- Design & Trends
16 August 2024
Unveiling the Interior Design Trends of 2024
In the ever-evolving world of interior design, each year brings forth a fresh wave of innovation and creativity, shaping the spaces we inhabit into reflections of contemporary lifestyles and aspirations. In 2024, the design landscape continues to evolve, offering an exciting array of trends that promise to redefine our living spaces with style, functionality and personality.
With our exclusive interior design workshop taking place later this month, we sat down with the event’s host, Suzy Webster (who also served as an interior design consultant on our new show home) to pick her brains about the interior design trends that are shaping 2024. This is what she had to say…
What are your top five latest interior design trends for new build homes and why?
Suzy Webster: “Number one would be panelling, like we have installed in Thomas Alexander’s Manor Gardens show home in Brafferton. It’s really popular as it adds an element of texture and detail and can also be painted very easily to change the entire feel of a new home.
“Murals are a great choice for children’s rooms as they create a wonderful feature that greets you as soon as you enter.
“In terms of colours, earthy and natural tones are very on trend right now, as is biophilic design, which is where homeowners bring themselves closer to nature by incorporating things like natural lighting or natural landscape features into their interior design choices.
“Both these trends influenced our decision to use a lot of green in the Manor Gardens show home, which I think is lovely for a development in a rural location like Brafferton.
“Next up would be using textural elements. Mixing wood, metal, and textiles, for example, adds depth to any space and helps make it more visually interesting. For this reason and in a continuation of the ‘earthy’ trend, we used lots of soft wood finishes and wooden furniture – such as the textural-feature furniture in the lounge – in Thomas Alexander’s show home.
“Finally, statement lighting, which is great for both a touch of glamour and functionality.”
How can people implement these trends into their homes?
SW: “Panelling and murals are very easy to install. If you’ve never tried before then maybe watch a couple of YouTube videos to find out how it’s done but if you really can’t manage yourself, you can always book a joiner or a decorator.
“Homeowners should also look at Pinterest and Instagram to find out about trending colours and furniture – they’re great places to start creating your own mood board.
“Lighting is key in any home and is relatively straightforward to change to suit your style. In kitchens and bathrooms, good lighting that illuminates the whole space is vital but where possible, try to include some mood lighting for evening use too, such as under kitchen cabinets. Lamps are essential for mood lighting in bedrooms and lounges and are best placed in reading areas or places where you may need task lighting, such as on desks or in craft corners.
“Statement lighting works brilliantly over a dining table, so long as it doesn’t hang so low that you can’t see your dinner guests!”
Which room should new homeowners concentrate on first?
SW: “It’s always a good idea to start with the heart of the home, where we spend much of our time and generally entertain guests, so aiming for the kitchen or dining room is a safe bet.”
In your opinion, what is the key to good interior design?
SW: “People should use classic details and designs that will stand the test of time and not just end up being a trend or phase.
“For example, panel details are so easy to apply to walls with moulding strips. Once painted the same colour as the wall they create a beautiful detail which would not look out of place in a more traditional home. The central panel can then be wallpapered or mirror inset to create a different look every few years.”
What makes Thomas Alexander Homes so fun to work with from an interior design perspective?
SW: “It has been great working with Thomas Alexander on their latest show home at Brafferton. Founders Alex and Tom have been great to work with as they’re always open to suggestions and new ideas, and they were happy to trust my judgement on the area and its demographic.
“Brafferton is actually very local to my own design studio so it’s been nice to work so close to home too!”
For more inspiration and to hear from Suzy in person, register your interest to attend our interior design workshop at our Manor Gardens development in Brafferton, on Saturday, May 18th, from 12pm – 4pm, by calling: 0113 487 8787.