In the interiors industry, trends move quickly. Whether it’s a reemergence or revival of a once-popular style, or an evolution from a bold design to something more subtle, the trendiest looks of the moment are always on the move.
Staying ahead of the curve means travelling the globe, visiting industry fairs, discovering niche fabric mills and working with the most talented design teams to create sofa styles on the cutting edge of interior trends.
We caught up with Sofology’s Buying Director, Suzy McMahon, to talk about the up and coming sofa trends of 2019. On her travels to Italy, China and France (it’s a hard job, but someone has to do it!) Suzy’s had a special sneak peek of the latest designs. She’s staying tight lipped about what’s to come from Sofology but we’re sure to see some influences from these sofa trends….
Fringing
“Fringing is everywhere right now. From subtle trim detailing to all-out fringes, we’re seeing this trend develop from accessories like scatter cushions and lamps and move towards becoming more integrated with the furniture. We’ve seen fringing in a variety of different lengths and finishes – there’s a lot of scope for a huge range of looks and finishes with this trend.”
Fluting
“This is a really pretty trend that creates a whole host of different looks. It’s mainly being used on the sides and backs of furniture pieces, often in contrasting fabrics to add a textured appearance. It all started with a trend for really simple fluting with piped seams, and we’re now seeing it evolve into more intricate pleating detail and even chunky quilting. This is a really liveable trend that’s going to stay in style once you introduce it into your home.”
Colour
“2019 is all about colour. Grey is ever popular, particularly dove grey, paired with powdery blush tones. There are still a lot of blue hues, from navy through to warmer tones, being seen in sofa designs, accents and accessories. A big trend for this year is more and more shades of green – there’s a lot of rich, jeweled tone emerald but we’re also seeing fresh pastel green making an appearance.”
Shapes
“Sofa design is getting curvy this year. From sofa backs to footstools, curved edges are everywhere. This ties into the trend for Art Deco influences, with a modern twist. There’s also a definite move towards narrower sofa arms, maximising on seating space but keeping the furniture more compact – perfect for modern city living.”
Bases
“Picking up on the Art Deco theme, metallic gold accents like lamp bases and mirror frames are being reflected in the sofa design. There are a lot of new sofa designs featuring statement gold feet, but there’s also a trend for bases instead of feet. Popular on swivel chairs and accent chairs, these bases are often in chrome or gold finishes, adding that hint of luxury to the furniture.”
Pattern
“There are plenty of patterns around for those who are brave enough to be bold with their prints. Once again, we’ve seen lots of graphic Art Deco influenced styles on accent items and scatter cushions. For a more subtle look, there’s a trend for tone on tone patterns, along with sheer accents that create a soft yet textured finish that’s easy to style up or add a personal touch.”
Fabric
“When it comes to fabrics, the popularity of velvet is undeniable. In particular, matt or crushed velvets are still one of this year’s hottest looks. There are also lots of really durable woven mix fabrics on the horizon, which offer great practicality but also huge versatility. Providing a warm, textured finish, these fabrics blend together everyday comfort with understated style.”
Whilst Suzy won’t give any hints on Sofology’s upcoming launches (you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for the newest additions), you might have noticed that fringing has already made an appearance. The Vivienne, launched in March, draws on this huge trend with an intricate fringed trim that runs all along the base.
We’ve seen curvy shapes and fluting too. In 2019, we’re predicting fluting will be blended with sleeker, modern sofa designs like the Perle, creating a new wave of highly detailed, curvaceous styles.
Keep up to date with all the new sofa trends at sofology.co.uk
