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Design trends for 2017

A few weeks back I attended Stora Trenddagen* in Stockholm hosted by Trends and Friends. They had summarized what the biggest trend influences will be during 2017. Our lecturer for the day was Swedish trend guru Stefan Nilsson also known as Trendstefan. Now, trends isn’t something I tend to focus too much on, and I think you should take (or not) what you want from them. That said, being conscious of trends can serve you well, especially if you are an early adapter. So they are not to be ignored.

The trends for 2017 were broken up into five distinct groups, each group named after it’s characteristics;

Peter Pan

2017 is the year of escapism. With a world seeming to spiral out of control into the dark ages we look to the happy fantasies of hour childhood. We revisit Neverland and refuse to grow up. For interiors we are playing with light hues of pink, mustard yellow, red and blue. The 70’s are ever-present for this trend with fringes, tassels and the monstera plant. It’s a nice and easy color palette to work into your home, especially if you jumped on the light pink and baby blue band wagon a few years back. Draw inspiration from the wonderful and whimsical designs by Jaime Hayon.

Playful pastels for the “Peter Pan” trend

Old is the new black

Now this is, not surprisingly, my favorite of the five trends. Black is back with a vengeance. And black on black has never felt more right. Ljust och fräscht** is out together with Scandinavian design. Forget the marble, copper and brass, here comes white metals and stainless steel counter tops. Bring in deep colors, dark wood and oil paintings. And everything has a slight resemblance to your great grandparents interiors. If you are into your rococo, now is the time to bring it out. Break it up with modern pieces and clean lines to avoid it looking kitsch.

Grandma-chic is what “Old is the new black” is all about

Kelim kinshi

This trend takes it’s inspiration from the Middle East and Africa. The colors are red, brick, sand, brown, eggshell with hints of denim blue, a very 90’s color scheme. And why not, we have already gone there with your fashion, now it’s time for our homes. But this trend is all about the rustic and handmade, simple shapes, wicker baskets with African design and kelim carpets.

“Kelim kinship” is rustic and African handcraft

Superhero Supernature

This trend can easily be confused with the Peter Pan trend. But here we are playing around with a lot more prime colors, like Klein blue***, and neon (Yey! Who doesn’t love a trim of neon?!). And the plants are taking a much bigger role. Textile plants in bright shades and supernatural shapes is exactly right for this trend. However it might not be as applicable in your home as on some cool packaging. I kind of love this trend and hate it at the same time.

Superman meets the 90’s in a textile jungle, that pretty sums up “Superhero supernature”

Waste

Now this trend makes me yawn. The green wave is here to stay and we have been talking about reusing, recycling and upcycling forever. However ,when diving in to it, this trend is booming with amazing innovations for both materials and production chains. I couldn’t feel more inspired by the single designers going out of their way to make a new durable material out of say coffee grounds.

Zero waste is the big slogan for this trend called “Waste”

All though these trends are for the most part quite different, there are common factors repeating in all of them. Peter Pan and Superhero Supernature are obviously balancing on the edge of kitsch. So does Kelim kinship with African masks and Old is the new black with painted heirlooms. Are your in your 30’s-40’s you’ve lived through the most trendsetting decades that influence us in 2017. The colors for Kelim kinship and the neon in Superhero Supernatures takes me right back to my childhood, in the 90’s. The Klein blue is so 80’s and bold colored prints with fringes may make you cringe if you saw it the first time around, but lets face it, the 70’s are back.

So what do I take away from all of this? It has to be my new motto for 2017 – Be kind, rewind. So retro, so in the now, totally tolerant and so 2017.


Thank you to Sara Garanty for inviting me.

*translation – the big trend day

**translation – light and fresch. A phrase also commonly used, with a condescending tone, towards everyone who painted their loft apartments in “Stockholm white”.

***Hello 80’s!

Photographed & Edited by Caroline Ø Dalili

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