Unlock the Latest Homeware & Interior Trends: Exclusive Preview of Decorex 2023
Image Credit: Emma Diaz
While I do love an interior and design show, I tend to find many of them a bit stuffy and high-end. While I always appreciate good design, a lot of the time I really just want to see things that I love that I can afford to incorporate into my own home. This is why I always enjoy going to Decorex: the annual interior trade show featuring artisans, makers and leading homeware brands that are at the forefront of creating the next big interior trends. I went along this week and picked out my favourite finds to share here on the blog today.
Image Credit: Emma Diaz
The Westridge Collection by Emma Diaz
I have long followed Emma on social media and I have enjoyed her transcend from interior influencer into a successful designer and professional colour consultant for Edward Bulmer Paints. Dedicated and determined, this year Emma released her first furniture collection - a sustainable furniture range painted in colourful (yet tasteful) tones of natural paint. The Westridge Collection by Emma Diaz was designed entirely by Emma and produced in Wiltshire using Grown-in-Britain-certified Pippy Oak and Ash wood. Currently comprising a dining table and bench, a bookcase and two smaller tables, this was the first time that I had seen Emma’s furniture in the flesh and it did not disappoint.
Image Credit: Original BTC
New Lighting From Original BTC
I’m a sucker for a portable table lamp - especially when its shape has been inspired by flowers - so I was instantly drawn to the new handcrafted Blossom lamp from British makers Original BTC. Inspired by the Plum blossom (the national flower of Taiwan), the dimmable, chargeable lamp has a fluted bone china shade echoing the outlines of Plum blossom petals, while the base comes in a choice of three colours (the red being my favourite). While I played about with the (very heavy and sturdy) Blossom, the Original BTC representative introduced me to the new ceiling light collection of flush fittings. As I always thought there was a massive gap in the market for better flush lights, I was delighted to lay eyes on the very lovely new pleat ceiling collection which I’ve earmarked for my own hallway makeover!
The new Blossom Portable Light from Original BTC.
Headboard by Natasha Hulse.
Natasha Hulse Surface Design
One of my favourite parts of Decorex is the makers section and this year I stumbled on Natasha Hulse: a bespoke fabric artist who specialises in designing three-dimensional appliqué artworks. Natasha’s big, bold and beautiful floral headboard was grabbing everyone’s attention and if you like her work, she sells smaller-scale items in her online shop.
You can buy this strawberry appliqué lampshade from Natasha Hulse’s online shop.
Kate Watson-Smyth for Alternative Flooring
As well as stylish flush lights, I’ve always thought there was a gap in the market for more jazzy carpets. There appears to have been a large fear around patterned carpet for a long while, but, thankfully, that is no more due to the wonderful Kate Watson Smyth collaborating on a bold floral daisy-print carpet with Alternative Flooring. Quirky Bloom is available in six colourways and is made from certified British Wool.
Image credit: Alternative Flooring x KWS
Image Credit: Linwood
Small Prints II: The New Linwood Fabric Collection
When I visited Decorex last year, I discovered Linwood’s Small Prints collection which I loved so much, I ended up making a pair of curtains out of one design for my own bathroom. This year, Linwood launched Small Prints II and while the original collection is still my favourite, there are some lovely prints in round two including many in on-trend brown shades (a colour that could be seen everywhere at Decorex 2023).
Image Credit: Linwood
YesColours: The Tinless and vivid paint Range
One of the largest stands of the show belonged to YesColours: the paint range that rejects bulky tins for recyclable pouches and samples in reusable glass bottles. However, it’s not only the packaging that makes YesColours a bit different to other paint brands - their palette is bold and punchy and doesn't embrace the soft, muted shades embraced by most paint companies. In fact, their most popular paint colour is Electric Blue (think YSL Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech) and they gained lots of new fans with their Connect 4-style giant paint circle chips on display at the show. I was very drawn to their Fresh Lilac shade which I intend to use as soon as possible.
