2024 TRENDS / NEWS BLOG:
Interiors of Distinction
Painting, Decorating & Restoration.
Hexham, Corbridge. Northumberland. UK.
Trends for 2024.
Whilst ‘trends’ change & evolve, they do so at different paces - Some remain popular for years.
The overall look for 2024 seems to continue from 2023, understated luxury mixing beauty with imperfection, but introducing some nature into our homes.
Escalating fuel prices / living costs, the war in Ukraine & Israel still coming to terms with leaving the EU will continue to dominate uncertainty in 2024.
One thing is quite clear, the 'don't move' improve adage will continue.
You heard it hear first!
The biggest trend in 2024, as the old saying goes;
"Out with the old, "In with the new"
In 2024 the opposite may be true.
Retro and vintage are making a big comeback in decor, furniture, and design.
Is Green the new grey?
Grey has been huge over the last few years & still continues to have a place in 2024,
however the new colours of the year will be Greens & Blues.
With their calming qualities for creating contented homes, deep lush greens are a step closer to surrounding ourselves with nature.
Think of olive greens, earthy colours will further enhance green tones.
Greens can be classy, timeless, elegant, calm & uplifting, maybe even more important to condider during these unprecedented times.
POWER OF GREEN; The use of green is fantastic for bringing in colours from outside & complementing woods within the home......Don’t forget?
Beige's will remain popular, a timeless classic colour that never ages & never offends the eye.
Beiges that I am talking about are those less yellow, warmer greyer beiges, with a hint of more softness.
Example; ‘Elephants Breath’ by Farrow & Ball.
Coral pinks to pastel peach, to dark rust to deep chocolate browns will be winners in 2024.
Yes! Browns will make a welcome comeback, bringing warmth & life back into homes. Dark chocolate, right through to pale caramel & tans.
Who wouldn't want to surround themselves with chocolate & caramel?
For lovers of dark interiors & feature walls, colours will be replaced with dirty Teals, Blues & Burgundys & Plum, which will look dramatic & upbeat.
After the popularity of Rose gold, its on its way out! Making way for mixing metals such as brass, gold & copper, creating a warm feel in the home.
It looks great with rough timbers & brickwork!
Cork still making a comeback, with its warmth, texture & noise absorbing properties. Entire walls could be covered.
I have recently just completed a room with luxurious cork wallpaper, you can certainly feel the warmth, texture & luxurious look of the finished room!
Rolling on from 2023, popular choices will be to create havens of calm & tranquility, snugs, nooks, bedrooms etc, for an escape from our increasingly technological lives.
2024 is also a year about textures, velvet will become one of the favourite finishes for the season & beyond.
Velvet will add a touch of luxurious comforts to sofas & armchair upholstery, shades of bold Jewel tones, such as the colour of the year 'Emerald' & Ruby, Teals, Silvers & Greys.
Stephen M Davidson 2023
My final thoughts;
At the end of the day, decorating interiors is not all about the latest trends, style guides & following rules.
Yes! there will always be a certain look that captures our imagination, sweeping into our homes in waves, before retreating & making way for the next batch.
Its more about creating a home you will feel comfortable & relaxed in, a home that is personal to you
I would be more than delighted to help with advice on Interior Design, Colour Scheming, Lighting, ’which is so important to the overall scheme’ planning & the practical work involved, to create the beautiful home you desire.
Stephen Davidson-January 2024
Homeowners Improve, Rather than move!
With the housing market taking it's time to pick up, it is a great opportunity for home owners to add value to their property.
Long gone are the days when a home would appreciate in value just by standing there.
Any real chance of increase in your property is by making it more desirable.
Making improvements to your home will help it sell quicker & for more money!
If you have no intention of moving, there are many low cost ways to revitalise & transform your home.
Which improvements will most increase the value of your property?
According to the centre for economics & business research, the top 5 projects for adding value to your properties, in order of importance are;
- Decorating Throughout.
- Wood or Laminate Flooring.
- Two Storey Extension.
- Kitchen Re-Fit.
- One Story Extension.
Other projects which can add value to a property include;
A professional loft conversion with en-suite, if room allows.
Fitted wardrobes.
Conservatory & double-glazing providing the style & materials are sympathetic to the property.
An additional washroom/toilet is also a practical & valuable addition to any home, again a good investment!
Many older properties still maintain many original architectural features & are very sought after for their character.
Original plaster mouldings are still used today to enhance & beautify any room in today's modern homes, as well as restoring or adding to older properties.
This can be a worthwhile addition to your home & value of your property.
Careful planning & a professional installer is essential.
Overall 48% of chartered surveyor estate agents revealed the slow sales market is prompting people to improve their properties rather than move.
Following relaxation to planning laws and allow householders to extend their homes without the need for planning permission, the Nationwide Building Society has produced some very encouraging figures on the true value of extending a home. In fact adding an extension or loft conversion to a property could increase its value by almost a quarter, according to research.
The house price index special report also found that creating an extra bathroom could add 6% to the value and adding another double bedroom can push up the value by 12%.
In addition, building an extension or loft conversion to create a double bedroom and en-suite bathroom could add 23% to the value, while increasing floor space by 10% can add 5% to the average value.
The cost for building an extension can cost, on average around £1,500 per sq mtr or £40,000 for a single storey and £96,000 for a double storey.
Loft conversions with Velux can cost on average of £30,000, the addition of 2 Dormer windows can add another £9,000, & en-suite a further £5,000.
Extending may well be the only solution for the growing family in the current market.
NOTE: Costs incurred for improvements will not always be covered by the potential increase in a property's value, as this depends on the quality of the work undertaken & other features, such as style & location.
What can de-value your property!
Poor tradesmen, dodgy workmanship, bodge ups, poor decorating & D.I.Y. can end up being a complete waste of time & money, so much so, the consequences of such work could de-value your property!
A reputable trade professional is essential to improve your home!
Choose workmen which carry a good reputation, public liability insurance, ask for references, qualifications / affiliated member of a national organisation. Best of all word of mouth!
Print