually each April.  In 1961, Salone del Mobile was founded by a handful of Italian furniture manufacturers to promote exports and to recognise Italy for its design finesse and manufacturing prowess.  Today over 160 countries are represented exhibiting furniture, fabrics, finishes, flooring, window coverings, lighting, kitchens and bathrooms; everything imaginable for home interiors.  Further boosting the regional economy during the six-day official event term, Milan inner city hotels are sold out 12 months prior; restaurants and nightlife hot spots are a buzz; and airline tickets are at a premium.

Situated in the outskirts of Milan, the Salone del Mobile 200,000 square metre fair grounds are a 40-minute train commute from the CBD.  There are 20 pavilions housing thousands upon thousands of temporary showrooms complimented by countless pop-restaurants, cafes and gelato stands.

Setting an all-time attendance record, this year over 350,000 paid visitors graced the fairgrounds.  Predominately a trade-only event, Salone del Mobile is attended by Italian and international architects; product and interior designers; manufacturers and suppliers; students and the media – all questing for a greater knowledge of the trends in design.

Biennially there are satellite specialty exhibitions – even-numbered years it is EuroCucina, kitchen and bathrooms; and odd-numbered years it is Euroluce focused on light technology.  This year was EuroCucina with six of the 20 pavilions devoted to kitchen and bathroom exhibitors and one pavilion solely focused on new technologies; and kitchen-related appliances and fixtures.  Viewing EuroCucina in its entirety takes two to three days circumnavigating the pavilions – arriving daily as the gates open at 9:30am and leaving at 6:00pm; not accounting for missed turns and retraced steps despite the explicitly informative guide books provided.

Salone del Mobile purposely showcases innovative and cutting-edge design.  That said, not all products exhibited come to fruition as manufacturers use the exhibition as a test market:  the more popular a product, the more likely it is realised.

As humongous as Salone del Mobile is in its geographical footprint and its number of exhibitors, it is the tip of the proverbial design iceberg. For every Salone del Mobile showroom there are two showrooms located in the city that participate under the umbrella of Milan Design Week.  As if 20 pavilions were not enough – top-tier brands fit out palatial inner-city villas to showcase their products in a compelling residential setting to host gala-events, cocktail parties and product launches.  For many a novice visitor to Salon del Mobile and Milan Design Week, the private showrooms are serendipitously discovered to the delight and dismay of the visitor toward the week’s end.

If trending designs tickles your interest, please tune into our next story covering emerging trends gleaned from Salone del Mobile and its world-class brands, manufacturers and top-notch designers.

Luxaflex and Colourways 2014 Trend Forecast

Buckle up and get ready for the 2014 trends to take you on a journey through time. From simple pastels to majestic jewel-like hues, this year we’re anticipating developments in fashion that will ignite the senses and take interior design to the next level.

This year, Colourways, part of the Design Institute of Australia, have forecast the following four trends: Pioneering Spirit, Industrial Evolution, Sunday Matinee and Byzantine Princess to have an impact on the broader design industry.

How did these trends come about?
Colourways, in collaboration with various design industry experts, came together to reflect on the colours, patterns and textures which had an increasing presence in the industry as well as in normal day-to-day environments. They also worked together to select various items of inspiration to capture those colours and designs and represent what they believe would continue to evolve in the year ahead.

We’re thrilled to have three Luxaflex fabrics selected as items of inspiration for 2014. These fabrics are: Telopea (colour: Storm), Mauritius (colour: Drizzle) and Harper (colour: Papaya).

Pioneering Spirit celebrates the beauty in all natural landscapes. It encourages you to be inspired by the simple things around you and use them to recreate something magnificent.

The foundation of design today has been built from the bricks of history.  Industrial Evolution embraces the dark beauty of the past and transforms different textures and grains into something contemporary.

Sunday Matinee boasts a fresh and pastel colour pallet. Taking us back in time, soft colours and dusty hues are predicted to refresh and revive, harking back to a simpler era.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Byzantine Princess encourages us to awaken our inner royal and surpass the initial perceptions of our surroundings. Take control as you embrace rich jewel-like textures and colours.









To see and feel the inspirational Luxaflex fabric range Contact your Local Luxaflex Dealer.

Fabric Trends and Luxaflex

Inspiration for some of today’s greatest fashion masterpieces have been pulled from the most unconventional of places.  From the garments hanging in your wardrobe to the blinds dressing your living room, external factors and current trends have all, in one way or another, played a part in design and development.

As an industry leader, Luxaflex Window Fashions embraced the global and local textile trends and incorporated these into their fabric selection and development processes.

There are four trends which have taken the broader fashion industry by storm. These include: Geological Reflections, Impressions of Lace, Geometrics and Three Dimensional.

1. Geological Reflections

The first of the four trends is Geological Reflections, which boast the evolution of the organic and natural forms. A combination of vivid colours, reflective surfaces and shimmery hues, allows for glitz and glamour to be used in a far from traditional manner but instead in a free-flowing and imperfect way.  

2. Impressions Of Lace

Impressions of lace as the name suggests, is the use of delicate and dainty finishes as well as fine and detailed patterns and textures. This trend is mirrored in the Luxaflex range through fabrics such as Morea and Prague-Sheer which are soft and feminine yet still manage to make a statement and maintain a modern feel.  

3. Geometrics

The Geometrics trend is dominating the Fashion, Commercial and Residential textile sectors. Next time you find yourself flicking through the pages of a Home Décor or design magazine you’ll be surprised at the amount of different geometric patterns which have made their way into the homes of trend-setters! Luxaflex has adopted this trend and introduced fabrics that use a layered weaving technique to show its sophistication and geometric design.


4. Three Dimensional

The last trend - Three Dimensional has had a great influence on home interior design and particularly on textile designs and finishes. This trend has seen the introduction of elevated surfaces which allows the fabric to become quite interactive and really come to life.

Neale Whitaker's Top Tips for Window Furnishing Trends

As part of the Home, Food and Wine Weekend LUXAFLEX® presented a discussion with Belle Editor and The Block judge Neale Whitaker on design trends in window furnishings.

Following the discussion Neale kindly provided a short but very succinct video of tips for your home when it comes to window furnishings.

He made particular mention of motorisation and we couldn’t agree more.  While you’re at it, you might want to take a look at LUXAFLEX® motorisation!

Top Trends for 2012

Modern Home Magazine’s Associate Editor, Selina Gordevich, shares her insights on the top trends in home design for 2012.

“This year is all about black. As interior designers and decorators celebrate styles like Hollywood Regency, it’s collections by Versace Home and Kelly Hoppen that are truly reflecting the black trend in home design.

Using white as a neutral base, black is taking the lead in accents and is working its way into everything from sofas to cabinetry, tap ware to lighting. While vivid shades like turquoise, denim blue, sun yellow, apple green and chromatic pink being used to complement the dark hue.

The Hollywood Regency trend combines a mix of French and Greek design combined with Modernist touches. This exciting design trend was popular in the homes of movie royalty during the golden age of Hollywood.


Another style that continues to be popular, particularly in Australia, is Coastal Chic– think lots of white with soft accents of baby blue and creamy yellow.”

If you’re brave enough choose Luxaflex Duette Shades or Roller Blinds in a black or charcoal colour. Otherwise, keep it neutral with whites and creams and pick up the trend in other home accessories. Coastal Chic is perfectly complemented by the timeless look of Luxaflex Newstyle Polyresin Shutters available in Vanilla, Pearl or White.