Interior tips from the lifestyle furniture expert sheds light on what are the anticipated trends for the upcoming year

BY NG PAU LING
pauline@thestar.com.my

What can be expected for local home design for 2019? Before you start on that home makeover to celebrate the new year, StarProperty.my has invited home and living tastemakers from interior design, lifestyle furniture and architectural industries to share the tips on what is on trend and what will gradually fade out in the upcoming year. Here are some inspirations to decorate your house next year!

Timeless Design managing director Goh Boon Sin

Having ten years of experience in the lifestyle furniture line, Timeless Design managing director Goh Boon Sin foresees the Industrial Style that has dominated the local design landscape for the past ten years will come to its end.

In 2019, he expects more retro materials make a comeback with a modern twist, such as terrazzo composite floors and also the use rattan morphed into trendy furniture.

Say Hi to:

 

Source: homedit.com

#1 - Terrazzo
“The terrazzo flooring that we used to see in our grandmother’s old house will make a comeback in 2019,” said Goh.

Durable with minimal maintenance requirements, terrazzo is a low-cost flooring option in the old days. It consists of colourful marble or granite chips inside the concrete. Nowadays, technology has allowed for customers to have a wider selection of colours to choose from.

Pantone colour of the year 2019: Living Coral

For the home lover, it can be paired with bold and bright colours for a trendy feel. “For example, incorporating terrazzo with Pantone’s colour of the year 2019 — Living Coral to fit in the current mood.

Besides using it as a flooring material, terrazzo can also be transformed into backsplash, tabletop and even home accessories such as lighting.

#2 - Rattan in a modern twist
Rattan with modern designs is on the rise, utilise the furniture to add elegant sensibility to your home.

“The old material is tapping into our fond memories. In a fast-pace impersonal digital age, people are currently more nostalgic than ever."

“Rattan is now being modernised into an appearance accustomed to our daily life, capture our sentimental memory and stay close to our heart.”

The blend of retro materials with modern design is one of the highlights of 2019. While the lightweight, warm and airy nature of rattan is the perfect match for tropical settings.

Moreover, since most of it is harvested from the rainforest in Asia and Africa, the easy accessibility to the material also makes it an affordable option for Malaysian home.

 

Say goodbye to:

 

#1 - Industrial Style
The raw and rustic Industrial Style started to gain traction since ten years ago, but will fade eventually.

"The design style has reached its bottleneck, where see the market is flooded with the same types of industrial furniture and fittings, especially in the cafe and restaurant spaces."

“They appear similarly and has lost its charm and characteristic.”

Besides the easy access and wide range of the industrial style furniture to choose from, the intentionally unrefined look such as raw cement and unfinished steel in the industrial style also helps to save up the renovation cost. It is one of the reasons why the design choice is preffered in the local market.

“We all love the industrial style, but I think it is time to move on and play with something new,” he said.

#2 - Shiny gold and brass
The time for clear gold and brass tone is coming to an end. If you still want to incorporate the metallic accent in your home design, choose the one with Patina or has a rustic feel.

“In the past two years, the shiny gold and brass tone is everywhere to represent an elegant and noble feel. However, it now becomes a supportive element to adorn the atmosphere.”

You could pair it with emerald or ash grey tone, for a subtle yet vintage ambience.

#3 - Pastel Colours
The sweet and dreamy pastels will gradually dwindle out from our sight, however, emerald hues and navy blue tone will continue to shine in 2019.

“It is recommended to pair the bold and adventurous colours with vintage collectable pieces to create a statement for space.”
It is not always necessary to splash the whole wall to show you are up with the colour trend. These colours can also be utilised to modestly show the intricate details of your home design, such as curtains.