Looking for a steer on the upcoming (and outgoing) furniture and interiors trends? In January's issue, Elena Mellowes, the head of buying at Oak Furnitureland, offered her take on what we can expect to see in 2024/25 …
The cost of living crisis will continue to impact purse strings this year, with value remaining front of mind for many people. We’re increasingly seeing customers come to us looking for quality products which will stand the test of time and add style to their homes without overstretching their budgets.
With value continuing to be important, we expect to see the home play an even more important role as a social hub, as consumers choose to entertain at home over going out, with people looking for furniture that will support this experience.
We expect to see more ‘social seating’ – larger, open-corner sofas, which will take the central spot in a room. Dining tables with extending mechanisms will become increasingly important, as will upholstered dining chairs that encourage lounging and conversation after dinner.
We’re anticipating a subtle shift in colour and material trends, with a palette of new neutrals, moving away from greys into taupes. We also expect fabrics becoming more tactile and cosy, with boucles moving into soft woven fabrics in strong but liveable colours such as green, ochre and cobalt blue.
The minimal-luxe look is set to be a dominant look in 2024, blending softer finishes with texture and metallic touches for a premium finish. Mixed materials will still be relevant, but finishes will become matte, rather than shiny, while woods will become washed and low gloss. This reflects a desire from customers to continue to create calm, more refined spaces with comfort and longevity in mind.
And what trends do you expect to see losing momentum?
We expect to see fewer minimalistic, all-white spaces, as homes become more cosy, liveable and warm. We’ll move away from harsh, traditional straight lines into curves, arches and softer edges, for a touch of gentle modernity over brash maximalism. Across both design and colour palettes, customers are opting for style with longevity over personality accents, which can be more short-term trends. We expect to see a continued interest in long-lasting, high-quality furniture pieces over statement trend items, as people seek better value from their purchases.
Talk us through one of your products or ranges that highlights an incoming trend …
Our Newton collection is the perfect example of the new warmer, washed palette we will see become more popular. The more practical dimensions offer flexibility for hosting, and a quality solid wood design will become more aspirational as people opt for long-lasting quality.
The simple elevated leg and soft edges play into the soft contours trend we will see in 2024, whilst the stunning four-poster bed that converts into a standard bed by simply removing the posts allows customers to style their home up or down as it suits them.
Read the rest of our furniture trend forecast here.
Pictured: Newton bed
