For the first time, we recognize not only how gravely our planet is endangered, but also how irresponsible daily decisions are deteriorating our environment — one that we will leave to future generations.

We spend countless hours and immeasurable resources adorning our interior spaces with the inessential. Much of our possessions have served no actual use other than to fill enormous spaces. We have placed far too much emphasis on “things,” and we are substituting authenticity with immediacy.

The first step toward a slow-living interior environment is to learn to let go of our wants for more and more and instead work towards crafting spaces that nurtures serenity. Slow living entails taking the time to find value in the ordinary and transforming that into something beautiful. In essence, we would have a richer and more fulfilling life if we moved toward simplicity.

How does slow living affect interiors?

When it comes to slow living and how we arrange our interior spaces, particularly our homes, there are no set rules. This is because slow living entails narrowing your focus to what matters most to you and discarding the rest. It’s about saying no to too many social obligations and letting go of the constant push to have the latest this, that, and the other (if those things are not truly significant to you). In short, it’s all about living with purpose and in accordance with one’s own ideals.

The following contribute to the creation of an interior setting conducive to slow living:

• Simplifying in accordance with your principles
• Conscious consumption
• Honouring the art of workmanship
• Creating environments that promote calm and reflection

Curating and simplifying

Simplicity isn’t about surrendering; it’s about making the decision to do more with less. The objects we use to beautify our houses are a fun way to showcase our uniqueness while also being versatile and adaptable. Simplicity informs design by preserving only the essential and desirable aspects of our life in interior spaces.

Slow living design is about increasing self-awareness, letting go of excess materials and objects, learning to live consciously, connecting with our unique beliefs, and happily realising the ideas that don’t match our homes, families or work.

Slow living-inspired homes’ minimalist appearance is perhaps more of a reaction to the process of decluttering our lives. It’s similar to Marie Kondo’s concept, which emphasizes preserving only the items that bring us genuine joy.

In practice, this means avoiding unduly elaborate decorating and getting rid of any unneeded belongings, leaving only the objects and furnishings that have a true function, beauty, or personal significance. What should I keep? Items that you admire and enjoy using!

Consuming consciously

Slow living requires us to be mindful of the products we purchase. It’s about deciding what we really need and considering how long that item will last. It’s about taking into account the environmental impact of our purchase decisions as well as the emotional reasons for buying something we don’t truly need. Choosing a more minimalist design that is actually timeless can help us overcome the need to keep up with trends and replace objects on a regular basis.

Slow living is about choosing quality over quantity rather than having a lot of unnecessary stuff. Organic, renewable, recyclable, and wholesome are the qualities that stand out. If you’re going to purchase new furnishings, make sure they’re the best, most durable and long-lasting.

Artisanal craftsmanship

Homewares and interior products that are imperfect, as inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, bring true joy to some homeowners

These have texture and depth, which is typically due to the fact that they are handcrafted by artists and independents and are one-of-a-kind rather than mass-produced.

These objects have been handcrafted with care, and there is a strong sense of time and slow design. This can motivate us to devote more time to the things we enjoy, as well as encourage daily moments of silence and contemplation.

Our health can be affected by inadequate lighting, toxic materials, stagnant air, and synthetic furnishings. Because we are actually alienated from nature in so many facets of our lives, connecting with it in our homes has become more vital than ever. The easiest approach to incorporate nature into your house is to use natural materials such as wood, clay, cotton, and stone.

Slow living furniture may be furniture that is well crafted from natural materials. Handcrafted objects have a simplistic appeal and a timelessness that outlasts the changing tides of fashion. They have the ability to transcend the mundane and inspire people to slow down, savour, and enjoy the moment — highlighting the relevance of everyday rituals.  A wooden floor patina, for example, becomes pronounced and its colour richer over the years — bringing so much appreciation to what nature has to offer.

Creating environments that promote calm and reflection

Interiors for a slow living are usually subdued. While grey has been all the rage in recent years because it exudes tranquillity, designers are increasingly turning to beige to create relaxing moods. Grey has cool undertones, whereas warm neutrals like taupe, oatmeal, and sandy shades have warm undertones. These hues are still soothing, but they are also comforting and cosy, which we crave in challenging times.

Due to their natural feel, beige tones and textures such as wood and linen are frequently used, bringing us closer to nature. However, they further distance us from the mass-produced and undesirable environmental connotations of plastic and non-renewable fibres.

In addition, warm neutrals are frequently associated with the idea of creating a sense of slowness and serenity, as well as linking us to nature and more sustainable choices. When establishing a colour scheme, it’s equally important to consider colour psychology. Each person using the room may have a different colour personality, and particular colour combinations may attract or repel them.

The ideal flooring for a relaxed, slow living lifestyle

There is a wide range of flooring options that complement slow living aesthetics. A simple design concept generally has a calming quality, and infuses the tranquillity that is associated with slow living into an interior space. Wood flooring is a great match for those who like a tasteful simplicity that equally feels authentic and timeless.

For example, light and lively oak wood flooring evokes a sense of slow living feeling and sets a subtle contrast against sober minimalism. The rich patina of timber creates a welcoming and natural feeling of well-being. Because the visual highlights in a slow living concept are evidently appreciated, so long as they’re used in a subtle manner, a flooring pattern can also provide the ideal atmosphere. The classic herringbone pattern is both eye-catching and timeless. It provides geometric structure and order to floor surfaces. As previously stated, order is essential to the slow living concept.

Conclusion

We tend to be unconscious to how time dictates the rhythm of our lives. Slow living, which embodies a connected, balanced, and thoughtful lifestyle approach, is the answer. Simple pleasures, values, and the judicious use of natural resources promotes a sense of harmony and contentment.

Slow living is rooted in making choices that are aligned with our values and a mindful state of being. By living in an organic, natural way, it nurtures the self, the planet, and the home. What’s the end result? This slowing down should cause you to become more aware of your surroundings. The overwhelming speed of everyday life is slowed down by focusing on one thing and giving oneself completely to it. This is also apparent when the mindset is carried over into your living style, resulting in a sense of calm within your own four walls.

Peeling plaster, raw concrete, bare brick, rough textures and solid structures give character to stripped-back interiors — which take inspiration from the lofty look of warehouses, factories, and other industrial structures. Whilst stripped-back interiors may look as though they’ve been abandoned halfway through decorating, they aren’t pretentious in the slightest and still function without fuss.

A neutral canvas

Picture a stripped-back interior: it’s all about blending rugged, textured surfaces and objects with neutral hues that complement surrounding materials. With its no-nonsense, functional approach — it all starts with distinct surfaces, each full of character, history, narrative, and practicality — working particularly well in open-plan schemes, but equally expanding the space within smaller rooms.

The right backdrop are neutral greys, whites, taupes, beiges, and olives, which provide a roomy feel with plenty of charm. This understated yet characterful style is created by combining natural elements with a neutral colour palette, allowing you to escape reality and unwind with ease.

