Top Autumn design trends revealed by Alexander James Interior Design

Top Autumn design trends revealed by Alexander James Interior Design

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom
  • Rich jewel tones are at the centre of autumn’s design inspiration
  • Keep nature in the home with large floral prints on walls and cushions
  • Add warmth with raw brass touches as the nights lengthen

While the rest of us have been enjoying the summer holidays, the team at Alexander James Interior Design have been busily working away on this autumn’s top interior design trends. Now, Creative Director Stacey Sibley has shared her expert insights into this autumn’s must-have colours, fabrics and florals.

“We’ve seen a real inclination for soft, muted tones over the spring and summer. All that’s going to change in the autumn, as bright jewel colours burst onto the interiors scene. Colours are all about the rich warmth of teals, burnt oranges, shaded spruce and autumn maple. These are bold tones for uplifting interiors – we’ll be brightening up the indoors as the outdoors dims in preparation for winter.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

Plush, patterned fabrics will complement the bold jewel colours of autumn. Sibley highlights the new Bonheur velvet from Zinc Textiles as an example. The plush velvet is interspersed with multi-tonal textural bouclé yarns to form a deconstructed hounds tooth design that is both elegant and warm.

Meanwhile, summer’s fascination with nature will continue, but with a shift into more rich, floral patterns.

“Florals this autumn will be larger than life – picture rich velvet cushions printed with large scale, expressive tulips, apple blossom and roses. The Designers Guild’s new cushions epitomise this trend. We’re also seeing floral prints in wallpapers and fabrics that look like old master still life paintings, allowing us to incorporate these into the home in exciting new ways – it’s a modern twist on classical prints.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

When it comes to larger items of furniture, colour comes to the fore once more. Julian Chichester’s beautifully sculpted, teal vellum Deneuve Cabinet is the ultimate example. Double curved ends provide elegance while the textured raw brass detail that follows the shape of the front of the cabinet pairs perfectly with autumn’s favoured tones.

For smaller accessories, it’s all about blending those jewel colours with interesting textures. Healthfield & Co’s emerald Amelia table lamp reflects the autumnal trend perfectly. A design collaboration with Zoffany, the hand-crafted lamp features stunning volcanic glass detailing, meaning that each piece is unique. Antique brass and a satin shade finishes the lamp beautifully.

“Finally this autumn, don’t forget the importance of art. If you’re nervous about how to introduce jewel tones, opt for something like Trowbridge Gallery’s Lovebird Feathers. It’s a stunning piece that shows the bright, delicate plumage of the world’s smallest parrot. The close-up of the rainbow spectrum of colours is truly beautiful and adds a wonderful sense of texture as well as colour.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

With the longest day already well behind us, it’s time to enjoy the rest of the summer while preparing for the autumn. Make sure you’re ready for the arrival of dark skies and darker evenings by giving your home the rich colour boost it deserves.

For more information, visit Alexander James Interior Design at www.aji.co.uk or call 020 7887 7604. 

Dressing for PRS success: Changing the look of build-to-rent

Dressing for PRS success: Changing the look of build-to-rent

by Charlotte Ashton United Kingdom ,

 

  • Contemporary tenant demand means rental homes are stylish and uncluttered, with bright, bold colours (Alexander James Interior Design)
  • 20% of UK households now rent privately (English Housing Survey)
  • Interior design increasingly important to PRS developers, landlords and tenants alike (Alexander James Interior Design)

The 2015 – 2016 English Housing Survey confirmed the continuing importance of the private rented sector (PRS), which now houses 20% of UK households (around 4.5 million households in total).

The growth of this sector over the past decade, combined with the increase in buy-to-let investment in the UK and the introduction of build-to-rent schemes, has changed the dynamics of the rental sector – and the look of it.

“For many young people, buying a home in the UK simply isn’t an option, so instead they are happy to rent a home that’s better located and better dressed than they would be able to afford to buy.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

 

Based on Zoopla listings for furnished versus unfurnished properties available to rent (using Manchester as a sample city), some 76% of properties are available furnished, while 17% are available unfurnished (with the remaining homes being part-furnished).

In Birmingham, 60% are furnished and 27% unfurnished. In London (using Clapham as an example area), the same search criteria produce 56% furnished properties, 25% unfurnished and 19% part-furnished.

According to the experts at Alexander James Interior Design, the growth of the private rented sector has led to a keen interest from both developers and private landlords in dressing their properties for maximum impact, as they seek to keep up with demand from tenants seeking stylish furnished homes.

“Quite simply, the better a property looks and the greater the flexibility it offers to an occupier, the more people will want to live there. With this, we see homes commanding higher rents and minimised void periods, making for a better investment for landlords.

This is a key factor behind the increasing demand for interior design services across the private rented sector. In an environment of competing new build properties, where one apartment can be identical to the next, savvy build-to-rent developers and professional landlords are looking to make their properties stand out from the crowd – interior design can do just that.” 

Richard Angel, Managing Director for London, Alexander James Interior Design

However, it’s not just those owning and managing properties that are placing increasing value on interior design when it comes to the rental sector. Tenants have become more discerning as the sector has expanded.

“People of all ages are struggling more to get on the housing ladder than used to be the case. This has definitely influenced the style of the PRS in several ways. Millennials, for example, are looking for ultra-contemporary rental properties with outstanding design and a whole host of stylish features. They demand the best and the PRS has stepped up to provide that in its efforts to court the spending power of this vast market.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

 

Clean, uncluttered design, natural elements and bold splashes of colour all work well for this market, according to the Alexander James team.

Paints, furniture and fabrics are selected with durability in mind, due to the nature of the rental sector but not at the expense of stylish design.

With the average tenancy length now just 18 months, according to Direct Line for Business, properties can be refreshed regularly in order to keep up with evolving trends.

As the private rented sector continues to grow, so too will the importance of interior design. Good design can turn a house (or apartment) into a home, ensuring that tenants want to live there long-term and look after the property. This offers longer-term security to tenants while also minimising landlords’ costs and ensuring that their valuable investment is carefully looked after.

For more information, visit Alexander James Interior Design at www.aji.co.uk or call 0203 362 0472.