2013 INTERIOR TRENDS The

Page 2

F R A C T I O N

Serene Order

Rational Repetitions

Page 3

F R A C T I O N

Page 4

F R A C T I O N BACKGROUND In many ways this trend is a development of the simplicity and visual quietness we saw in our A/W12/13 trend ‘Ancient Times’, as well as having links to the political and social instabilities and uprisings driving the complexity of our S/S12 trend ‘Cultural Nexus’. We have witnessed a period of deconstruction. Now we begin to put the parts back together again, often in unexpected formations. The fractions join to make a new whole. A new order. A New Normal. This trend provides a platform to explore what we need and also what is of real value. The complexities of our fast-paced, aggressive, scrutinised and ‘reveal all’ lives leads us to move towards a more grounded state - subdued, moderate, composed - a place of ordered nonchalance. We go with the grain. Nothing is superfluous or excessive within this trend, nothing is

distracting. In the midst of an ever-complicated world many opt for extreme unadorned, pared-down purity. Total clarity. Complete control. This trend offers an escape to a minimalist, abstract environment where handcrafted and machine-made products harmoniously co-exist, and where digital technology forges a refreshingly restrained relationship with centuries old artisanal techniques. Hi-Tech enhances and unifies interior & product designs rather than creating a disconnect. There is a strong need for order, and stripped-back basics with an unspoken underlying luxury will answer many

consumers yearnings for an honest aesthetic that delivers serenity and sincerity … sanity. A lack of unnecessary flourishes allows us to enjoy products and spaces that are basically Utilitarian. We feel freed by their plainness and nourished by the visual warmth of materials. We find space and time to be still and contemplative. Aspects of this trend could therefore be viewed as Monastic in styling. A calm, knowing and sure mood prevails and empowers—we trust what we know, and we seek to establish these qualities within the realms of everything from politics (think US elections) to interior design. And as the pace of life becomes faster, and our experiences become increasingly virtual, and our possessions become digital, we seek out ways to preserve traditions, capture special moments and display keepsakes. We move away from a state of confrontation, confusion and anger towards greater inner calmness, empathy and involvement. We make a serious attempt to make sense of our lives and our world and all of these qualities are represented in the aesthetic, intentions and mood of this design trend.

Upper House Hotel

Hong Kong

Umbra table Designed by Jasna MFor www.manulution

F R A C T I O N OVERVIEW This trend is discrete yet direct, logical yet complex, functional yet comfortable, detailed yet modest. This is luxurious minimalism. A strong sense of wellbeing prevails as consumers look to settle down but live very much ‘in the moment’ as they seek out a visual directness from products and room schemes. This is interior design with a new level of serenity and integrity. Many designers embrace a Reductionist approach; understanding the interactions of the parts in order to appreciate the complex whole. Greg Cox’s furniture pieces typify this theme of subtracting sections and re-inserting parts, resulting in an altered understanding of an objects use. Creatives are attempting to view the world from many different perspectives and within interior and product design this leads to a renewed interest in Cubist artworks — effectively braking up, analysing, and re-assembling objects into abstracted forms as though observed from a multitude of viewpoints. In Fashion this results in unusual spliced patchworks of suede and leather (as seen in Hermès Spring 2012 collection and Proenza Schouler’s Resort 2012 collection) and mixed material-blocking in footwear & accessories. This technique also emerges strongly in furniture where we see an investigation into complex abstracted surface pattern & structures. Jasna Mujkic’s Umbra Coffee Table (below) epitomises this trend. Made by joining tiny Penrose Prototiles to create an abstract tree shade shape, the irregular construction nevertheless appears rational and ordered. Interlocking shapes & patterns are absolutely key to this trend which has strong Geometry & Mathematical building blocks enabling an investigation into modularity, mirroring and repetition. Many products are puzzle-like in their structure or surface pattern and a huge focus on the construction of pieces makes this a fascinating new aesthetic we are calling Intricate Minimalism. This trend has strong Scandinavian overtones—think Finn Juhl furniture, pure forms, smooth, compact finishes, providing a look that goes beyond simple fashion trends and ventures boldly into transeasonal territory. It is often angular, solid, built to last, still and sober...leaning towards stern Puritan style. And once again we are pulled towards Nature and natural materials

