Our lifestyle managers are regularly designing journeys for our clients, be it via: creative event platforms, hospitality and dining destinations, home and work décor updates or thoughtful gifting that evokes the senses.  Each activation tells a story and most importantly creates memories.

Our resident in-house stylist, Candy works with our ESL Lifestyle members to show them how to incorporate the latest 2017 trends into their everyday life.

Before we begin, the most important thing to remember is that no matter what the trend, movement or style is, we believe it’s important to stay true to your own design ethos. Your style must speak to you, reflect your loves, passions, journeys and hobbies.

Having said that, Candy encourages you to be bold, take risks, experiment, disrupt, change and update your spaces frequently and remember if you do not want to commit to a certain trend but instead want to dip your toes in then there are a few easy suggestions to update your style…

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Images: Stylin Home,  Stylizimoblog, Paris nights and New York lights

Tip 1: Vignettes.

A vignette is a grouping of objects or furniture.

By arranging objects into vignettes, be it a grouping of objects on a table, centerpieces for dinner, art on a wall, furniture in a corner or a hallway, you create areas for the eye to stop, and engage on small sections of space. Vignettes help to make rooms look more polished and add designer-worthy style to your home, table scape or office space.  They are great way to incorporate different metals, marbles, and luxe stones, include newer colour pallets of blush and burgundy, greens, ochres and natural textures into your space. Even minimalists agree that having a cluster of assorted decorative objects that speak to you and tell your journey is important in creating your spaces.

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Image: Greg Natale

Tip 2: Layer, layer, layer.

Layering helps achieve a sense of comfort and is a great way to evoke a sense of time or place

Conscious stacking of trend elements on elements in such a way that a room feels united, cozy and lavish and forms a textural balance is key to layering.  Plush rugs or natural hides, warming textural throws, assorted bold, tribal, tropical or coloured scatter cushions, and decorative details can all be layered.

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Images, Mudbrick Waiheke, Marc Ange Le Refuge outdoor daybed complete with pink metal palm fronds, and Paddo to Palmy featuring Lisa messenger’s urban jungle.

Tip 3 Bring the outside in and the inside out.

Lighting and greenery are both natural elements that add life to a space.

Who doesn’t love the flicker of naked flame, be it candle light or fire light? – It seems common place these days to have an outdoor fireplace that adds warmth to winter alfresco entertaining, or at least clusters of led light, candles and lanterns inside and out – no what the source of flickering light we all love the soothing warmth and beauty of natural flame.

Plants for some can be an afterthought however it seems more and more common to bring the outdoors in and the indoors out.  We are seeing more and more indoor floor plants in terracotta pots, leather bound hanging plants, green walls, indoor courtyards, or table tops adorned with an abundance of plants and More outdoor day beds, and outdoor living rooms popping up.

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Images Image Studio McGee and Domo

Tip 4: Feature walls or standout furniture

A bold feature wall adds a sense of drama and depth, character and focus to a room.

We can see many great examples of recent trends of bold moody hues be it black, navy or emerald green via painted, tiled or frame laden feature walls.

A clever way to inject a bold personality into a space is via a feature lounge settee and/or armchairs.

Bold furniture colours and lush velvets and upholstered textures too can make a room pop.

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Images Greg Natale and Emma Elizabeth Designs

Tip 5: Monochrome grounding

Black and White are not only classic basic design principles forming light and dark but are essential to grounding every design. A little or a lot of black and white forms the basis of any well thought out design.

White – can lift and freshen, opening up a space whilst be adaptable and transformed from season to season via texture and shade.

Juxtaposed tranquility amidst todays over sensed society is often sought after. Softer warmer whites, open shapes and Zen like aesthetics create balance and tranquility are often used to soothe and create a sanctuary in one’s own environment.

Black – is the ultimate in bold and daring and even a small splash via a wall of picture frames, piping on a cushion, pattern in a rug, a throw or a black and white photograph goes a long way.

Others choose to use black as a grounding base and incorporate it into overall décor such as wooden coffee and end tables, tableware and feature furnishings.

Finally, monochrome madness is when the two intertwine creating a world of textural delight, and adventurous design esthetics that are both bold and daring, modern and classic and rest in the layering of multicultural interpretations. Its appears this ultimate colour pairing is never out of style and is back with a vengeance.

Tip 6: Colour Contrasts and 2017 love affairs.

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Images Magnolia Interiors, Arent & Pyke – Alex Hotel,  Magnolia Interiors

2017 saw Pantone Green light up the world as a way to provide some much-needed tranquility, healing and escaping back to nature. Greenery is nature’s neutral.  Be it pantone’s GREENERY PANTONE 15-034 or lime, forest greens, through mints, teals, leafy tropical greens to bright emeralds, greens are back and paired with blushes, pinks, Ochre, Terracotta and Khaki, greens are proving to having staying power and longevity.

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Images Belle Balloons, Patricia Urquiola’s Rotazioni Rug for Loom rugs, and Mud Australia and Aesop

Blush and Burgundy hit everywhere from Paris through Milan and have trickled down from softer shades and warm hugs, through millennial pinks to deep moody bold burgundy’s this classic Colour combination is welcoming and, familiar just like a mammas hug.

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Images: Bassett Furntiure, Domo

Neutral and Natural Grey
Powdery cooler tones of cool grey toned aqua’s into neutral greys, create a more subdued texture. A chic neutral and a counterfoil balance to the ever-present monochrome madness.

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Images Exclusive tiles, Lee Broom’s Time Machine, drunken side table and Wedgwood vases.

Tip 7: Geometry: Angles, lines and mix matched patterns, circles and curves.

Bold, dynamic, mix materials, patterns and textures see a resurgence of craftsmanship that is thoughtfully modern, multicultural and tell stories of places from afar. 2017 heralds the new tribalism.  Traditional hides and leathers are interwoven with energizing patterns and warmer shades of mauves, ochres and new neutrals.  Whilst contrasting lines, strong angles, conflict with modernistic artforms. Bold stark lighting features yet help to create balance and symmetry that somehow melds together and just works….

Let our Lifestyle Managers bring the latest 2017 trends to your home, work environment or to style your next celebration.