As the year starts to wane, here at Warner Contract Furniture we’ve once again been gazing into the depths of our crystal ball to discover what are going to be the top trends for commercial interior design in 2018. Whether you are planning to open a new hospitality business or looking to refresh your current layout with a few ‘on trend’ tweaks then we have the hot ticket information on what are going to be the important themes next year.
Home sweet home
Interior design is very much centred on a return to ‘home and hearth’ with a big shift toward cosy warmth when it comes to colours, furniture and overall style choices. Cold, clinical design choices are very much on the way out with people looking for a more welcoming and comfortable approach. Home-style charm is going to be an important element for any commercial interior design in 2018 – with ostentatious displays of wealth or finery being frowned on. Frugality could be the buzzword here, with less very much meaning more to contemporary designs. While simple elegance is always in vogue there is a big focus on creating welcoming spaces which look to embrace your customers with warmth, feeling and perhaps a little eccentricity rather than the slick, polished or standoffish interior designs seen in previous years.
Reuse, recycle and reduce
In keeping with the overall 2018 feel of domestic homeliness recycled materials are well favoured for all types of furniture and assortments in your business. Reclaimed wood, metals and natural textures are likely to go well with an overall design that is both welcoming and eco-friendly. Just as flamboyant gestures around wealth and opulence are on the way out, the trend for 2018 is moving firmly toward a more frugal approach where materials have been up-cycled or repurposed from their original function. This may well also help with bringing a sense of charming eccentricity to your hospitality spaces.
Greenery, naturally!
With 2018 interior design trends leaning heavily toward Mother Nature it should be no surprise that there’s a big move toward more greenery in all areas. From the simple and humble pot plant to expansive, lush foliage there’s a whole world of opportunity for using both plant and plant-images in your style choices. Branching out with some fun planters is likely to generate the “au naturel” atmosphere – not to mention some extra O2 – to your interior design choices.
Tempting textures
Matching the overarching theme of warmth and cosiness for2018 textiles are heading down the plush and plump route – emphasising comfort and homely relaxation. Big, puffy sofas and armchairs which you can simply melt into are making a comeback for areas where patrons will be welcomed or simply enjoy a drink and a chat with friends. If your tastes are more toward more rigid furniture then why not try enhancing the comfort factor with the addition of some extra upholstery or even a few, well-stuffed cushions.
The feel of textures for 2018 is leaning toward natural fibres, although plush, velvety finishes are also likely to compliment your other choices if you are looking to combine both elegance and warmth.
Hard choices
With all that we’ve said with regard to cosy homeliness and the trend in 2018 toward plush comfort and warmth, you might well be wondering what place harder materials, such as ceramics, glass and metal, have to play in your commercial interior design. Don’t panic: as long as you keep to the theme of warmth you’ll be fine. For example, terracotta, marble or natural stone are an ideal choice for tiles and rustic pottery vases, while glass should be visibly recycled or reused in an imaginative way, in keeping with the ‘reduce, recycle and reduce’ elements mentioned above. Finally, warm metals such as gold, rose gold or brass will match in well, while silver can add a touch of brightness if required.
Darkness and light
The heavy emphasis in 2018 on cosy, warm spaces that remind you of home might lead you to think that dim lighting is the order of the day – not at all. Bright lighting designs are a great way to lift the potential gloom with the surprising contrast of things like natural woods and ceramics positively glowing under high-intensity lighting. In general these should be more toward the focused luminescence of spotlights and LEDs rather than the flat, far less interesting (or complimentary) fluorescent strip lighting.
You might well feel yourself being drawn to accenting gloomier corners or hard to light areas with the inclusion of a few, well-chosen desk or table lamps. ‘Over the shoulder’ reading lamps might also make an attractive and intriguing lighting design for bar areas or lounges.
The hot colours for 2018…
It will probably come as no surprise that the colour palette of choice for 2018 sits firmly in the warm part of the spectrum, with reds and associated ‘fire’ colours, such as oranges, warm yellows and even pinks, definitely in vogue. As red is traditionally associated with heat, positivity and energy this is the colour to bring a positive vibe to your commercial interior designs in 2018. Try a variety of tones from a range of warm colours to prevent an overall flat colour experience. Complimentary shades of red can work well together – from a bright splash of colour to lift a range of more neutral natural colours or used in a wider area to bring a sense of visual highs and lows to your space.
…cool alternate colour choices
For those looking for something a little cleaner and fresher in the interior design a great alternative is the whimsical and warm shade of teal. Although, this sits in the opposite side of the spectrum to the ‘on trend’ colours of red, orange and yellow it is blessed with being a sophisticated and elegant hue – without being cold or standoffish as some of the other turquoise tones can be. Used in a clever way, in concert with natural textures and materials, this is a colour which will elevate your public areas without overpowering them.