December 12, 2019 Three Serene Thoughts for The New Year

As 2019 draws to a close and we look to the new year, trend forecasters are swinging into action with a barrage of predictions about what’s hot and what’s not going forward.

During the festive season most people are under assault from all directions, so we hope those of you lucky enough to have time to read this blog amid the onslaught of Christmas shopping lists, cooking to-dos and more, will take solace from this pared back trinity of ideas for a smooth transition into 2020. They may well also form a solid basis for your future luxury home designs.

True blue

In early December, global colour giant Pantone announced Classic Blue as the colour for 2020. A harbinger of calm, confidence and connection, blue is associated with communication, intelligence and clarity. It’s also the colour of authority and stability. As such it’s a perfect foil for our daily busy-ness, a soothing hue for calming the mind amid the current climate of digital distraction and global political flux.

The Ridgewood Rowhouse in New York City (interior pictured top), re-thought by White Arrow and recently featured in Dezeen is a great example of its use.

[https://www.dezeen.com/2018/01/21/white-arrow-renovates-ridgewood-rowhouse-brooklyn-navy-millwork-modernist-furniture/] The blue cabinetry in the kitchen (pictured top) is offset by blue and white china decor and copper light fittings and tapware. And by treating only highlight pieces, the colour can easily be replaced via a new paint job as desired, although the ‘classic’ in Classic Blue looks set to pay dividends in terms of longevity.

Industrial with a difference

The industrial trend never really went away did it? But forecasters are predicting a big year for indu-chic in 2020, and there are a few subtle differences that will work particularly well with luxury designer homes.

As shown above, the industrial ‘re-set’ can be really serene and smart. Black framed folding doors are a nod to the steel factory windows that are such a feature of industrial chic, and the raw concrete benches complement the look. At the same time, a timber parquetry floor and clean white walls lends the whole a kind of urbane elegance. Industrial can also be a great way to keep sustainability in mind, particularly if you’re using reclaimed or salvaged materials or whole elements such as windows and doors, resulting in a dramatic reduction in construction costs.

Quiet design

With noise increasingly regarded as a pollutant that impacts both the inside and outside of homes, its absence is increasingly regarded as a must-have in many luxury designer homes. Sound-proofing wall panels such as those pictured below make for an atmosphere that’s kind to the ear while also proving very easy on the eye. Clever interior design that uses an understanding of noise distributions and well placed materials is now also in demand.

Beyond the interior of a building, overall acoustical construction involves the use of building materials and techniques to reduce noise transmission through walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and floors. Outdoor landscaping can also help create useful noise barriers, for example ‘berms’ made of sloping mounds of earth, or walls made of sound blocking material. Thickly planted hedges or trees are also useful in this regard, while providing a restful green visual screen.