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The interior influences for this autumn are inspired by the same ideas of exaggerating warmth and comfort in the place we now seem to spend more time than ever – our home. Covid has reminded many of us that the home is our safe zone and a retreat of sorts that we get to escape to and enjoy at the end of the day, and as the temperatures start to drop and the colours of the trees start to change, it’s also the place where we start to instil those ‘hibernating’ behaviours. We see this coming through in interiors in some of the following ways:

Warmth – Colours becoming more common now are rust browns, warm greens, charcoals and earthy tones, all resulting in an autumnal palette that warms us up through our senses. The browns provide depth and help create a traditional and restful mood, while the greens are luxurious and nature inspired. Get pruning your tree cuttings and bring them inside in large vases to leave around areas of the home that could do with some softening or change out those summery toned cushions with some deeper, darker tones.

Textures– have long been a crowd favourite in the interior world, especially in our alpine inspired homes here in Queenstown. Natural warm textiles are proving to be as popular as ever with lots of timber finishes, wooden features and textured oat tones in our soft furnishings.

Old is the new new– this is one that might surprise some. There is a real lean towards bringing the old back into interiors at the moment- perhaps a slower paced life thanks to Covid has us ‘vibing’ the slower paced lives and homes of our grandparents and those before us. 2022 is all about old things that are sophisticated, providing classical looks that mix well with the elements of modern architecture we have come to love.

Antiques not your thing? Nordic elements are also a big thing this autumn- terracotta and cream colours in natural and imperfect furnishings. Think natural and imperfect vases, plates, art and kitchenware.

Lighting – this might seem a silly one at first- we’ve always had lighting right? But people are investing more time, thought and money into lighting than they ever have before. Gone are the days of spotlights in the roof, but now creating different zones within room and different moods. Lighting is now considered something closer to an artistic expression than just a necessity. Autumn is a great time to re-inspire a new lighting arrangement in your main spaces and bedrooms to help create that warmth and comfort for those cooler, shorter evenings.

Home offices– another trend to have strengthened during Covid and one that we believe is here to stay. Gone are the days of the ‘home office by day guest room by night’. Long forgotten are the cold office like spaces with white desks and black chairs. People are looking for their home office space to be an extension of their much loved living space, somewhere that they feel inspired by and relaxed in making work less of a chore and more of a passion. Think fine furniture pieces like leather office chairs, wooden desks and bespoke joinery.
Sound like something inspired by the country mansion office from the old time movies… Yes! But with modern architectural charm!
2022 is ultimately about bespoke offices that support an inspired and comfortable home working environment presenting a more balanced working lifestyle.

Outdoor Spaces- the biggest 2022 autumn trend is all about your outdoor setup. Not an interior trend you might argue… well, another positive outcome of these Covid times is that people have been keen to invest more than ever in their outdoor setup. No longer thought of as separate to the home but indeed a part of it. Think covered louvred spaces, grand fireplace setups, built in outdoor kitchens and bar fridges and furniture to rival the interiors. We LOVE this trend and believe there is merit in considering that a classy and versatile outdoor space could even replace a second lounge as a ‘must have’ in your new build.

In Queenstown the outdoor area allows you a better connection to that low evening light on the Remarkables, the way the light play on the horizons, snow glowing under the moons early light. Dress the area up with some cosy blankets, an outdoor rug under foot and get that fire roaring, and you have the most perfect evening spot in your home.

We’d love to hear from you what some of your favourite things about Autumn are and how you incorporate them into your interiors. What autumn trends impress you and which could you happily go with out?

And as always, any questions about the above, or about your plans for a house build in the Queenstown area, I’d love to hear from you mel@fergusonbuilders.co.nz or 0274793711.