Mottershead calls them “earthy yet refined”, a quality that makes them “the perfect backdrop to the natural materials currently being incorporated in contemporary interiors, including wicker, rattan, warm woods and stone finishes”.
What may appear to be slightly old-fashioned colours get a fresh new look when paired with paler tones, such as blush pink or pale blue, or with brighter accents. Designer Kit Kemp concurs that “the warmth of umber tones” will be “bringing joy into rooms in 2024”, alongside “pops of fresh green and dashes of zesty orange detailing on accessories or piping to outline furniture and add another layer of character”.
Trend forecasters Pantone and WGSN have both predicted that warm, peachy tones will be big in the coming year. Although Peach Fuzz, the particular shade that Pantone is pushing, might suggest “teenage bedroom circa 1989” rather than sophisticated living space, again, there are ways to use peach tones stylishly: Colefax and Fowler’s Squiggle wallpaper and fabric pattern, for example, or Soho Home’s Antique Rose velvet upholstery.
Unlike bolder colours, earthy tones are easier to pair with others, so will have more longevity, making them the opposite of a flash-in-the-pan trend, says interior designer Ashley Kruger of StudioMorey: “Natural colours such as olive green, forest brown, burgundy and creamy whites have a timeless quality, so you can invest in earthy-coloured furnishings and know they will not become outdated.”
2. The “old money” aesthetic
Although this originated on social-media platform TikTok, where trends come and go in the blink of an eye, it’s probably the one with the most longevity: it may be inspired by Gen Z wanting to imitate an old-money lifestyle, whether or not they live in a stately home, but it’s a look that has cross-generational appeal. Think of it as the interior-design equivalent of the King in a patched up jacket and mended shoes: it celebrates the value in something classic and well-made, rather than consigning an old piece to the skip and replacing it with something new.
It might be giving old curtains a new lease of life by adding a border, or re-stuffing and upholstering a comfortable but threadbare armchair. And if you don’t already have such ready-aged things, it’s easy to find an old chair to revive, or a vintage portrait in a junk shop that could depict an ancestor.
The sustainability element of this make-do-and-mend approach is obvious – and very Gen Z – but it also makes sense on a financial level: vintage and antique furniture and artworks can be picked up at antiques markets and auctions for less than the price of an equivalent, newly made piece, and they’ll instantly give a room a sense of gravitas.
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