in order to feel an almost primitive connection to our world and achieve an essential sense of wellbeing—wood, stone, clay, leather, suede & cork. Subdued colours of sand and cork, blonde wood tones and an abundance of brown (the keystone of the season) as well as calming blue and green, yellow & red ochre and raw sienna ceramic glazes and layers of flaking gold leaf.

Half Nelson by Greg Cox

Mujkic .com

Page 5

Page 6

F R A C T I O N Textures & Surface Finishes: Because of the plainness of this trend, surface textures are incredibly important and are crucial in revealing strong artisanal skills: Super-smooth wood appeals—think maple, solid oak, cherry wood and exotic veneers with pronounced grain (even inlaid in textiles) and marquetry/parquet constructions. Wood finishes are always extreme i.e. either highly polished gloss or bare & sanded smooth. Thin leather straps & buckles make a sturdy embellishment and communicate security. The fascination with skin-like surface finishes continues (think Houdini chair by Stephan Diez). Perforated and drilled-through surfaces. Embossed & debossed low relief patterns (interlinking geo’s) appeal in mono-neutrals along with deep ribbed stripes. Soft, smooth, compact textures dominate.

Patterns: Take inspiration from the Cubist paintings of Juan Gris and George Braque. Embrace Mondrian-esque grid compositions. Explore overlapping geometrics - rectangles, circles, triangles & diamonds. Repetitions of small scale geo motif are key. Investigate the flooring installations of Elvira Wersche and the interlocking & repeating motif paintings of Peter Hugo McClure. Patchwork colour blocking in a range of sand shades. Faux Bois (fake wood) continues to be relevant. Graphic typographical patterns play a key role (think Fluxus Movement).

Shapes: Pure forms that are simple, smooth and solid. Though often angular with pronounced references to geometry & mathematics, curvaceous shapes are also present (think Finn Juhl furniture). Modular & ‘Self Assembly’ qualities allow consumers to interact with products, be creative and take ownership of the final stages of the design process. Faceted qualities continue to be relevant. Pleated and accordion constructions also add interest to hard surfaces (wood & ceramics) as well as textiles. Interlocking & offset sections give a disjointed and reassembled aesthetic. Some hard surfaces feature delightfully precise embroidered detail communicating craftsmanship. Open latticed constructions and laser cut detail.

Materials: This trend is dominated by wood, super-soft leather, fine suede, cork, powdery ceramics & embossed stone - Mix these materials in a Cut & Sew style patchwork. Explore new values in wood: Super-high shine; Sanded to a smooth porcelain finish: Printed patterned veneers; Wooden tile mosaics; Wood & leather in regimented weave constructions; Gold leaf layers. Modern marquetry includes cork. Experiment with matte neoprene, resin, clay and lightweight felt.

Styling: Subdued, moderate interior schemes provide a moment of stillness in our hectic modern lives. Precise styling and extreme unadorned, pared-down purity delivers clarity and calmness. A serene certainty can be found by following the aesthetic rules of the New Normal.

Page 7

F R A C T I O N

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

F R A C T I O N

STUCCO

WEDGEWOOD

CORK

RED OCHRE

GREEN GLAZE

VENEER

PLUM SLATE

NIGHTSHADOW BLUE

Page 11

F R A C T I O N

Hinaki by David Trubridge

Pebbles occasional tables By Nada Debs

Page 12

A R Ti f i c i a l

BOLDLY

OUT OF THIS WORLD

Page 13

A R Ti f i c i a l

A R Ti f i c i a l BACKGROUND Get ready for robots, space exploration, scientific discoveries and technological advances previously thought of as science fiction but that are fast becoming science fact. This trend explores staggering developments in technology and science as we stand on the brink of a Sci/Tech Revolution that will lead us into a new world.