An understated statement 

For a modest but effective homage to the stripped-back aesthetic, introduce metal fixtures or rustic floorboards. Rugged interiors often incorporate statement lights, which are especially helpful in softening an otherwise cold space. To boost the rooms’ visual quality, wood floors and plant accenting can be introduced.

This style’s overall presence and theatrics exude an edgy sophistication that is unique and incredibly distinguished. Allow your colour palette to be guided by the raw materials used for a truly authentic finish. Layer in textiles, art, and rugs to create a welcoming atmosphere and a lived-in feel.

All the earthy shades of green

Shades of sage, jades, and olives are likely to replace the traditional neutral colours. These tones couple up beautifully with wooded floors and other neutral hues like cream and taupe. Green is commonly associated with nature, and these softer shades are the ideal way to make a subdued statement in stripped-back settings while allowing you to focus on the finer details. It is possible to create a warmer and cosier environment even if practicality is prioritised.

Embrace raw, weathered material

The days of bleached woods are long gone, and bolder woods such as black oak, ebony, walnut, and mahogany have taken centre stage. Make your dark wood furniture the prominent feature of your home, from mahogany coffee tables to walnut dining tables.

It’s time for the furniture to shine now that neutralised walls have taken a back seat. Embracing the shabby chic style entails the use of raw, aged materials, and dark wood flooring is an excellent way to create a sense of richness and luxury in any space.

Favour metal features

We’ve seen a lot of rose gold in interiors in recent years, but going back to basics, we’re seeing interiors using less shiny materials and embracing industrial metals like brass and copper, which offer a more organic touch to your rooms. As previously mentioned, interiors are focused on neutral foundations; the finer details will be the main theme. Brass handles suit dark woods nicely and offer the perfect final touch to glam furnishings, so adding flashes of handcrafted metals to your stripped-back décor is a simple way to add a sense of elegance and refinement.

As we see more and more décor returning to nature, having well-lit natural lighting is becoming increasingly important; but, if your space lacks natural illumination, you can easily achieve this aesthetic by strategically placing lights in your spaces. Vintage lighting in pewter, brass, or copper, whether in the form of a pendant, flush-mount, or wall fixture, is the ideal way to incorporate new metals into your interior while also ensuring that your space has adequate illumination to brighten your stripped-back aesthetic.

Stick to classic white

The original neutral colour! If you’re uncertain about which colour scheme to go with, all-white is a safe bet. If you choose white as your base colour, you have the freedom to experiment with the various textures you choose for your stripped-back aesthetic. White walls are the ideal canvas for creating a timeless space that will never go out of style. To craft a classic feel, pair white walls with brass lighting fixtures for a subtle pop of colour — and dark rustic wood floors for a characterful finish.

Expose Imperfections

Precision is promoted in many modern design trends, whether through refined colour palettes or crisp edges. To achieve the stripped-back interior, you may want to bend these design standards a little bit by exposing purposefully unfinished surface finishes and or decorative features.

Essentially, it is important to embrace these imperfections and turn them into design features in their own right. Untidy finishes are sure to add a wonderful sense of ruggedness to your space, giving it an instinctive appeal.

Exposed concrete and brickwork are popular choices for those wanting a stripped-back aesthetic. Both elements allude to the vintage and practical characteristics of this interior style, evoking images of worn-down factories and warehouses.

Bring reclaimed materials to life

To the relief of all you rugged interior fans out there, crafting a space that evokes the stripped-back style doesn’t have to be challenging.  In fact, this style invites you to be creative with the materials you have on hand and make the most of your resources, resulting in an interior that authentically reflects you.

Making the most of what you already have and giving something old a new lease of life puts sustainability at the centre of your design. Finding new, effective uses for once-discarded materials and objects contributes much to the spirit of the stripped-back design and aids in the creation of a beautiful, inspirational space.

Conclusion

The stripped-back interior concept is a wonderfully timeless interior style that can easily bring a magnificent touch of character to any room. This interior design style focuses on combining and layering building materials into the room — brick, concrete, steel, and rustic wood are all common elements in a stripped-back setting.

Embrace open areas and negative spaces, this allows materials and furnishings to speak for themselves. Because stripped-back interiors are so raw and rely on simple features, there are many ways to incorporate elements from various styles, particularly modern, vintage, and rustic.

For the greater part of three decades, architects, interior designers, and others involved in the design of the built environment have been advocating for sustainable design.

It sprang out of previous initiatives in the 1970s, such as environmental protection and energy efficiency.

Its initial premise was to meet current needs without jeopardizing the future generations’ ability to meet their own — all while preserving available resources.

Sustainable construction has made great progress in terms of adopting materials that contain fewer toxic chemicals, resulting in healthier interior environments. Despite this, the sustainable design movement has made little headway in preventing significant environmental damage and climate change.

We need to rethink how we build the physical environment — perhaps it’s time to abandon the term “sustainable” in favour of “regenerative design” to express the desired results. Regenerative design aims to use design and construction to restore natural and human systems rather than only mitigate the negative effects of new development.

Switching to regenerative design allows us to more easily forgo strategies that are no longer adequate to the challenges we face today, in favour of promoting forward-thinking and multidisciplinary knowledge that leads to solutions that celebrate the richness of design creativity while improving users’ experience, comfort, health, wellbeing, and satisfaction inside and outside buildings, in harmony with urban and natural ecosystems, and, ultimately reconnecting users to nature.

Inspiring eco-nudges

People are hungry for change post-pandemic, and they’re looking to brands to lead the way. As a matter of fact, 70% of individuals are willing to make significant lifestyle adjustments to help safeguard the environment.

Brands can exhibit leadership, establish long-term resilience, and tap into new opportunities by incorporating regeneration into their business — and show that they’re paying attention to experts who say climate change is the second-largest danger to global wellbeing after infectious illnesses. By leveraging regeneration, brands now have an unprecedented chance to transform the way we live, learn, work, and do business for the better.

Regenerative design and building

From how projects are developed to how they are used to how they are deconstructed at end of life; the built environment plays a key role in climate change. To reduce negative impacts, the design and construction industry has used more demanding “high performance” design practices for decades.

However, when climate change approaches a tipping point with permanent consequences, high-performance measures still have net negative repercussions and should only be viewed as the first step toward something bigger. We must consider our progress not in terms of doing less harm, but in terms of genuinely doing good. To put it another way, our build projects must actively regenerate or contribute to positive outcomes on the people who utilize them as well as the local ecology that surrounds them.

A regenerative building and design approach not only restores but also enhances the surrounding natural environment by improving the quality of life for both biotic (living) and abiotic (chemical) components. The regenerative design strategy encourages a network of interconnections between the physical, constructed, and natural environments.

The same concept for living and restorative buildings is applied in the regenerative design process, but all facets of systems thinking are considered; from site, materials, and energy to plants, microbes, human social systems, and culture.

All of these design processes necessitate a different approach than merely offering green technologies to the design team. Furthermore, we must see construction materials not just as components for building a structure, but also as nutrients that contribute to the building’s ecosystem, as well as to our own well-being. The ultimate result is a building that not only meets all of its needs on-site, but also contributes to the environment’s health, increases biodiversity, and maintains a living relationship with its surroundings.

