6 biggest interiors trends at the moment

Cane furniture is red hot. You’ll have seen it everywhere from Instagram and Pinterest to
your favourite interiors magazines and high street stores. Everyone is jumping on this trend and we don’t blame them. Sometimes called rattan and even, shhh, wicker, and previously seen mainly on your parents neglected outdoor furniture, cane has reinvented itself as a cool, sophisticated and contemporary new interiors trend on the block that we are all lusting after.

Why now? It could be because it’s so durable and easy to maintain or perhaps it’s because it’s a natural material; totally in tune with the movement to use more sustainable materials at home. From an aesthetic point of view, it’s all about texture. The light, airy, criss-cross pattern brings a new dimension to furniture which is traditionally solid and weighty. It’s also a wonderfully versatile material; the perfect partner to luxe velvet, understated with natural ash wood, bold when curved and a total scorcher when paired with brass details.

Whether your style is eclectic and boho, Scandi and minimalist, glam and maximalist, there is a piece of carefully crafted cane furniture you’ll love. The question is, will you keep it subtle or go big? Here’s a few ideas…

1. Take it to the bedroom

From headboards and bedside tables to cabinets and seating, cane in the bedroom just feels right, creating a soft, soothing vibe, perfect to send you off to sleep. Anthropologie’s cane and velvet bed, £1,398 (pictured left), is an elegant spot to rest your head at night; Maisons du Monde has an acacia and mango wood bedside table, £215.50, which offers a pleasing contrast between the light and dark woods. But my must-buy has to be the low lounge chair from H&M Home, £199.99, the perfect place to toss your robe.

2. Luxe up your lounge

If calm zen isn’t your vibe, fear not. Cane can totally bring the edgy elegance and sophisticated glam vibes too. With a nod to mid-century and art deco, these beauties are playing up the mysterious and seductive qualities of cane. HK Living’s arched room divider £390, from Folk Interiors, will hide any sinful corners of your room while the 101CPH Mako Bar, £650 from Catalog Interiors, is super stylish with its shiny brass legs.

3. Embrace the chair

The chair is perhaps where cane really shines in all its various shapes, sizes and styles. From vintage to modern, these statement seats will add an interesting twist to your dining or living space. I challenge you not to fall in love with the curves of the petal-shaped armchair, £995 from Soho House Retail; or the solid simplicity of Graham & Green’s ‘50s inspired armchair, £325. While the John Lewis Accent armchair, £949, offers comfort and colour which can be lacking in some cane pieces, offering a remarkable array of 215 fabrics you can choose from.

4. Switch your lights

Do you design your room around your lighting or do you consider lighting a finishing touch to complete the room? These inspiring pieces might make you rethink your approach. Nkuku has a cute pair of table lamps perfect for your bedside tables, from £120 each; or if you’re lighting from above, there’s the Dolkie cane pendant, £95 from La Redoute, or Ikea’s ubiquitous Sinnerlig woven bamboo pendant, just £40.

5. Make a grand entrance

Set a stylish vibe from the first step into your home with a touch of cane in the hallway. Every entry deserves a stylish bench to perch when slipping shoes off at the end of a long day and they don’t get much more stylish than HK Living’s woven black bench €495 from Fleux. Also essential is a pretty place to toss your phone and keys like H&M Home’s neat wall cabinet, £139.99; or for boots, bags and hats, invest in some roomier storage like Rockett St George’s Sungkai woven cabinet, £995.

6. Get creative

If you fancy yourself as a bit crafty, there are some inspiring Ikea hacks out there using woven cane. For the 40th anniversary of Ikea’s Billy bookcase, interior designer Kath of House of Hawkes turned it into an elegant statement piece with the addition of some woven doors; Jules of must-follow Instagram account @ikeahackersofficial  keeps it simple with an easy as 1-2-3 headboard made from an Ikea Ivar shelving support and some pre-woven cane; while Justin of renovation account @design_at_nineteen pimped an Ikea chest of drawers with a lick of paint and some cane webbing

For more style inspiration from Edinburgh-based blogger Liz Engelsen of LizNylon, visit liznylon.com or follow her on Instagram @liznylon.

Words: Liz Engelsen