2020 Design Trends

Do you want to update your home this year, but don’t know where to start? 

It’s no secret here at Design Vintage that we love ELLE Deco’s inspirational take on interiors.  The magazine’s 2020 Trend Watch makes especially fascinating reading – because it sums up what we do best at Design Vintage… . So, how can you create stylish 2020 interiors the Design Vintage way?

Layer old and new

Why mix old and new furniture and accessories together?  We all want our homes to feel interesting and full of character. A classic interior designer trick to inject instant personality is layering old and new to create a textured mix of eras and styles, which are then linked by a blended colour palette.  Getting the balance right between old and new is essential. Are you more vintage? Or more design? How do you want your room to feel?

Our founder Lisa Brass often advises customers on how to successfully mix old and new pieces in a room. “Try not to overthink the issue,” explains Lisa. “Generally vintage pieces will just sit nicely alongside modern design.  Either start with one or two key vintage pieces you love and work from there, adding new smaller pieces and accessories, or if your larger pieces are modern try adding vintage accessories for texture – stools, wooden bowls, etc. Playing with vintage is one area in your home where you really can break all the rules.” However generous your budget, it’s easier to justify investing in that new sofa you want, if you can add a reclaimed sideboard or inherited console table into the mix.

In need of a timeless piece? At DV, when we say vintage, we mean vintage…rather than new furniture distressed to look old! Our range of vintage furniture, which dates from the late 1800s to the 1930s, is all restored by a family-run firm of carpenters in Hungary who use traditional techniques and craftmanship.

Meet the New Neutrals – Earth tones

With so much focus on how we care for our biggest home – Planet Earth – it’s not surprising that a key design trend for 2020 is warm, natural colours. Think soft beige, muted browns and earthy taupe with lots of our favourite textures, like our Beehive Throw for example.  These colours celebrate the best of nature’s beauty and provide a stunning colour palette for natural, wooden furniture like our range of Moroccan Stools and Benches made from woven palm leaves and palm wood as well as original vintage woods like the Vintage Elm Stools.

How do you know which colours to choose in the new neutrals range?

“Start with some pale beige or taupe and build layers from there,” advises Lisa. “Whether your existing colour scheme is warm colours or cool whites, you can add the elements of nature with texture as well as tone.  A Sheepskin, a Wool Rug, Camel Linen Cushions or a creamy textural throw will put you right on trend. Try adding vintage woods to really bring nature in – whether it’s a small bowl or a larger bench – you really can’t go wrong.”

This natural colour palette takes added warmth from earthy greens.  Bring them into your home with our easy-to-care-for (by which we mean, ‘even we can’t kill them’) Faux Botanicals. From the soft green of our Olive Trees to the deep tones of our Ferns or beach-coloured Banksia Sand Stems, you can find a new neutral botanical to suit your style in our wide range. We also sell Macrame Plant Holders, pots and vases to show them off, because we’re good like that.

Dare to go dark

Want to add warmth and drama to your rooms? Then dark painted doors and wall panels are an interior design trend for you. Why? Many people opt for white or neutral walls to create a backdrop for their favourite furniture, art and accessories. At Design Vintage we do of course love that ‘pale and interesting’ look, however introducing bold, rich colours is an instant way to add drama to your interiors and highlight the character of pieces like a Vintage Sideboard for example.  “Dark blues and greens show no sign of losing favour but I particularly love the move to full on black,” says Lisa. “If you’re ready to cross to the dark side then why not go all the way? Dark is particularly successful in a room that struggles for light – I have a panelled front room, which I (painstakingly!) painted white years ago, but it never felt quite right as it was on the darker side of the house.  I’ve recently re-painted the panelling jet black and it feels so much cosier and more welcoming.”  (Keep an eye on the blog for upcoming articles on the ongoing saga of Lisa’s Georgian renovation!)

How do I know what height panelling to use in my room?

As a general rule if you think that full height panelling will be overpowering, fit panelling up to either a third or two-thirds of the room’s height and use a contrasting colour or white above.  Play with different styles, whether that’s more traditional tongue and groove or raised square panels, as seen here, which are definitely having a moment.

Bold Black & Cool White

If you want your interiors to say, “I am elegant and sophisticated” – then monochrome is the perfect colour combination. Black and white interiors are classic – in a good way. This timeless look also offers you the chance to embrace clean, contemporary style or to channel a comfortable, layered look with different textures and fabrics.  “Avoid monochrome looking stark or soulless by adding natural woods into the equation,” advises Lisa. “Contrast black walls with a natural wood floor or furniture. In a white interior try black window frames and/or doors for a stunning effect.” Are you tempted by monochrome? Have you seen our stunning Scandinavian styled Sofa Collection, designed in Denmark by Tine K Home?  We challenge you not to fall for our coordinating Linen Love Seat and there’s no need to be too precious about spills as the covers are removable and we offer replacements across this range.

For a natural take on noir, our Black Pebble Pendants by Ay Illuminate in the Netherlands, are made from 100% recycled cardboard. They are sold with a black metal ceiling rose, 3-metre black cord and black enamel bulb holder.

Rattan and Wicker Furniture

We have had a design crush on rattan and wicker furniture for years. Finally, the trend makers have agreed with us.  Originally associated with 1970s outdoor furniture, we love rattan and wicker for their versatile style. It works in literally every room – even the bedroom, as you can see with our Boho Rattan Headboard.  “This style is a perfect fit for the natural earthy colour palette we mentioned earlier,” says Lisa. “A single rattan chair or a statement wicker lampshade brings much-needed texture into any space as well as that Boho vibe, which is so current. Think effortless styling and that much-loved ideal of blurring the boundaries between inside and out.”  Do you need more rattan and wicker in your life? Check out our Rattan Bowl Hanging Chair, our new favourite the Rika Nature Chair or the Palma Rattan Coffee Table and Palma Rattan Side Table.

Images here from the newly launched 2020 collection by Tine K Home at Design Vintage coming soon! If you would like to know more about any of our ranges or would like fabric samples for our sofas, please get in touch, and we will be happy to help.

Here’s to a Happy – and stylish – New Year from all of us at Design Vintage.