Adaptable technologies

There’re also specific technologies that aid with environmental adaptation, such as phase change materials, which can store and release significant amounts of energy by transitioning from a solid to a liquid state.

Electrochromic windows, for example, allow you to control how much light and heat passes through them by applying a voltage to the window, which causes it to lighten or darken. This opens up the possibility of using the windows as energy-saving devices. Window shades and lights that brighten in reaction to the quantity of daylight are also available.

Materials and waste

For all projects, appropriately sourced materials that promote regional economies while limiting transportation impacts must be considered. Renewable technology, for example, should come from no more than 15,000 kilometres away, whereas heavy or high-density materials should come from no more than 500 kilometres. The use of higher-quality, long-lasting materials adds to the building’s durability.

All wood products must be salvaged, felled on-site for building, or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council certified (FSC). The FSC certification ensures that the timber or non-timber forest product was sourced from sustainably managed forests. If properly extracted, wood is a renewable, reusable, and biodegradable resource. Unlike non-renewable resources, the forest can continue to grow even if some trees are taken down. We may never run out of wood if we practice sustainable forest management and plant trees frequently.

When properly maintained, wood is an exceptionally durable material that can last for decades, if not centuries. Many ancient wood structures, such as 8th-century Japanese temples, 11th-century Norwegian stave churches, and many medieval post-and-beam structures in Europe, are still standing. Wooden structures consistently have the longest lifespans according to surveys of building age.

Another facet of regenerative design that must be pushed forward is the waste reduction or elimination. For example, The Living Building Challenge (LBC), which is administered by the International Living Future Institute (one of the leading organizations promoting regenerative buildings), requires that 80–100% of construction waste be recycled and diverted from landfills.

A “Materials Red List” highlights materials and chemicals that have health and toxicity concerns and are not suited for building projects.  Living Buildings strive towards net-zero or net-positive energy, are toxic chemical-free and have an energy footprint that is many times lower than that of a typical commercial structure.

A plan for flexible reuse and deconstruction guarantees that all resources are reused on or off-site and all trash is recycled to complete the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) cycle of the materials, waste, and the building itself.

Human health and happiness

An emphasis on occupant health and happiness is an integral aspect of living, restorative, and regenerative building design — highlighting the interconnection between nature and human comfort and health.

A productive work environment is one that is healthy. Other variables in enhancing occupant happiness with their work environment include optimizing sunshine and providing access to biophilic design elements.

Equity and beauty

The reality that buildings will be occupied by people whose health, happiness, and productivity are dependent on the design and function of the space must be kept in mind by project teams.

The Living Building Challenge emphasizes human sustainability, flexibility, resiliency, as well as social justice and democracy.

All of these aspects have a strong sense of place and a user-centred approach that incorporates diversity, mutual respect, and aesthetic appeal.

Aesthetic features are required in the design of all buildings. Many structures from the mid-to late-twentieth-century till now have been designed solely for practical and economic reasons.

A new way of building that celebrates the culture and recaptures the human spirit can be made possible by including design elements that take into consideration aesthetic appeal and biophilia.

Conclusion

Sustainability has provided us with the basis, and it has prompted more people to consider the impact humans have on the environment. However, in order to successfully enrich our communities, we must shift our attitude and bring a focused awareness to a broader framework that benefits places, people, ecology, culture and climate.

Regenerative design is distinguished by its innovative strategies and technologies that seek to integrate and restore the natural environment rather than focus solely on building design — it goes further by utilizing design and construction as positive forces in the repair of natural and human systems. Restorative sustainability strategies can and will elevate aspirations and provide outcomes that are socially equitable, ecologically restorative, culturally rich, and economically viable.

After a long day, there is nothing better than being able to retreat to your own private oasis.

It’s no surprise that bathroom design is receiving the attention it deserves — there’re various styles to incorporate today that will keep it trendy past the next years.

From striking colour palettes and textures to gorgeous materials and accent features, here you’ll find 15 bathroom design ideas and trends to look forward to in 2020.

Biophilia inspired design

Nature lovers who are probing for biophilic environments will love this trend!

Biophilia places well-being at the heart of design by putting man in touch with nature.

There’s well-documented evidence that we’re much more calm, relaxed and focused if we’re surrounded by nature.

The concept of biophilia has been notable in commercial surroundings, but can also be utilised to inform the interior design of bathroom environments in a variety of ways, such as through the choice of flooring and wall coverings, furniture and furnishings.

To simply create a bathroom oasis that connects with nature: carefully select materials and textures like wood and organic fibres, bring in natural light and greenery, opt for oddly fixtures that emulate nature’s natural shapes.

In terms of colour choices, pick a soothing palette with some whites, greys and greens.

Wallpaper with greenery works best in compact spaces such as the powder room. Lighting also plays a pretty significant role in connecting us to nature.

Adding a skylight or big windows allows you to mimic the natural light found outdoors.

Ultimately, the aim of the bathroom design intervention is to achieve feelings of relaxation, rejuvenation and comfort.

Big impressions in minimal spaces

In the face of increasing glass-walled open showers, many bathroom fitting companies are going above and beyond to create a variety of interesting and clever minimalistic fittings.

They’re all unique and incorporate various functions.

Goodbye chrome and hello daring black, gold and copper!

To get in on the trend, opt for unique bathroom fittings that exude plenty of style.

A beautiful minimalist space can be elevated with lighting components.

By combining stunning lighting, modern wall-mounted fixtures and simple looking tile motifs gives the bathroom space a grand atmosphere that really works.

Warm colour palette

Bathroom colour trends have evolved over the years — from cold, clinical colours to more exciting tones.

In 2020, champagne, navy blue, golden yellow and pumpkin red are the few warm colours that will replace cool grey which has been dominating the world of interior design for years.

What makes these colour choices even more exciting is how easily they complement a range of interior styles and elements.

For example, champagne pairs beautifully with bold textures and materials to add visual interest to a room. You can also play around with metallic accessories such as gold or silver for a contemporary finish.

Graphically speckled terrazzo

Back in 2017, terrazzo seeped into our homes as a big new trend on the design scene and we only see it getting bigger.

In the new year, terrazzo will remain loved by designers as the statement surface of choice.

A mix of natural stones, cement, and marble, terrazzo’s graphically speckled good-looks and endless array of colour options can now be found everywhere: in decorative accessories, wall surfaces, counters, and backsplashes.

In the bathroom front, this Italian material is most often found along shower walls, flooring or even a replacement of a ceramic sink to evoke a timeless sense of play that works well with just about any design style, from minimal to mid-century modern grandeur.

Seeing as it has a fragmented texture, this loved material is definitely never dull with its unlimited colour and long-lasting material combinations!

Open showers remain a favourite

In terms of showers, there are many different unique and eye-catching kinds on the market.

However, open-concept showers that do away with restrictive barriers and walls are quite on trend — especially those that are multi-functional and fully equipped: integrated bench, misting system, ambient lighting, anti-fog mirror and floor-to-ceiling windows to create a fusion of indoors and outdoors.

