Our Guest Blogger

Introducing Manchester Blogger Emma Campbell, the Founder & Editor of Powder Rooms – a UK based lifestyle, beauty and fashion blog. Powder Rooms is formerly the long-running blog whatemmadid.com, in which Emma created back in January 2010. After celebrating 10 years online, the site has now re-launched to become Powder Rooms.

We invited Emma to spend a day with us at the Housing Units store, to showcase our four featured trends for the Autumn/Winter season. Take a read of Emma’s blog below & don’t forget to check her out at Powder Rooms!

The Interior Trends for A/W 2022 at Housing Units

If you’re anything like me, having a theme or trend to stick to when designing your home is a huge help. In 2022, interior design trends are centring around reclaiming those spaces previously adapted to home working, like making dining rooms become spaces to celebrate socialising and eating, and not just taken over by ‘work’.

There is a big focus on bringing the natural world indoors, and a drive to purchase and decorate more consciously. Lots of greenery and plants, natural textures and materials, and a return on the traditionally autumnal shades we love and know. This, along with inspirations from around the world and more eclectic colour palettes, is what is leading the way when it comes to A/W 2022 interior trends.

It’s time to get our homes back to being just that – ‘homes’. Below, I’ve shared the 4 key interior trends you can see across the homeware departments at Housing Units, homing in on living spaces and dining/kitchen areas.

All Things Green

The All Things Green trend is inspired by all things nature, bringing the outdoors into your home via a subtle, fresh approach. Green is the base colour here, ranging from bottle green to eucalyptus. It is one of the most standout interior trends which has dipped its toe into the homewear world numerous times, but 2022 allows it to make its well-deserved debut.

Green is a bold colour that works wonderfully with wood shades and compliments a gold finish well. When used creatively, green can bring a powerful feel to living spaces. For me, browsing the All Things Green trend at Housing Units is all about introducing those leafy greens from the outside in, bringing a breath of fresh air into the room setups.

Lush green tones are injected through plants, natural materials, and plush soft furnishings. Two key pieces of furniture which stood out to me especially are the leaf motif lamp, which has been beautifully filled with greenery as per the in-store display, and the Annika cabinet. The Annika cabinet is bringing back ‘Tambour’ – an 80’s wood trend which this time around has a modern twist. The cabinet is space-saving, with its rolling mechanism door opening feature, and its soft rounded edges and lined texture give rooms a slight modern-retro feel.

From embroidery on cushions and blankets to high-shine cutlery, gold is flashed through to bring a touch of luxury and sophistication, especially when laced through cushion covers, candle holders and cutlery.

Prints can be varied, but bold leaf prints along with motifs from our favourite animal prints and insects can be a stylish way to bring nature into our homes.

Smoked wood is the finish of the Annika Smoked Wood Slatted 2 Door Sliding Door Cabinet, and this raw, darker wood finish pairs brilliantly with any shade of green you wish to surround it with. Overall, the colour scheme of the furniture, soft furnishings, and accessories all blend perfectly well with creams and neutrals, meaning that those with a blank canvas in their current homes have full free reign to inject a touch of ‘All Things Green’!

Indian Artisan

One of the most opulent and eclectic trends to launch at Housing Units this Autumn/Winter is the Indian Artisan trend, a trend based on creativity and inspiration from around the world. It really does give you – the one accessorising or sprucing up your home this new season – the power to be creative and mix with style and purpose.

The furniture and finishings that sit under this trend are inspired by travelling the globe to far and wide places, where you can see an array of textures, colours, patterns and materials that all represent the opulence of the Far East. The eclectic trend sees handcrafted artisan furniture with high-shine gold finishes, sparkling glass, botanical and plant influences, and a deep colour palette of rich coppers, bottle blues, acacia wood, lime and olive greens and flashes of khaki.

One of my favourite features of this trend is the rattan-inspired furniture pieces, like sideboards brushed with gold rattan finishes. Wooden tables are adorned with metallic gold leaf plates and accessories, with khaki cushioned leather dining chairs tucked in. The overall look is smart and eclectic with an industrial edge.

Sofa materials are plush, in dark shades and adorned with palm leaves and nature inspired bold prints. Accessories include shabby-chic baskets filled with green leaves, stones and potted plants, and sparkling glass lampshades hanging down to light up the rooms with an array of blue and green light shades.

