Ins and outs for 2024 according to interior designer Carlene Duffy

I’m jumping on the “ins and outs” bandwagon, but I do it with caution because I don’t love calling out what’s in and what’s out. It oversimplifies something that is, in fact, very nuanced.

“Trends” is a loaded word when it comes to interiors. They are important for keeping things evolving and progressing, but the most successful homes observe trends and don’t subscribe to them. Interesting homes may acknowledge them, but apply them in a way that’s unique to the home. It’s the difference between being “trendy” and being “stylish”, and having style is always a good thing.

With all that said, these are my ins and outs for the year to come.

Out: White boucle

When you can start accessing something at every large retailer, it’s safe to say it’s close to run its course. Boucle, in its own right, will still stand up, but we’ve been hit over the head so much with white boucle specifically that I can’t see it going the distance.

I’ve never had much faith in its capacity to withstand a busy household, anyway.

In: Chunky, tactile materials

Boucle might have paved the way for more tactile materials so expect to see variations of it used in upholstery. Chunky velvets and bobbly blends are synonymous with what we know as “Memphis style”.

It also goes hand-in-hand with rich, jewel-like colours and adds a richness and luxury that I’ve long appreciated.

Out: Moroccan-style homes

We live on the Gold Coast and there’s hardly a home in the city that doesn’t resemble Moroccan-style building design. Think arches and white render, chunky built-in bench seats and general monolithic minimalism.

I think we’re tiring of this trend because of good old-fashioned oversaturation and the fact that it hasn’t been taken up in unique ways. 

In: Colour 

Colour has always been in for me, but I think you can expect to see colour in homes in a far more substantial way.

Clients often tell me they love colour, but they are worried they will tire of it. It’s not necessarily colour you will tire of but, instead, the half-hearted way it’s been applied. Look at interior inspiration where colour drenches the space and creates a calm, tonal result that you are no more likely to tire of than a neutral-toned room.

Out: Open-plan living

The mid-century marked a monumental time in design, most notably the move to open-plan design where the kitchen, living and dining rooms became one space. Home owners have been knocking down walls left and right ever since.

But, I think there is a slow, subtle move happening, with home owners feeling a bit too exposed.

Very open floor plans leave little room for intimacy in the home. A sense of cosiness has been replaced with vastness, and we don’t want to necessarily be at the mercy of whatever the kids are watching on television while we cook dinner.

Expect to see some changes in floor plans that include dedicated TV rooms, and kitchens that have some separation from the dining room.

In: Small-scale mosaic tiles

The use of mosaic tiles in homes is hardly new, but you can expect to see it used more significantly as a floor material, and not just in the bathroom.

You’ll see intricate patterns that have been artfully designed using a variation of shapes, colours and materials.

I’d hate to be responsible for the labour bill in laying these masterpieces, but I can certainly appreciate the end result.

Out: S-bend curtains

The S-bend or S-fold curtain refers to the curtain header where the fabric runs along the track or rod in a continuous S shape. It’s synonymous with modern interiors, which is why you can expect to see less of it.

More traditional elements of design have been influencing interiors of late and with that, you’ll see more use of pinch or pencil pleat and curtain headers on exposed decorative rods.

In: Roman blinds

Roman blinds have been featuring more heavily as the window dressing of choice lately. It wasn’t long ago that this style of window covering would have never been a contender, but it sure beats the ever-boring roller blind.

We’ve been seeing everything from more structured Roman blinds in blockout fabric or semi-blockout fabric to a much more relaxed variation that acts more as a soft frame to a window.