While this trend may be rather bold, open-concept showers are particular really beneficial in bathrooms that also function as living spaces, e.g. a master en-suite.

A privacy glass wall makes it possible to separate the shower from the rest of the space. Advantage of such a look? Visual spaciousness and a feel-good ambience!

Bold black aesthetic

A colour that remains a favourite for many even in bathroom design is black — it’s timeless, unapologetic and exudes elegance and sophisticated flair.

Black blends well with any other colour, and complements any interior style there is out there.

Be daring in creating an appealing bathroom of your own; from statement features to sculpted fittings.

Rich dark hues are bold and powerful, easily striking and visibly noticeable.

Think matte black fixtures paired beautifully with wood flooring and shiny metallic accents… The results? A stunning interior that truly does “take you away”!

Wood as a focal material

Loved for its warm, beautiful and timeless presence, wood replaces the cold ceramics and becomes the smart merger between bathroom and bedroom aesthetics.

From wooden panels that radiate from wall to ceiling, to flooring and free-standing furniture that echo a new expression — this new season it’s all about creating spaces that bring a sense comfort and beauty to modern bathroom designs

Thanks to advances in waterproof finishes and improvements in moisture-reducing room-ventilation, an abundance of engineered wood has become an integral part of new bathroom designs.

Like stone, wood surfaces provide an optical rest and serine emanation for the open bathroom concept.

Console-style vanities

2020 is focused on saving space, making console-like vanities ideal as opposed to massive furnishing.

Floating a console vanity allows you to gain back the space inch by inch, making the room look much bigger. Powder rooms benefit greatly from this trend.

With so many styles to choose from, you can quickly find a console-style vanity to suit your overall bathroom aesthetics and family’s needs.

When it comes to colour, a light-coloured finish will bounce light around, making a compact bath or powder room seem visually spacious — whilst a dark, dramatic finish is a fashionable option that teams effortlessly with lighter décor to achieve a contemporary look.

Tiny bathrooms with huge potential

Designers are becoming ingenious with the way they decorate tiny spaces such as the powder room. They look just as fashionable and charming as full four-piece bathrooms! Believe it or not, crafting a small space with more luxurious materials is more affordable

We also see bold design elements feeling right at home in petite spaces; from statement wallpaper on powder room walls to tiling from the floor to the ceiling.

Sinks are also rather unique with interesting shapes and designs in concrete or marble. Put simply: there are plenty of ways to transform even the dinkiest bathroom into a functional and absolutely fabulous space.

Statement artwork

It’s all about making an artistic statement in 2020, even in the bathroom. The best thing about the art trend is that it’s noncommittal, unlike most of your other choices in a bathroom remodel.

You can easily and frequently switch out art pieces.

Whether you’re dreaming of something serene or elegant, artwork is available in all styles.

Like any other room, bathrooms are subject to sunlight, heat and steam; therefore, your much-loved art should be professionally framed, with a sealed back, to be able to withstand moist and humid environments.

Refined and sought-after tiling

2019 saw the advent of the Morocco-inspired fish-scale tiles in striking jewel tones. As the new year approaches, we’re now looking for a more sought-after and sober style.

Uniquely shaped tiles in neutral colour palettes are at the forefront, typically in grey tones and matte black.

For a little more of dynamic look and feel, you can opt for textured tiles to make a statement behind your basin, in your shower or splashed across the floor.

High-end tiles that have both matte and shiny properties are also a great option for elegant contemporary bathrooms. Luxury is in subtlety!

Timber-look tiles featuring a timeless herringbone pattern will also make a big appear in 2020.

This trend offers the visual warmth and all the nuances, grains and knots of real wooden planks, but provides the same durability and easy upkeep of porcelain or ceramic tiles.

Minimalist linear lighting

Lighting is incredibly important in your bathroom. Not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for practicality. More popular though is minimalist and linear lighting, which allows other elements in the bathroom to shine brightly.

Non-convectional, ultra-modern and sleek appliqués are another big option but will be characterised by simple and pure lines.

Using two or even one application of these within your bathroom will be all that you need for an illuminated minimalist dream.

Spa-like feel

Turning the bathroom into a spa has invariably always been on the mind of many homeowners, and in the coming year bathrooms become more of experiential spaces.

The spa-like experience as well as a kind of theatrical beauty takes over what used to be a very humble and private space

To make your dream spa-like retreat a reality, consider different design styles and directions. From ideas that evoke serene and rejuvenating outdoors to ultra-modern and sleek, the options are endless to match personal taste and lifestyle.

Subtle art-deco inspired

Bored by the monotonous feel of your bathroom? Looking at beautiful design styles of the past can be the most inspiring. A lot of art-deco influences are coming back in a big way that satisfy all tastes.

Nods to old-world craftsmanship characterised by elegant use of balanced shapes, uncluttered lines, vibrant colours, patterns and visual textures take shape in gorgeous new bathtub creations, unique-shaped mirrors, wall and floor tiles, furnishings and light fixtures.

Smart measures

As technology evolves, home automation is no longer a sci-fi thing of the future — the good news is it’s here, it offers a number of savvy tech options and it’s easy to use. Motion detecting faucets, automatic temperature regulators, mirrors with built-in LED lighting and automatic hand-wipe sensors are just the few ways smart technology promises to put the control at your fingertips and to make your bathroom design work for you

Conclusion

The key to a seamless bathroom design is comfort, functionality and beauty. Whether it’s adding a few touches to make an existing bathroom suite more appealing or a complete space renovation, 2020 has in store big ideas for design trends enthusiasts. From bold colours to warm, timeless materials, next year’s bathroom trends give you the opportunity to combine fashion and function to come up with a design that’s well suited for you, your family and your lifestyle.

Material tactility is commonly understood as the parts that we can touch — and it plays an important role in our visual and mental perception of space.

Out of the senses, touch gives you a physical understanding of build quality — and has the biggest link to the idea of shelter in humanity’s hierarchy of needs. And yet, we now tend to move through spaces without actually feeling them, and this has proved to be extremely isolating for many.

A notion that Helsinki-based architect and professor, Juhani Pallasmaa, depicts in his famous book, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses.

In his introduction, Pallasmaa revealed that he felt compelled to write because he had “become increasingly concerned about the bias towards the vision, and the suppression of other senses, in the way architecture was conceived, taught and critiqued,” further emphasising that, “Our contact with the world takes place at the boundary line of the self through specialist parts of our enveloping membrane.” Or skin, in other words.

Although first published in 1996, Pallasmaa foresaw the issues with our relationship with social media and being alone, isolated and untouched. “There is no doubt that our technological culture has ordered and separated the senses even more distinctly.”

“Vision and hearing are now the privileged sociable senses, whereas the other three are considered as archaic sensory remnants with a merely private function.” To further support his ideas Pallasmaa notes that, “The dominance of the eye and the suppression of the other senses tends to push us into detachment, isolation and exteriority.” Challenges we have experienced collectively since the last decades.

