Spring has sprung and summer is well on its way and to get on point this season Bella Whiteley looks at the interior design and lifestyle trends for spring/summer ‘16…

BEAUTIFUL BOTANICS

Botanical prints and real plants are having a HUGE comeback. Not only do they add a fresh focal point with their enlivening green hues, plants can also help purify the air quality in your home.

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, these houseplants are basically impossible to kill: spider plant, Dracaena, Ficus, Peace Lily, Boston Fern and most succulents.

Pimp that plant – the ‘Garden Mum’ or Chrysanthemum morifolium was found by NASA to be a real air-purifying beast.

It removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and xylene from your homes’ air. Share the house-pant love and explore a literal PLANTOPIA at www.urbanjunglebloggers.com Yep, I’m hooked.

MODERN MINIMALISM

This trend for simplifying our lifestyles and physically getting rid of clutter and unnecessary belongings which no longer serve or thrill us will certainly increase in the coming years, as we choose to live more eco-consciously, to eat healthier and to live mindfully.

Forward-thinking restaurants are now serving ‘free-from’ menus by eliminating all things unhealthy from gluten to refined sugars and dairy; and their interior design reflects this simple ethic.

Ethos restaurant in London (www.ethosfoods.com) encompasses this wholeheartedly with its meat-free menu, its ‘fruits of the forest’ seasonal healthy dishes and its interiors are carefully crafted to optimise customer flow. It embodies the fast-casual concept of relaxed dining. No frills, no embellishments. Just ‘Deliciously Different’, as the logo says…

BOHO LUXE – THE GLOBE TROTTER TREND

For a more enriched colour palette embrace patterns and textures. See ya, chevron! Be gone, faux fur. Tribal prints and Navaho-inspired motifs reign.

Leading fabric house Zoffany (www.zoffany.com) showcase their brand new spring fabrics, the one below being the Kanoko, part of their ‘Curator Collection’, entirely embracing this current mood. Seen here in the gold colourway.

When you cross a cowhide with the artistry of vintage Moroccan rugs, you get a whimsical blend of styles. These digitally printed chenille rugs are hand cut into organic hide shapes. A funky hybrid epitomising Boho-Luxe living.

WOVEN, KNOTTED, PRINTED

Texture is a key element to introduce to any design scheme. Even the simplest look will benefit from textural items. Layer it up.

Artisan maker, Kate Casey, weaves chord to form structures on her bespoke, unique furniture (www.pegwoodworking.com).

The natural world is awash with textural patterns, inspiring designers to print photographs of textural detail in 3D onto everything from vinyl flooring to wallpaper to cushions.

These giant floor cushions by MeroWings, from their Forest range, would add a graphic note to any room.

I also love their whole silver-birch printed range. But the coolest? The giant moon loungers; celestial heaven (www.merowings.com).

MONOCHROME

Black and white, done right, never fails to be chic. A staple look in fashion virtually every season, so the monochrome decorators’ palette will always be chic and understated.

With the 2016 monochrome version interjected with rustic pieces and more texture, it’s the evolution of a timeless classic. Still a typically androgynous look but with layers and depth.

Black furniture punctuates a room with a bold silhouette, like these sensuous ‘Coco’ chairs inspired by Coco Chanel. See the range at www.mariianiq.com

Black joinery is a highly desirable trend right now too. Charred black floors and black stained-wood kitchens are edgy and striking, while black tables become a central focus.

Lastly, THE colour for spring/summer 2016 is dusty pink, or Pantone ‘Rose Quartz’ (13-1520) to be precise.

Before you wince at the thought of pink, consider roughing it up a bit with greys, natural woods, and green, another colour that’s hot right now, reflecting that indoor plants trend I mentioned earlier.

Whoever said, “Pink and green, fit for a Queen.” I’m not entirely convinced but add some gold details, as in this cabinet, and you’re on your way.