NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
Twelve interior design resolutions to make your 2024 beautiful, every day!
It’s the time of year when we all hope to spend some time contemplating the year gone by and setting our intentions for the year ahead.
One of the many things we are proud of this year is sharing our interior design and home decorating knowledge with some top magazines and newspapers, so we thought we would compile the best of our advice for anyone setting interior design resolutions in 2024.
Inspired by the days of Christmas - there are twelve. Enjoy!
1. IMPLEMENT A ‘CLOSING SHIFT’
At Studio Dean we are all about creating calm sanctuaries that make you feel relaxed every day, so we love the concept of a hospitality-inspired ‘closing shift’ every night before bed as a way to end and begin each day with everything clean, tidy and as it should be.
We love creating a 'breakfast nook' where all your morning items are kept in one place to prevent mess. You can have a mini 'closing shift' after breakfast so you are clear for the day ahead.
2. TRY SATIN NICKEL
Metal interior design trends move slowly as it’s not a cheap or simple fixture to replace or update. Brass has had a good run and is now slowly fading out to make room for this soft, brushed metal, which is much warmer than polished chrome. I predict we will see a lot more of it in 2024 and beyond, so if you are replacing metalwork, handles or taps - consider this silky satin nickel beauty.
3. GIVE UP BRIGHT COLOURS
If you are considering neon colours, I beg you, reconsider. It will cheapen any room and make it look like a gym not a home.
Step away from a bright red in a kitchen, especially if paired with white units, this is a recipe for disaster. Also - the colour red makes you feel even hungrier! And no matter how ‘happy’ the sun makes you, sunshine yellow paint will not brighten your day. Even if you want a light and bright morning room this is not the way to achieve it.
This does not mean you need to ignore colour, we love a room with attitude. Instead opt for muted versions of the colours you love and pair with pale, simple putty colours and warm whites and wood tones. These simpler more paired back tones allow the daylight to brighten your room naturally.
4. STICK TO A MASTER PLAN
Every interior design decision we make is carefully considered as part of a property-wide master plan that all pulls in the same direction to deliver an overall, cohesive wow-factor. We then cross reference everything with your personal daily lifestyle to make sure that it makes your home work beautifully and flows from room to room.
Take a step back and try it for yourself. Instead of working on one room at a time in isolation, sketch out your home as a whole and think about how all your rooms can work towards one big beautiful vision.
5. MAKE FOREVER CHOICES
At Studio Dean we avoid ‘fast fashion’ design choices and always search for quality that will last. This makes the cost per use of even the most expensive items lower because if they are great quality they will last for decades. Longevity is especially important in big-ticket items - never choose fixed fittings or big furniture based on a trend. If you want a quick trend fix, indulge in small items such as cushion covers that can be swapped out as trends change.
6. NEW YEAR, NEW BEDDING
It is amazing how many people hang on to spare bedding 'just in case'. It fills cupboards and takes up space; we bet if it does not match the decor, you never pop it on the bed anyway so why hang on to it? You only need two sets of bedding per bed (three if you have young children) and no more. This gives plenty of time to have one on the bed and one in the wash plus one for any emergencies!
Invest in quality linen that will aid restful sleep. I was converted to Linen bed sheets and wool duvets back in 2017 and I honestly love them, soft and buttery and also looking fab even when they're crumpled - a win all round.
7. KEEP IT NATURAL
Bye bye industrial grey – finally! Now, it is becoming all about warm, calming nature-inspired neutrals. This has been Studio Dean’s signature palette forever, because it feels like a hug as you walk through the door. I look to nature to find my happy colours, and to create warmth with earthy, stony tones and natural materials and layered textures. We love Benjamin Moore’s paints, such as the Pale oak throughout this project.
Natural surroundings make us instantly relax and more likely to feel calm and happy. Your happy colour might actually be a gorgeous stone surface, or wooden piece of furniture which you can build your space around. Start gently with nature inspired tones and let your look ‘grow’ from there with natural textures and botanical touches.
8. NO MORE FEATURE WALLS
I always lead clients away from a ‘feature wall’ which can look dated and instead, suggest subtle textures on the walls. Soft silks or natural fabrics give instant softness and luxury to a space and make a statement without shouting and this will become a big trend in 2024. Fabric wall covering can be expensive, so my Newcastle-based designers at The Studio Dean Edit have just launched two fabric-effect wallpaper in gorgeous neutral tones to create the effect at a fraction of the cost. Our Hali and Kairi are so realistic you have to touch them to believe they are paper!”
We recently used Hali in a large hallway in Edinburgh to add warmth and texture without using 'feature' or 'statement' paper and achieve our signature quiet luxury look and feel. We want hallways to be warm and welcoming, and this works well in a large, open space that has the potential to feel cold.
Shop our wallpaper range here www.studiodeanedit.com/shop/wallpaper
9. THROW IT OUT
How many mismatched mugs are in your kitchen cupboard right now? Everything in your home should be something you love, whether that's the aesthetic, a memory or the use of it making you love it. I bet there is the odd novelty mug lurking that does not achieve any of these. Say goodbye to those and make your daily coffee an enjoyable experience every day.
Who doesn't love a flick through a mag and a chill out? But, once they have served their purpose it is time to recycle these, otherwise you'll find clusters of them gathering dust for years to come.
Tatty towels have a lifespan. Just as your clothes get worn out, so do these high use items. If they are thread-bare, stained or otherwise past their best then don't simply pop them in a cupboard just in case - that just takes up space in your home and life. Donate them to your nearest rescue centre and let them live on there whilst you enjoy something a little more plush.
Scatter cushions. We know they're jewellery for your beds and sofas but if they stop you sitting down then it's gone too far. Dress it, make it look beautiful but do not overload any of your furniture with cushions. Keep it simple and mix the proportions of these for interest.
10. BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL
If these tidbits of advice are inspiring you to take interior design action in 2024 but you are not sure where you begin, get in touch with me, Cathy - CEO and Founder of Studio Dean. The first part of our process is a call to get to know you, and understand what you need and you may be surprised to find out how much we can help - our service is so much more than cushions and colours!
11. START WITH YOUR HALLWAY
If you only make one change this year, make it in your hallway - it is the one space that should always be clutter-free. This is the most difficult as this high-traffic space is a breeding ground for shoes, bags, bikes etc. Your hallway is the first thing you see when you come home, and you should feel calm and relaxed when you enter your sanctuary. Some quick ideas; if you carry your bag on your left shoulder, add a storage cupboard on the left so the bag can go straight in. If you need to store a bike, create a space for it to be hidden away.
12. NO MORE CHEAP ART
How do you style artwork to match your living space? Don't rush it. I personally left a bare space on my living room wall for artwork for five years - I just hadn't found 'the one' that was all killer, no filler. Don’t be tempted to fill wall space with cheap prints as you will leave them there forever.
Once you have found your forever artwork, style your living space around it - not the other way round. Use the elements that you love about your artwork to inspire your interiors.Go to affordable art fairs and try local artists, it doesn’t have to be expensive, it just needs to speak to you.
Wishing you a very happy new year, and if you need any interior design help, you know where we are.
Until next time,