Touch is inevitable; hence the idea of moving into spaces that are “touchless” post-pandemic isn’t a world many of us would be able to understand. It wouldn’t feel safe and comforting.

To build sustainably is no longer a personal choice, but a regulation — and, moving forward, we are more likely to see natural, sustainable materials that perform more than one function at the forefront.

In other words, familiar materials being represented in an unfamiliar way… There are numerous ways in which we can begin to consider the full potential of a material in an interior space.

The origin of timber, for example, with its character knots and cracks, makes it a rich material that conveys palpable warmth and tangibility.

Interestingly, there are various ways of interpreting its use that can offer many outcomes: solid surfaces, fuel, stationery, sports equipment, plastic substitute in car interiors — all these things can be generated from wood easily, making it a versatile material.

Through the lens of intriguing projects that take advantage of the endless surface-texture possibilities wood provides, we have witnessed how this natural material has expanded extensively across the world.

In design parlance, the tactility of a material is what brings a perfectly fine interior environment up to enviable levels.

The sensations caused by the external surface of objects received through the sense of touch elevates our perception of space — the lack of which deprives the kinaesthetic part of our minds.

Conclusion

Both our interior and exterior surroundings encompass textural components — and as humans, being able to touch and interact with textures helps us to subconsciously measure space and define its value based on our emotive experience. When our sensory need for touch is ignored, the opposite occurs — we inhabit rather than experience the space.

Think Parisian Chic… and a vibe of classiness and sophistication met with eclectic yet casual flair comes to mind!

Embodying a certain je ne sais quoi about it, Parisian chic interior seem to have a perennially effortless charm that can’t be simply replicated by a set of two gilded chairs or an antique chandelier.

Interestingly, great Parisian style should bring together the iconic character and practical luxury of the space.

It adopts a playful nature as nothing can be too arranged and stable, too curated or too perfect…

Just as dishevelled as they are elegant, the French adopt the same laissez-faire attitude towards interiors as they do with their fashion sense.

Below, we share just how you can emulate Parisian chic aesthetic — one that looks nonchalant, yet so gorgeous.

Start with classic white walls with millwork

A truly Parisian abode sticks to a narrow palette in which white plays a prominent role.

Acting as the perfect blank canvas for often impeccable décor elements, white walls featuring shapely and elegant panelling offer a delicate balance between a refined, classic style and bold, ultramodern pieces.

The combination of high ceilings — if you have them — and crisp white walls make an interior environment feel airy, bright and classic.

Embrace standout parquet wood floors

Area rugs such as Turkish pieces may feel lush and soft underfoot, but Parisian chic aesthetics embrace the natural look and feel of wooden floors. Bonus point if you opt for a herringbone or chevron pattern to really capture the true essence of Parisian look — however, different types of parquet are suitable.

This chic style is all about timeless elegance, and having to forego a carpet or rug allows you to highlight the richness and warmth of your wood flooring, especially when all the walls are white and you’re looking for that one feature that will lay in a contemporary touch.

Effortlessly mix the old and the new

Beautiful doesn’t mean perfect, and that’s part of the appeal of Parisian chic style. The interiors most certainly do not look like a page from a catalogue — not everything is from the same era, not everything matches, and not everything comes from one source.

The perfect formula to master its sophisticated yet laidback stylistic flair is to mix the glamour of the old and the minimalism of the new.

As you might have guessed, the style exudes a depth of character. Aged wood, burnished metal, antique painted furniture and beloved accessories juxtapose beautifully with streamlined, modern pieces.

Striking the right balance between vintage charm and avant-garde modernism reflects a sense of naturalness that feels cohesive rather than chaotic.

Celebrate intricate architectural details

Steeped in classical references, Parisian apartments are blessed with quirky layouts and beautiful architectural bones. If you have a home with fanciful curves, rectangular panel and dentil mouldings, as well as ceiling rosettes, hang on to them as they are the unsung heroes that provide a perfect foundation for Parisian chic interiors.

However, if you’re starting with a more contemporary cookie-cutter space without any architectural interest, moulding and faux beams can be added wherever you like — crowning the walls, around the fireplace or on the ceiling — and painted the same colour as your walls for a sophisticated monochromatic look.

Aside from commanding visual attention overhead, a ceiling medallion — or centre, as it is also known — as the ideal spot for highlighting another must-have element: a chandelier! The moulding design can be fairly simple, straight and streamlined, or more ornate and elaborate — whatever fits your personal style.

Turn the fireplace into the focal of the room

In a stunning Parisian chic home, the fireplace is often the most ornate and standout feature in the room. A distinctive surround and stylish mantel, particularly with a gorgeous piece of marble that has prominent veining, accentuate a plain fireplace to a new level.

Reinforce the fireplace as the room’s focal point by topping it off with an oversized gilt mirror — another defining element of Parisian décor. A striking fireplace and a highly ornate gold mirror are a perfect match sure to make a bold design statement.

Invest in one-of-a-kind artwork

Designing Parisian chic doesn’t just stop at fine antique and gilded furniture.

This opulent style with a slight electric approach effortlessly mixes ornate architectural features and antiques with more modernist pieces of artwork and sculptures. And, often, art pieces are propped against a wall on the floor or on a piece of furniture.

In contrast, if you prefer modern furniture pieces, opt for vintage art that harks back to an older era or a statement abstract masterpiece that adds Parisian-style personality to your walls and becomes the front and centre of everyone’s attention in the room

Bring in a grand lighting piece

The chandelier is the magic decor item that adds an air of Parisian sophistication and can help your living space swing more traditional or more modern.

If your base furnishings are largely modern and rely on other elements for a vintage touch, a grand antique chandelier in crystal, gold or antique brass finish can flavour the room in the right direction.

On the other hand, if your space is dominated by older pieces of furniture, a more contemporary lighting piece can help convey the right feeling.

Maintain a sophisticated subdued effect

While white, off-white and quiet neutral tones are quintessentially Parisian style, it is possible to include something bold. However, if you do see colour, it’s never vibrant hues like chartreuse or hot pink.

Instead, it tends to be more subdued hues with grey undertone such as sage green, steely blue, or dusty rose — and touches of black to bring balance and keep the space from feeling overly ethereal.

If for any reason you’d like to be a bit adventurous, opt for rich and luxurious tones like a burnt orange, deep green or moody burgundy to add depth without dominating the required serene palette.

Conclusion

The City of Light seem to have an innate sense of style, in fashion, architecture and design. Uniquely elegant and utterly exquisite, Parisian interiors have an unmistakable design approach that’s informed, composed, and adventurous and that can be adapted to any space. It is a very soft and refined style, requiring considerable effort to make it appear effortless without ever losing sight of that elusive attribute called “chic”.

Ultimately, Parisian chic starts with stunning architectural bones. Bright white walls, parquet floors, intricate moulding, elaborate fireplaces — with a canvas this beautiful, it makes it fairly easy to bring chic to your abode.

In these unprecedented times, the words health, wellness and hygiene hit differently than they did before.

