Bidding Farewell to Beige

Interesting fact:  Bold, unique and charismatic interior design is often a side-effect of a property market slow-down. In a housing boom, beige, grey and white are the preferred shade for home interiors owing to the desire to appeal to potential buyers. Over the last few years, grey has ruled supreme in the world of interior design. Neutrals are easier to sell, it’s a fact. So if there’s a single silver lining to this current climate of political uncertainty, it’s that finally – freed of the need to please potential buyers – we are starting to see more diverse, bold and characterful homes come to the fore.

Take a look in the windows of most urban estate agents and you’ll likely see a pattern forming: bleached wood floors, off-white walls, grey sofa, beige kitchen. This has been the norm for almost the past decade. Removing personality and quirks from our homes mean they are more likely to sell. In a housing boom, property is a hot commodity, the priority being on whether it will please prospective buyers, rather than the homeowner themselves. Even property makeover and renovation T.V programmes reinforce the narrative that bland taste is good taste.

Gradually, though, we are starting to see more and more colour, pattern and print come through. It started with jazzy tiles, seen particularly in the bathrooms of boutique hotels, and moving up through velvet, chintz, passementerie, deep paint colours and kitchens, and intricate wallpaper. 2019 is set to be the year this kind of brave interior shines – and as professional interior designers, we are living for it! These sorts of trends allow us far greater scope to flex our creative muscles. Finally freed of the desire to impress and appeal to prospective buyers, British homeowners finally seem to be bringing back personality into their homes.

If you’re looking to have a go at bringing in a bit of colour, pattern and texture into your home, read on to discover the Pfeiffer Design baby steps to a brave new world of interiors:

1. Gather inspiration: Instagram and Pinterest are great ways to collate a selection of images that make your heart sing. Try looking at restaurant and hotel instagram feeds first – the hottest new trends are usually seen there first.
2. Start small. Look to introduce patterned cushions (if they have an ornate border or tassel – all the better) into your living room or bedroom. If you aren’t convinced, stay with the guest bedroom. That way you can gradually ease yourself in.
3. Reupholstering an existing armchair is also a good option – go for a rich ochre or rust-coloured velvet, then accessorise.
4. If you were already considering a bathroom makeover, why not utilise some patterned or Terrazzo tiles? Don’t want to commit to the whole bathroom? Why not use patterned tile on a single shower wall, or even just within a storage alcove?
5. If all else fails, try paint. A deep, rich paint tone can really breathe new life into a room. It’s also easily (and affordably) reversible.