Gina Munro
*This article first in our Home Improver Bathroom Splash issue
Cape Town-based international interior designer Gina Munro of StudioMunro gives us her five top trends for this year.
Colour and pattern: Earthy, neutral tones will always make for a timeless palette, however colour is making a big comeback. Bright statement colours are a sure way to keep our spirits up.
Combining colour with bold patterns, whether on a feature wallpaper or an upholstered occasional chair, is a wonderful way to highlight key areas in a living, working or leisure space.
It isn’t about inserting colour everywhere but rather about using it as an accent which brings an entire scheme together.
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If you’re afraid of colour and pattern, apply the notion to loose items such as cushions, a statement vase or striking rug. Think blues, greens, reds, pinks.
More than just greenery:
People have become obsessed with greenery and this trend is definitely not going away anytime soon.
Bringing the outdoors in continues to be a growing trend, especially for those who don’t have large gardens or green fingers. But it doesn’t need to stop there – now is the time to get creative with planters.
From pedestal options to textured and over-sized ceramic planters, it’s all about what your plant lives in. Table-top solutions are definitely on the up, especially when curated in large eclectic groups. Planters themselves can also be beautiful stand-alone accessories, even without a plant – a great sculptural option in an entrance hallway or enclosed balcony
Custom Pieces:
Over the past year, we have become a lot more sentimental about our personal spaces, and with that, we seem to be paying more attention to how we use furniture at home.
We have come to learn what does and doesn’t work, and there is a definite shift from simply wanting off-the-shelf items to customising key pieces or even hunting for unique items. Not only do we want aesthetically pleasing furniture but there is now a much bigger demand for items that are also practical.
Kitchen & Dining Musts:
The kitchen is often the heart of the home but this isn’t the case for everyone. Over the past year, many small food businesses have popped up, providing delectable home-cooked meals to those who don’t feel confident in the kitchen.
If anything, the past year has seemed all about food. Whether you’re cooking yourself or getting meals catered, how you present your food is important. Collect key kitchen items such as crockery and focus on how you plate what you eat.
Signature serving dishes, sculptural cutlery and handmade vessels are talking points on their own. This gives us a chance, when entertaining, to express our personal style through simple day-to-day items.
Reviving forgotten items:
Decluttering our lives seems to have become a trend in itself and, through this cathartic experience, we are finding unused sentimental bits and bobs that have been hidden away and forgotten.
It’s time to shift our mindsets – instead of “out with the old and in with the new”, let’s think, “bring the old into the new”. It could be an artwork that’s been fat-packed in the back of a spare-room cupboard and needs a more modern frame. Or perhaps it’s hand-me-down vintage dinner plates that could be mounted on a wall in the dining room. Older, sentimental items can fnd their place in 2021 and tell their own story.