Interior design and home renovation professionals are shifting more of their focus towards wellness-oriented spaces in both commercial and residential settings — homeowners are re-evaluating how they can use existing spaces and prioritise much more than just relaxation and aesthetics.

The pandemic has crystallised the need to enjoy our surroundings and connect with friends and family like never before.

Now more than ever, we have had time to reflect on our pace of life and the impact design and architecture has on mental and physical wellbeing, both good and bad.

Without a doubt, safe, clean and healthy spaces have been the focal theme.

Social isolation and physical withdrawal into our interior worlds mean that designers of interior spaces need to test and push boundaries in order to uncover a response that delivers on not only an aesthetic level but also creates an environment to positively enhance moods and assist restoration.

Designing for psychology and spirit

Taking the care to consider how we design the spaces we occupy has been magnified and further brought into the spotlight now more than ever.

As we become more mindful of how our familiar surroundings have a direct impact on us, designing with a holistic approach has become an even bigger part of our collective consciousness. Capturing not only the psychological but also spiritual connection we have with our interior environment can greatly contribute to our overall health.

Questions that revolve around interior design and architecture, especially about its future across every sphere, from hospitality, to residential and of course the workplace too, reveals a correlation between our health and factors such as using colours that uplift mood, providing adequate daylight to enhance the ambience, acoustic properties, ergonomics, furnishings, scents and more.

 

 

Colour, for, example, can have a tremendous impact on feelings and behaviour. It has the ability to be calming and reassuring, and therefore we need to think about how we use it to empower and to enable us to feel safe and secure in the spaces we inhabit. We instinctively embrace colours such as softer greens, blues and browns as they evoke the same calmness we often feel when we’re out in nature.

Similarly, working around the issue of appropriate acoustics in our living and workspaces is even more crucial with interiors increasingly moving towards hard surfaces. Noise has been identified as a major stressor; hence, having surfaces that absorb excessive levels of sound and activity and help minimise anxiety, falls, and depression goes a long way in conceiving healing spaces.

Sustainability from all angles

Healthy, clean spaces that value and optimise wellness are also built with the intention of reducing environmental impact by using eco-friendly materials that minimise waste and guarantee the health of the environment for future generations.

Embracing every opportunity to integrate healthy and sustainable materials into the structures and spaces we design, starting from the floor up, is partly about telling the story of how natural resources — such as the repurposing of reclaimed wood — can be utilized to promote flexibility and longevity.

As a sustainable material, wood is perhaps one of the very best examples of a material that has it all — warmth, texture, malleability — and if sourced correctly, grows back in cycles.

Gaining needed knowledge about sustainable design and material is a responsible step necessary to work towards integrating a healthy lifestyle into our designs

Going back to nature

Numerous studies throughout the years have revealed that space with an abundance of wood and plants as well as natural light and indoor ventilation increases positive feelings, concentration and productivity — greatly beneficial at a time when our homes have been forced to take on multiple roles (from refuge to workplace to school).

The major focus in designing wellness spaces goes beyond solving a shelter problem; instead, it provides a positive outcome — which is, providing an environment that is holistically pleasing to the mind and body.

Modern wellness spaces can achieve both by using biophilic design to clean the air and create small sanctuaries of green for the mind and senses. And for those without private outdoor space, emphasising the importance of rich textures, colours and patterns can help blur the line between the indoors and outdoors.

A visual connection to nature remains an important consideration in health-oriented interiors, both private and shared — and that’s not likely to change any time soon.

Contact-free disinfection and cleaning spaces

As we have learned to cope in our present situation, one of the aspects that can help reduce the risk of contagion from viruses is contact-free disinfection and cleaning technology in entrance areas.

Sensory-focused details are becoming major factors in creating the perfect environment: air filtration and purification, temperature measurement, appropriate material finishes, etc.

Using natural materials free of toxic emissions, formaldehyde, benzene, just to mention a few, is one of the known solutions for a safe healing environment.

Summary

Revisiting and reinforcing the ingredients of design for mental and physical wellbeing has become more paramount in our post-pandemic world. Adaptability in planning layouts that accent human comfort, encourage positive behaviours and hygiene, and support a “mind, body, spirit” approach is the most important aspect.

It’s equally crucial to always create healing spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. More so than ever, designing for psychology, making sustainable choices and carefully analysing the finishes that facilitate environmental stewardship, and being more attuned to technologies that seek to clean and purify presents itself as a key pulse of healthy, productive environments.

In these unprecedented times, the words health, wellness and hygiene hit differently than they did before.

Interior design and home renovation professionals are shifting more of their focus towards wellness-oriented spaces in both commercial and residential settings — homeowners are re-evaluating how they can use existing spaces and prioritise much more than just relaxation and aesthetics.

The pandemic has crystallised the need to enjoy our surroundings and connect with friends and family like never before.

Now more than ever, we have had time to reflect on our pace of life and the impact design and architecture has on mental and physical wellbeing, both good and bad.

Without a doubt, safe, clean and healthy spaces have been the focal theme.

Social isolation and physical withdrawal into our interior worlds mean that designers of interior spaces need to test and push boundaries in order to uncover a response that delivers on not only an aesthetic level but also creates an environment to positively enhance moods and assist restoration.

Designing for psychology and spirit

Taking the care to consider how we design the spaces we occupy has been magnified and further brought into the spotlight now more than ever.

As we become more mindful of how our familiar surroundings have a direct impact on us, designing with a holistic approach has become an even bigger part of our collective consciousness.

Capturing not only the psychological but also the spiritual connection we have with our interior environment can greatly contribute to our overall health.

Questions that revolve around interior design and architecture, especially about its future across every sphere, from hospitality, to residential and of course the workplace too, reveals a correlation between our health and factors such as using colours that uplift mood, providing adequate daylight to enhance the ambience, acoustic properties, ergonomics, furnishings, scents and more.

Colour, for, example, can have a tremendous impact on feelings and behaviour.

It has the ability to be calming and reassuring, and therefore we need to think about how we use it to empower and to enable us to feel safe and secure in the spaces we inhabit.

We instinctively embrace colours such as softer greens, blues and browns as they evoke the same calmness we often feel when we’re out in nature.

Similarly, working around the issue of appropriate acoustics in our living and workspaces is even more crucial with interiors increasingly moving towards hard surfaces.

Noise has been identified as a major stressor; hence, having surfaces that absorb excessive levels of sound and activity and help minimise anxiety, falls, and depression goes a long way in conceiving healing spaces.

Sustainability from all angles

Healthy, clean spaces that value and optimise wellness are also built with the intention of reducing environmental impact by using eco-friendly materials that minimise waste and guarantee the health of the environment for future generations.

Embracing every opportunity to integrate healthy and sustainable materials into the structures and spaces we design, starting from the floor up, is partly about telling the story of how natural resources — such as the repurposing of reclaimed wood — can be utilized to promote flexibility and longevity.

