Warm Up Your Home: Winter 2024 Interior Design Trends

As the season changes to Winter; warmer colour tones, rich textures and layering come into focus in interiors.  Our homes become lived in sanctuaries, are spaces for entertaining, spending time with family and relaxing.  Devoting time to styling your space throughout the cooler months is a perfect past time, and why not start here with the latest interior trends to be inspired by this Winter.   The four trends being showcased this season include Back to Black, Western Gothic, Australiana and Retro, all unique and inspiring in their own way.

The colour black is making a dominant return to the world of interior design.  Re-surfacing in response to the surge of big colour trends and Maxmalism, this trend brings back a darker and moodier feel, especially applicable to the Winter season.  The Back to Black trend is about bringing black back into interiors but with a modern twist that embraces warmer undertones.  While in previous years black was part of the cool grey and Scandinavian inspired trends, today’s trend leans into a warmer selection of colours to compliment softer black paint colours that evoke a sense of cosiness and sophistication. The Back to Black trend is adaptable to different design styles, from Modern and Industrial, to Scandinavian and Japandi, as well as more traditional styles.  A space inspired by this trend should be carefully designed to ensure a balanced and cohesive look.  When including black in large surfaces such as walls, the rest of the space needs to be balanced with enough contrast in other objects, such as a large artwork on the wall, coloured cushions or a large floor rug.  

Grey and white paint colours are still a perfect match to pair with black, but try selecting warmer toned neutrals such as Dulux Warm Granite and Dulux Lexicon Quarter.To keep earthy, warm tones prevalent, include colours with warm undertones, such as brown woodgrain, jute rugs, taupe curtain drapes, and a mixture of warm grey, light brown and terracotta furnishing fabrics for sofas, cushions and floor rugs.  The harshness of black often needs texture to soften it, so consider fabric textures such as velvet, linen and boucle.To elevate the Back to Black look, select hardware accents in aluminium, polished chrome, or nickel to introduce a sleek, modern edge without overpowering the warmth of the overall design. These metallic touches add a subtle sheen and a contemporary feel.

Next, we have the Western Gothic interior design trend.  This trend blends vintage American charm and gothic romanticism with rugged country aesthetics to create spaces that feel both nostalgic and dramatic.

Neutral taupes and creams serve as the foundational colour palette, providing a warm and versatile backdrop in order to highlight the rich, contrasting accents central to this trend.  Accents of blood red and mid blues bring depth and vibrancy to the design, reminiscent of the dramatic hues found in Western landscapes.  These bolder colours can be injected into spaces through painted walls, cabinetry colours or in furnishings.  

Pattern also plays a large part in this interior design trend.  Patterns such as floral and houndstooth are key to this trend, adding layers of visual interest and a touch of whimsy. Consider introducing check or floral wallpaper into spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices, carefully breaking up big areas of pattern with larger plain objects such as a plain fabric bedhead, wooden cabinet or large mirror.  For a less permanent option, pattern can be introduced through bed linen, occasional chairs and cushions, with textured fabrics in patterns of floral, houndstooth, tartans and checks.  

Leather or leather look elements, whether through furniture or accessories, introduce a tactile richness that anchors the space in its country roots, as well as offering a warmth of colour in a space when used in the classic brown toned leather or leather look materials.  Dark woodgrains are also part of this trend, complimented by hardware in antique brass and dull aged brass to give a vintage feel to the space.  

The careful combination of a neutral colour palette, with accents of statement colours, patterns and textured fabrics, alongside dark timbers and vintage hardware allow the overall effect of the Western Gothic trend to be both rugged and refined.  It offers a modern twist on vintage American style, that can easily be introduced into our Australian homes, and create both a timeless and on-trend interior.  

If being inspired by more local landscapes is more appealing, why not look at the interior design trend, Australiana.  Nature inspired styles have been on trend for a few years, often being inspired by coastal European countries, with colours of terracotta and sand.  This Australiana trend casts it’s inspiration closer to home, drawing inspiration from the pastel, paler shades of the Australian landscape, flora and fauna, creating spaces that feel both grounded and calming. 

The heart of Australiana design is a palette inspired by nature, with tones like eucalyptus green, warm whites, and sandy beige.  Complimented by deeper forest greens, pastel pinks and apricots, and pops brighter pink and yellow inspired by native flowers.  

While this trend can be adapted to all areas of the home, embracing it in areas such as bedrooms or living rooms allows you to combine a beautiful selection of textured tonal fabrics for a tactile approach.  Natural linens, cotton weaves, boucle and accents of velvet can all be used in the one space in careful balance to create cosiness and warmth.  

Materials play a crucial role in bringing the Australiana aesthetic to life. Sustainable and locally sourced woods, such as jarrah, spotted gum and Tasmanian oak, add warmth and authenticity to the design.  These mid to light tone woods pair beautifully with green, whether it’s used in paint colours or laminate cabinetry colours.  

Another way to infuse Australiana into your home décor is through wallpaper.  Leaf print, Australian flowers or eucalypt print wallpaper makes for a subtle yet effective style in a bedroom or home office space.  If that is too permanent, try introducing through in native Australian floral artwork, or dried flower arrangements. 

If trying to seamlessly integrate this trend in to a kitchen or bathroom area, look at the cabinetry materials.  Wood or woodgrain laminates, wooden handles, and simple sleek hardware in brushed brass or matt white.  Where there are darker objects such as a console table or sofa, decorate with lighter toned accessories to keep your interior light and fresh in colour to keep a sense of calm.  

Lastly, we have the Retro trend.  Quite different from the other trends showcased, this trend is all about pops of colour, shape and pattern as we embrace the decades past.  

The retro trend in interior design is a vibrant and nostalgic style that draws inspiration from the mid-20th century, particularly the 1950’s, 60s’, and 70’s. This trend is characterised by bold colours, playful patterns, and distinctive furniture shapes that evoke a sense of nostalgia and fun. 

A key element of the Retro interior design trend is a bright colour palette, such as mustard yellow, lime green, burnt orange, and pink. These colours are often paired together in groups of 2 or 3, sitting well on a base of more subdued tones such as white or cream to balance the overall look.  

Patterns also play a significant role in achieving this trend, with geometric shapes, polka dots, retro patterns and florals being particularly popular. In a kitchen and dining setting, patterns can be used in tiles, wallpaper or even the subtle use of a check table cloth.  

Furniture in retro design often features sleek lines and organic shapes.  Materials including wood or wood look panels in walnut, paired with tiled or terrazzo benchtops can create sleek retro built in or freestanding furniture.  Accessorising with simplistic hardware in tonal wood tones, or matt white will complete the look.

Accessories and decor items are essential to finish off the Retro look.  Think vintage posters, retro clocks, funky lighting fixtures, coloured collectables.  For some, embracing full Retro style is too extravagant, so creating a Retro Dining tablescape is a great way to embrace the trend in a temporary way.  Pick some vibrant colours such as green, pink and violet, and put together a tablescape with a patterned table cloth, scalloped edge placemats or napkins, bright plates and coloured glassware.  

Whether you’re inspired by the modern twist of Back to Black, or prefer the nostalgic and traditional style of Western Gothic, both styles embrace warm undertones and luxurious textures perfect for the Winter season and beyond.  If more of an all year-round style appeals, the Australiana trend brings a touch of the local landscape indoors, emphasising natural materials and soothing colour palettes inspired by the Australian flora and fauna.  Or if you want to make a statement tablescape for your Winter entertaining, injecting fun and vibrancy into interiors with bold colours and playful patterns, try the Retro trend. Each of these trends invite you to create a warm, welcoming, and stylish home that reflects your personal taste this season.