At a time when Physicists are getting ever closer in their search to find the ‘God Particle’, (Rob Roser of Fermi National Lab told Fox News “We’ll know the answer one way or another by the end of 2012”) which would help explain the fundamentals of the universe, a fascination in ‘outer space’ is deepening in the minds of consumers and Creatives alike.

Space exploration gets a new boost in 2013 as both the East and West refuel their efforts to launch new spacecraft and robotic rovers, which ignites a widespread curiosity in the possibilities of life and resources beyond our own planets limits: NASA’s next generation spacecraft ‘Orion’ has a target launch date of July 2013. The multi-purpose-crew vehicle has been designed for use on deep-space-exploration missions. 2013 is now also the new target date for Virgin to launch its commercial SpaceShipTwo flight. Meanwhile a BRIC space race is taking place between China and a collaboration between Russia and India. China is planning an unmanned landing on the

moon of their ‘Chang’e-3’ spacecraft & robotic rover in 2013 (The ultimate goal is a manned landing by 2025 and an eventual lunar outpost). Meanwhile Russia & India have joined forces to attempt to beat China to landing a robotic probe on the moon with their ‘Luna-Resource’ partnership mission. And whilst these robotic rovers explore the surface of the moon, robots and alien creatures will be invading our cinema screens during the Spring/Summer of 2013 via a host of blockbuster movies including; Steven Spielberg’s ’Robopocalypse’, Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Elysium’ (starring Matt Damon & Jodie Foster), Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Pacific Rim’ and ‘The Host’ (starring Saoirse Ronan). This preoccupation with robots (bolstered by a worldwide tour of ASIMO - HONDA’s autonomous humanoid robot) and space centres is already infiltrating architecture, with projects like YOTEL’s $315m flagship hotel in New York, where visitors check in and out at computerised kiosks while their luggage is stored or retrieved by the giant robotic arm of Yobot before they chill out in the ‘Mission Control’ lounge. The final piece in this trends jigsaw is the influence of amazing medical innovations and developments in the areas of Synthetic Biology, Nanotechnology and human Biotechnology. Scientists are reengineering, rewriting and rebuilding our world. Whether it’s a molecular imaging biomarker for the early detection of Alzheimer's, computerised bionic prosthesis or medical apps for smart phones … it’s time to step into the Techno-BioFuture!

YOTEL’s ‘Yobot’, NYC

Page 14

A R Ti f i c i a l OVERVIEW A development of the Biomimetics trend generally, and also of our previous A/W 2012/13 trends ‘Virtual Reality’ & ‘Aurora’, with aspects of our S/S 2012 trend ‘The Abyss’ - a soft otherworldly incandescent glow emits from this trends styling as we journey out into the unknown. A halo of ultraviolet (think YOTEL), searchlight blue, an alien green (think Kyeok Kim’s ‘Second Skin’ jewellery as pictured below) and also cold mint makes its presence felt for the second time this season. Fluorescence comes as standard and the hi-definition pink, orange and highlighter yellow Neon’s of S/S 2012 gain more ground this season and are used as bold colour blocks for furniture. White provides the clinical backdrop that grounds this trend and keeps it from becoming colour-overload. White represents futurism and clarity. It is progressive and scientific. Newness comes in the form of coloured Metallics (think Frank Gehry buildings) which bring a new Sci-Tech luxury look to the season. Believe it or not Science just got sexy! Changeant surface finishes continue to be crucial in creating an emotional connection to products in order to energise and stimulate users. These finishes are often liquid-inspired with swirls of merging iridescent colours. In Fashion this aesthetic can clearly be seen in the oil-spill effect trousers of Theysken’s Thoery RTW SS12, Hussein Chalayan’s SS12 RTW and Nhu Dong’s ‘Coding’ collection. Meanwhile in the realm of Lighting we see ‘plasma ball’ effects, iridescent films on faceted plastics, LED luminaries and the emergence of intriguing, almost ectoplasmic product features e.g. Chris Stoneman’s ‘Incandescent Yolk’ bulb lights. The dominant feeling is that this trends products have not been created by man, rather they