As a sustainable material, wood is perhaps one of the very best examples of a material that has it all — warmth, texture, malleability — and if sourced correctly, grows back in cycles. Gaining needed knowledge about sustainable design and material is a responsible step necessary to work towards integrating a healthy lifestyle into our designs.

Going back to nature

Numerous studies throughout the years have revealed that space with an abundance of wood and plants as well as natural light and indoor ventilation increases positive feelings, concentration and productivity — greatly beneficial at a time when our homes have been forced to take on multiple roles (from refuge to workplace to school).

The major focus in designing wellness spaces goes beyond solving a shelter problem; instead, it provides a positive outcome — which is, providing an environment that is holistically pleasing to the mind and body.

Modern wellness spaces can achieve both by using biophilic design to clean the air and create small sanctuaries of green for the mind and senses.

And for those without private outdoor space, emphasising the importance of rich textures, colours and patterns can help blur the line between the indoors and outdoors.

A visual connection to nature remains an important consideration in health-oriented interiors, both private and shared — and that’s not likely to change any time soon.

Contact-free disinfection and cleaning spaces

As we have learned to cope in our present situation, one of the aspects that can help reduce the risk of contagion from viruses is contact-free disinfection and cleaning technology in entrance areas.

Sensory-focused details are becoming major factors in creating the perfect environment: air filtration and purification, temperature measurement, appropriate material finishes, etc.

Using natural materials free of toxic emissions, formaldehyde, benzene, just to mention a few, is one of the known solutions for a safe healing environment.

Summary

Revisiting and reinforcing the ingredients of design for mental and physical wellbeing has become more paramount in our post-pandemic world.

Adaptability in planning layouts that accent human comfort, encourage positive behaviours and hygiene, and support a “mind, body, spirit” approach is the most important aspect.

It’s equally crucial to always create healing spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

More so than ever, designing for psychology, making sustainable choices and carefully analysing the finishes that facilitate environmental stewardship, and being more attuned to technologies that seek to clean and purify presents itself as a key pulse of healthy, productive environments.

Interior designer and collector Martin Waller is the founder of Andrew Martin, a design emporium and storied interiors in London.

The flagship store opened its doors originally in 1978 in Richmond and later moved to Chelsea’s Walton Street in 1987, where it remains to this day.

Entering through the brand’s showroom is like disappearing into a magical wonderland of hidden cultures, eras and origins that romanticise travel.

The astonishing array of desirable antique furniture pieces and all sorts of quirky and enchanting furnishings for the home are the template for “fusion Interiors”, which was the title of Martin’s bestselling design book in 2000.

Rather than being limited to one style, Andrew Martin’s interior design pieces are a myriad of exciting treasures — each with their own story — distinctive, exhilarating, and inspiring.

The store caters to a global assortment of aesthetics; from the magical symmetry of the American look, the juxtaposition of African tribal artistry, the understated serenity of Scandinavia, the multi-layered heritage of French opulence and the individualism of British décor.

You could unreservedly adorn your home with Andrew Martins’ striking pieces, fabrics and wallpaper and fall in love with every square foot of it.

Every design element excitedly shows off riches from far-flung places — perhaps the reason why the store is a must-visit destination for the design cognoscenti.

Shining a light on multi-faceted culture, history and the arts, as well as providing a stage for discovery and celebration forms the heart of the brand’s story.

Dubbed as the modern Indiana Jones of design, much of Andrew Waller’s inspiration is derived from his love of travel and notorious sense of adventure.

His interior design practice, which forms part of Andrew Martin, often emphasis a mixture of cultures, colours, fabrics, and objects that have the power to transfix and transport you to locations all over the world.

If there’s one constant about Maller is that his creations are unpredictable, charming and fascinating.

Over the last 40 years, he has been at the forefront of British interior design, providing services to property developers, private residential clients & hotel groups worldwide, with multi-starred commercial projects including The George Hotel, Firmdale Hotels, Puente Romano Resort, Mandarin Oriental, Hilton Hotels, Ham Yard, the Jumeirah Group, Marbella Club, Marriott Hotels, and El Lodge, as well as the design of film sets such as James Bond, Gladiator, Tomb Raider, Harry Potter, and Christopher Robin.

The Britisher has ensured that Andrew Martin designs translate into a seamless mix of comfort and escapism — and the design practice continues to set the industry standard year after year.

“Design has always been about more than just attractive patterns,” says Waller in his interview with The Residence. “It is about reflecting a personal view on a subject. For me, this has often been about describing a love of various places or people. It was in Thailand that I first saw the miracle of silk yarn production and the laborious work of Ikat weaving, which can take a day to produce just a single metre.”

For Waller, the most crucial and transformational aspects when designing an interior space are light, paint, and objects. “When I’m designing for a client, I find out what they’re interested in — everyone loves something. It’s about reflecting their personality, not mine.”

“And once those critical elements are in place, then it’s all about comfort. That’s not just soft furnishing cushions, but about people feeling comfortable when they’re home and thinking this is me, this is who I am.”

Waller has written extensively about travel and design and is now the publisher of 23 editions of the Interior Design Review, also described by The Times as the “Bible of interior design”.

The voluminous books document the very best work from global entrants and are accompanied by the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Awards, quite fabulously referred to as the “Oscars of the design world” which he launched in 1996 to bring attention to people who deserve merit within the world of interiors.

At the epicentre of his creations is individuality — no matter how innocuous, each project has a narrative and represents who the client is.

Despite the fickle and ever-changing weather of design, layering of different aesthetics and ideas still informs the company’s design philosophy.

Working with the clients’ vision and aspirations, Andrew Martin designed the UNI Sushi restaurant to reflect the contemporary fusion of Japanese cuisine with Peruvian flavours whilst predominantly keeping in line with traditional Japanese style. The atmosphere around the design is considerate and intimate, like the Japanese culture, but with a distinctive adaptation of contemporary luxury.

Printed on an immense glass screen, the Artwork of a Japanese Geisha in inky black, blossom pinks and reds present itself as the focal of the space.

The layering of materials creates overall depth and dimension — the white walls and vaulted white ceiling, mottled with luxury gold leaf allude to an exclusive experience but in casual comfort; captivating timber floors add warmth and a timeless touch; and the elegant marble bar top and white leather stools lend a majestic grandeur feel.

Nestled naturally into the mountains, the El Lodge, a luxury ski chalet in Sierra Nevada boasting 20 rooms, a restaurant, bar, spa, and games room, exudes a rustic cabin feel. Seamlessly combining exclusivity with casual comfort, the ski chalet is built with Finnish logs and floor-to-ceiling windows that create a seamless connection between the interior and exterior whilst highlighting the stunning views of the slopes.

Earthy colour schemes offer a cosy ambience — hanging antlers, colourful pop art, animal hides, faux fur and leather upholstery are just some of the quirky touches that provide visual interest and playful confidence.

Throughout all four floors of the chalet, clean-cut glass, wooden flooring, chrome finishes and quality furniture and fabrics make up the interior elements that allow guests to relax into enjoyable luxury.

Awe-inspiring yet harmonious is the Puente Romano beachfront resort in Marbella, Spain.

