CALA interior designer shares top 2020 design trends to inspire your home

More time at home, changing seasons and an increased appreciation for simplicity have been big influences on recent interiors trends.

If you’re moving house, looking to redecorate, or simply want to update your current décor, Eileen Kesson, the interior designer behind the style of the CALA showhome in Grandhome, shares some of her favourite trends of 2020.  

Bring the Outdoors In

“We are seeing are two very different design directions coming through. The first is a soft organic theme of natural materials like grass, cloth type wall coverings, rattan detailing on furniture, pale blonde woods and chalky paints in the full spectrum of greens, all teamed with living planting adding ‘life’ and greenery.”

How To:

Houseplants can bring life to a room, and there is so much choice on the market. Rooted in Scotland is an Aberdeen-based store specialising in houseplants, so why not visit the shop or website to bring some colour to your home. Even better, if you buy from the mini cactus/succulent range at Rooted In Scotland, all of the proceeds go to Northsound 1 Cash for Kids, supporting children in the North East.

The Dulux Colour of the Year was named as Tranquil Dawn, a soft green that brings peace and a sense of the outdoors into the home. Many have brought the colour into otherwise neutral rooms to bring a splash of colour in the form of a feature wall, while others have spruced up kitchen and utility room cupboards with the colour, complementing gold kitchen hardware like taps and door handles.

Making a statement

“Another theme is a much more luxe and opulent palette of rich emerald and deep blues, brass or gold detailing, warm walnut wood finishes and bold ‘statement’ panoramic feature walls with super-scale foliage or botanical motifs to add drama.”

How to:

Local independent stores like Chameleon, Copper & Grey and Juniper have a wide variety of stylish furniture, storage and home accessories that reflect both the natural trend and bolder colours that add a pop of colour to any room.

Create that luxe and opulence by taking a look at charity and antique stores that are often full of timeless pieces to upcycle with chalk paint and some brass or gold handles. You could also take a look at local companies like The Attic, who specialise in upcycling.

Connecting your space

“Focus on colour coordination, balance and a smooth harmonious flow from room to room. Although each space should always have its own ‘wow’ such as an amazing light or a favourite print, try to keep a ‘thread’ of connection between all the spaces. Personally I am a huge wallpaper fan – a fabulous on-trend wallpaper can add instant pizazz and lift a room in an afternoon!”

How to:

Bring some colour to your home for autumn with some earthy, autumnal tones. For those who took up crafty hobbies during lockdown, now is the time to experiment with paints to create abstract prints in earthy colours, knit neutral throws or paint a feature wall in a deep orange colour.

Macramé has grown in popularity over the last few months in particular and can instantly brighten a room or feature wall. A form of textile that uses knotting techniques, you can purchase these decorations in many stores, or you can try some DIY.

You can purchase paint and decorating equipment in independent local shops, like Kynoch and Robertson.

New home styling

If you’ve purchased a new home, Eileen has some tips for styling from a blank canvas:

“A blank canvas soon becomes less daunting when you start to focus on your ‘core choices’. The flooring and your kitchen choices are the two springboard areas that we usually start with in showhome design.

“From there, you can continue to layer in your other important ‘fixed’ features such as tiling and wardrobe finishes. Take photos as you go; these are great to refer to and allow you to stand back and really consider what might or might not work in a more objective way.”