Trends260 Stories

So much more than a material for chairs and tables, gloriously grained natural wood can add beauty and style in countless inspiring ways

Surfaces painted with blackboard paint are cropping up all over our homes, so grab some chalk – the writing’s on the wall (or the fridge…)

A striped feature wall is a foolproof way to inject a touch of excitement into your home

Freely available and fantastically useful, pallets are just waiting to be given a new life in your home...

Warm metals are having a moment, so use flashes of brass to add a luxurious touch to your interior

Bring a pinch of kasbah cool and some North African notes to your home with exotic details and rich colours, straight from the souk

Pantone, the world-renowned authority on colour, has picked a perfectly luscious purple as this year’s must-have shade

Forget crocheted baby blankets, the new wave of patchwork offers a mix of patterns, textures and colours without the twee factor

Vibrant or muted, sharp or subtle, ikat patterns are the gentle way to do geometrics

These traditional materials are being reclaimed and restyled for today’s imaginative homes, bringing warmth to even the whitest schemes

Much favoured by Scandi schemes as an edgy contrast, black is now big in stylish abodes here, too. But how do you use it to best effect?