Bringing the beachfront indoors with full-length glass folding doors, the interior design captures a distinctive yet easy-living look, true to the Andrew Martin style ethos.

The rustic touches of wood finishes echo the palm trees outside; clean and crisp decorative style of glass, tall mirrors, monochrome wall art and quirky wooden make an enchanting statement; and it’s hard to ignore the industrial-inspired furniture with chrome finishes that dance with the backdrop of the blue Mediterranean ocean.

Conclusion

The visionary style of Andrew Martin is one that delights and surprises. Offering a wide range of exclusive fabrics, furniture, decorative accessories and wallpaper collection, as well as interior design services that get right to the heart of the client’s personality and tastes, this British brand has a strong focus on a kaleidoscope of cultures, ancient artefacts and the nostalgia of decades gone by.

Led by founder Martin Waller, the design brand has grown exponentially and is much in demand, with a celebrity clientele including Tom Ford and Ridley Scott, commercial projects in UK, Spain and Japan, and staging movie sets for the likes of Gladiator and Harry Potter. Mixing history with the outlandishly new, the Andrew Martin brand continues to consistently put forth witty design connotations ripe with relaxed luxury for its clients to enjoy

The design skills that we possess and our constant need for inventiveness have led us to an unsustainable system of cradle-to-grave consumption.

These very same skills are also the solution necessary in transforming the current system and lead us to a post-disposable society — one that considers our quality of life and that of all other species.

To accelerate the transition to a fair and circular economy requires us to broaden our outlook and deepen our understanding of the system itself.

 

There is a growing consensus among climate activists and designers alike to eliminate waste generation and stop materials from being incinerated — and in turn, move beyond the linear economy, fast.

Integrating sustainable sciences and design approaches into all facets of decision making, as well as revolutionising the way we create is an ambitious aspiration that is finally coming to fruition globally.

Design done with the intent to make a positive and regenerative impact can lead to a healthy future for both people and the planet.

To design our way out of the “take, make, waste” problem, we can start by ensuring that new products are built to last or made to be made again.

Why should progressive and pioneering leadership from within the design and production industry care and how can design that transcends waste help us transition out of the linear economy?

If what we’re looking for is a healthy future for both people and the planet, we won’t find it in focusing our energy on changing human behaviours.

Instead, we ought to leave behind the old models and shift towards redesigning the systems of production that normalise sustainable consumption and regeneration.

Why is linear economy so unsustainable?

The extraction and processing of raw materials from forests, fields and mines and turning them into products that are transported to our doors for consumption generates 60 times more waste than we throw into the bin, and absorbs significant quantities of energy, water, and human effort.

This way of production and consumption is threatening our ecosystems: plastic waste, textile waste, food waste, electronic waste and construction waste is the endpoint… the full stop.

As it turns out, this disproportionally affects the global poor, whether through pollution, labour violations or climate change.

The numbers are staggering: a whopping 8 million tonnes of plastic and other non-biodegradable products end up in our landfills and oceans every year.

How has bad design contributed to the problem?

Overproduction, over-extraction, overconsumption are not accidents, they are the by-product of terrible design, unintelligent decisions, and our never-ending search for innovation.

Unfortunately, so much of our products, including the clothes we wear and the buildings we live and work in, have been designed to fit the linear model, where life cycles are short, and materials are nearly impossible to recover.

Many of us know this, yet still, we continue designing, producing, and buying more and more stuff, causing enormous amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide, as well as alarming rates of habitat and biodiversity loss, social and economic repercussions.

How many of the products you own now, for example, will you use briefly and then end up as waste within the next five years?

What is needed is slow design

If projects run more quickly, it can be hard to understand the project landscape and how design decisions were taken today have implications for that landscape in the years ahead.

Slow design considers ecological soundness; thus, it can be said that it has durability at its core because production is deliberate.

Due to the choices we actively make, there is an inherent need to create with wellbeing in mind and with the future fully mapped.

When design is well thought through, made with both eyes open, decisions are never random.

Therefore, slow design is functionality… it enables intentionality and aims towards zero-waste and cradle-to-cradle purposing.

For companies to be profitable, innovative and progressive, they will need to think about the way their products are made and distributed, what happens to them when they reach their end of life, and how best they can assist in creating a regenerative society for all to thrive in.

At the end of the day, slow design can also be considered as sustainable design and its process holds the secret of longevity.

Mindful design takes time, and yet the opportunity to repent at leisure is something that we fail to embrace.

Because we understand that we are taking more from the planet than we are replacing, slow design can be seen as a way of “paying forward”.

Looking to nature for inspiration

As the focus of designing products that transcend waste continues to shift heavily towards sustainability and “made-to-last”, the conversation of “looking to nature for inspiration” comes to the forefront.

This, however, is nothing new as nature has always been our go-to strategy for survival and rethinking how we live as humans.

When it comes to nature’s resources, timber for example, leaders in the wood manufacturing industry are constantly developing new and innovative ways to think about the material’s potentials and prospective usage, and how it can be passed down from generation to generation.

The use of wood floors is a clear example of how high-quality and timeless materials can efficiently make a huge difference in an architectural project’s ecological footprint and energy efficiency rating.

Reclaimed pieces from old ships, barns, and other ancient buildings are still in use today, and can even be bought and sold at higher prices than when they were first produced.

With these ideas in mind, wood, as a renewable material that can last a lifetime, is also resilient to sudden changes and thrives in post-crisis environments — and it can be used to innovate around circular economy principles, as well as design dwellings that support the stewardship of the material today and many years to come.

Design that retains value and is made to last

Designers, creative entrepreneurs and social innovators are starting to use design as a positive force — initiating “imaginative and inspiring concepts” that not only reduce waste but rethink the production and consumption cycle.

Many are upskilling their teams to be cognitively equipped to make the changes to their production models, many have adopted the life cycle approaches needed to contribute to the rising circular economy movement, while others are hiring the young creative thinkers who understand the call from consumers for products that don’t damage the planet and care about the impacts of the things they create.

The good news is an industrial system based on circular material loops can change how things are made and what they are made of.

Designs that transcend waste have an amazing opportunity to be part of building a restorative, regenerative future.

A future where we look to nature, whose materials are recycled in circular loops and intricate ways that lead to economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Designers and creatives are also in a unique position to shift narratives and facilitate alternative visions necessary to aid the transition needed for a new system that works for both people and the planet.

Preventing product waste by embedding things in cycles: take, make, use, consume, regenerate, restore, and reuse, can be used as a tool to repair what is broken

Conclusion

To flourish without permanently damaging the natural ecosystems requires that we think of different ways to make design a model for sustainability.

Design that transcends waste can achieve dynamic balance, sustain the whole and provide the conditions for survival.

The opportunity to explore and discover real solutions that move beyond the circular economy can help tackle some of the greatest challenges facing humanity today such as climate change and increasing levels of waste.

In essence, designing products and packages in a way that transcends waste gives us the ability to question our choices, view the world through different lenses, and create the future we desire.