appear to be the product of science, technology, biology, robots...and alien beings. The styling projects a controlled crackling energy. Mysterious sources of coloured light flow through architectural projects such as Group8’s Coral House in Geneva. Even in the automotive industry luminosity & transparency are being explored in concept car designs, such as the SRC (Semi-Rigid Car) by EMERGENT which proposes transparent chassis zones giving views of the inside workings of the car which are illuminated by LED lighting. And Transparency is used as a physical metaphor by designers to explore the complex issues of privacy & sharing in modern society. An invasion of almost psychedelic patterns pulse, swirl and grow in bacteria-esque formations creating a microscopic colony of multi-coloured floating geometrics (think Spike Walker’s award-winning photomicrographs). Oxygenated qualities and bubble structures are seen in furniture design, lighting and textiles, and the biomorphic forms of 3D printed products continue to be explored. A new world visual language is created.

Jewellery as Second Skin Aurora by Kyeok Kim

Project : ASIMO Designer : HONDA

Page 15

Page 16

A R Ti f i c i a l THE LOOK Textures & Surface Finishes: Coloured metallics are crucial. Also explore holographic shimmers, multi-coloured liquid swirls (think oil spills/slick effects) and iridescent changeants create colour shifts. Fluorescence & hi-definition Neon moves to having an ‘all over’ application rather than simply being used as an accent. Silvered surfaces deliver a futuristic sheen. Super glossy surfaces have a shellac shine. Otherworldly incandescent glows emit from products - ultraviolet provides the key. Stardust shimmers of glitter provide a cosmic sparkle. Embossed surface patterns include: irregular linear grids, lunar craters, deep ridges and raised braille dots. Patterns: Psychedelic digital fractal patterns pulse. Microscopic/bacteria-esque geo’s, connected molecular dots, floating microbes and brightly stained petri dish cells (à la Spike Walker’s photomicrographs). Crystalline patterns with a slightly frosted appearance. Digitally manipulated photo florals in saturated colours. Sharp shards contain spectrums of colours on crisp white grounds.

Shapes: Oxygenated, bubble, bubbling & foaming shapes (think Maarten De Ceulaer’s ‘Mutation’ series seating) provide a new direction for furniture and lighting - with the appearance of having grown organically, rather than being made by hand or machine, they can look inflated and cell-like. Spherical forms essentially provide the basis of this trend. Bacterial forms inspire new product shapes (such as Luke Jerram’s ‘Infectious Beauty’ project). 3D printed and biomorphic product shapes also provide complex surface details.

Materials: Transparency is key: PVC layered over opaque materials; Transparent leather (as we’ve seen from the likes of Hermes); iridescent coloured flakes trapped inside clear PVC; tinted cellophane-looking effects & faceted/fractured Perspex and acrylic structures radiate colour spectrums. Investigate coloured metals, iridescent leather, neon lace, coloured silicone & neoprene and embedded LED’s. Smart Materials that react & respond to their environment sit firmly within this trend - they protect, screen, cool & comfort. Styling: This trends styling appears to be the product of science, technology, biology, robots...and alien beings. It projects a controlled crackling energy and mysterious sources of coloured light flow beyond the boundaries of the conventional.

Page 17

A R Ti f i c i a l

Gemma Tovey

Page 18

Page 19

Page 20

A R Ti f i c i a l

NEON PINK

SEARCHLIGHT BLUE

ULTRAVIOLET

ALIEN GLOW

SOLAR YELLOW

ICED MINT

PLUS GLOSS WHITE & HIGHLIGHTER

NEON ORANGE

Page 21

A R Ti f i c i a l

Plumen

FRACTION

ARTificial