By carefully incorporating pieces of the Indian Artisan trend into your home, you’re bringing in inspirations of travelling far and wide. The beauty of this trend, and why it will work for so many homes, is that you can have fun clashing together an array of rich colours, busy patterns and raw materials. There are not too many trends which give you the creative freedom to take on an eclectic approach, but this one inspires you to be mixing and matching, play with levels, add dimension and create illusions.

If you’re not too sure where to start, I was drawn instantly to the feature wall which can be seen below, which sets the trend off perfectly. It’s called Exotic – a ‘Garden White Wallpaper’ – which features busy prints of birds, leaves and twine in rich blues and luscious greens. Accessories can then be taken down a level or two. Think studio-crafted mugs in earth tones, autumn leaf plates with browns and golds, and muted bronze hammered vases.

French Classicism

An interior trend for those who are looking for more classic and timeless colour palettes and textures will adore the French Classicism trend, taking elements of the chic French interior world and making them more traditional. This classic French style manages to balance the grand design of superior homes with that homely, rustic living vibe.

While browsing this trend in-store, I felt very calm and relaxed while strolling around the chic French Classicism room layouts. Lots of creams, beiges, neutrals, warm browns, metallic silvers and pewters, all incorporating elements of charm, elegance and warmth, set against a backdrop of neutral tones.

Patterns are all structured and soft, sitting subtly on vases, cushions, and rugs. Ultimately, it’s a fuss-free trend that allows a clear, clutter-free mind, great for relaxing spaces like living rooms, offices, and dining rooms. That being said, a ‘wow’ feature chandelier and a set of sparkling crystal wine glasses laid neatly out on the dining room table can add that extra touch of pizazz.

The dining setups I explored instore across the French Classicism trend reminded me of a modern update to the traditional farmhouse chic trends, similar to those that you see in beautiful cottages and stately homes. For both dining and living spaces, it’s all about combining the beauty and calmness of rustic living, with grand design and pure elegance. The two can fuse together perfectly to give an interior trend full of warmth and comfort, yet in-keeping with charm, glamour and French chic.

The colour palette throughout is neutral, with sofas and rugs predominantly seen in mink, neutral browns, and creams. Warmer wood tones come through to add depth, and accessories come in shades of white, grey ombre, black, and muted greens.

The trend works well in rooms that already have panelling, or are thinking of having a panelling update. Some of the pieces you can see in the photos, like the Belleville table and dining benches, hail from the lush green forests of Latvia. This means that each piece is steeped in history and brings its own personality and character to a room. These pieces from this chic trend are a testament to the skills and artistry of the local craftsmen and carpenters that have passionately and expertly created them.

Luxe Deco

Saving one of the best trends until last, the Luxe Deco interior trend is a truly special interior trend that gives a very elegant touch of luxe to living rooms and dining areas of the home.

It is the epitome of sophistication, with sleek silver clean lines as the focal points. It’s a reflection of true effortless luxury, which although is a new, premium look for homes, the trend’s design features are timeless and will suit a modern home for years to come.

I personally loved the dining table and chair setups, where retro shapes meet high-class glamour. Living spaces look grown up and minimalist, but with a glamorous, almost Gatsby-style touch. It’s a deluxe collection of metal, marble, and velvet which would give every home that envious look. You’ll notice from browsing the images below, that living spaces balance the elegance of curved furniture and accessories, with a more minimalist and effortless nod to art deco design features.

The dominant patterns seen across this luxury trend include colour swirls, etching, clean lines, and soft muted marble prints, seen across both hard and soft furnishings. Swirls of gold and oranges are streaked through prints to bring depth and warmth into furnishings, which look lovely set against high shine black and silver.

Overall, the Luxe Deco trend is a lavish mix of plush fabrics combined with sophisticated metallic, striking marble, and high-shine glass to give your home that ultimate look and feel of decadence and luxury. The individual furniture pieces are a statement and have the ‘wow’ factor, especially the dining chairs and table and the elegant coffee table, finished with striking silver bar details, curved lines, and sharp shapes.

The colour palette of this gorgeous trend proves that shades of greys and silvers really can sit alongside accessories in an array of gold, bronze, taupe and ivory tones. You could add more touches of gold and high shine, metallic accessories to vamp up the look to give off even more elegance and that premium feel, or you could tone it down with matte blacks and creams.