How to Work the Conservatory Chic Trend in the Home

When I was recently asked by Ideal Home what my biggest trend prediction was for 2017, I said that I was seeing a lot of natural products appearing in the shops. Materials such as cork and rattan, as well as stone, marble and wood. All materials that were popular in the seventies and are now creeping into our homes by stealth. Once upon a time, we would have reserved wicker furniture and pendant lights for the conservatory, but not any more. I’m going to call it Conservatory Chic. It’s a great way of bringing the outside in, and when done right is completely mood-enhancing.

Conservatory Chic – Key Attributes

Natural materials are predominant. All of those hard surfaces that are a feature of industrial style interiors will work well here too. Cement floors, tiles, wood, metal, bare brick, polished plaster and even marble all have a place, but the overall effect should be light and airy. Just like a conservatory. And the furniture is typically light too. Wire-work and rattan, wicker and wood. Colours when used, might reflect the colours of the Mediterranean. Terracotta, blue and white, or green. Or the Scandinavian colour scheme of black, white and blonde wood. And the whole look is finished off with an abundance of plant-life, towering over chairs, lining windowsills and hanging from the ceiling.

Conservatory Chic – How to Work it into the Home

It’s actually quite easy to incorporate the Conservatory Chic look into the home. Just imagine bringing the garden into the house. So a few well-chosen accessories and a trip to the garden centre may be all that is needed. To keep it on the chic side of bohemian, limit the number of colours used and let the plants take centre stage. And remember a few large plant specimens will have a greater effect than lots of small ones, and grouped together they will look more spectacular. Much better than dotting them around the room. If buying new furniture, consider rattan and then soften it with Moroccan cushions for added comfort. And finally when choosing accessories continue the natural theme with metal, glass, wood, and string.

All images are from Cuckooland.