Posted: Friday, August 6, 2010 2:22 pm

Multi award winning British Designer, Kelly Hoppen MBE, gives her report for 2010's interior design trends:

2010 seems to have sprung around so quickly with so much having happened last year. The recession has been unpleasant and a huge struggle for so many but what it has done, on a positive note as far as I am concerned, it has made people in all industries more level headed, more down to earth and wanting to be part of a team again. 

This year, I have thought long and hard about writing my annual trend report, I feel that, although times have changed but people still want luxury. The meaning of luxury has been redefined in my eyes. I looked back over all the trend reports I have written in the last ten years and whether it was East meets West, Baroque Minimalist or Pure Modernism, I believe the trend for this up and coming year is called Linear Shabby Chic.


People now want their homes to look like they have lived there for years, slightly lived in and a bit creased but with a defined edginess to it, looking like a look has been thrown together with a bit of this from his house and a bit of this from hers.

This is not a squashy country look, it is in fact still very city, very LA, very New York, Paris and so on but it has a softer edge with creases as well as defining lines which are pure and clever. Our homes are not there to say how much we have but to say how happy and comfortable we are in the most chic way possible.


Further 2010 trends:

Colours: NEUTRALS still rock and always will, as far as I'm concerned, but the added bits like art, photography etc, as just described, can be anything and everything.

Lighting: this is very very important as I always say, hidden and concealed lighting creating clever shadows and then adding magnificent star pieces to be lit, builds character and ambience to. LUTRON is the way forward for sexy lighting and it’s simply done with one hit.

Carpets and rugs: PATTERN, SHAG and THICK PILES with a comfortable sinking feeling are also a must for this year.

Tables: Tabletops will be MIX AND MATCH and Dining REFECTORY TABLES are in, not only in wood but with edgy lacquers and yes benches are going to be huge but with massive vintage or modern lighting hanging above the table to give the linear shabby chic feel.

Furniture: this will be anything but sofas will be rounder and deeper. Vintage coffee tables and piled trunks will be seen in all materials that you would not normally expect.

Kitchens: designs will be simple but with a modern twist, plates will be on show giving the kitchen a very Italian look and feel.

Bedrooms will be sexy, warm and inviting with lots of texture. There will however be less in the room making the bed the star piece, a place that you need to be able to sink into and sleep soundly.

Walls will be very seductive and edged and capped in metals. Wallpaper will be also be massive this year and it will all be textural so don't be surprised to see wood chip paper reappearing.

Floors: there will be a lot of wood in all colours.

Accessories: Easy crystals will be a must have to balance homes and at the same time look beautiful.