The design horizon

Reflections by Chivasso. Photo / Supplied

Albert Einstein said, with customary foresight, "I never think of the future - it comes soon enough", so why is humankind so concerned with trends? Is it just an insatiable need to be fashionable? Or do trends have a deeper impact on our psyche? The answer perhaps lies in the fact that what happens around us, our visual environment, seeps inevitably into our consciousness. We are unwittingly caught up, whether we like it or not. And because design movements in architecture, colour, landscaping and interiors tend to be more enduring than gladiator sandals and the maxi dress, it pays to take heed.

We talk to four experts, working in the arena of domestic design, whose job it is to focus on the way things are shaping up for 2009 and beyond.

The colour of money

Downsizing may have been a buzzword since the mid 90s but it's now here with a vengeance. Sonya Cotter of In Situ design specialises in trend and colour forecasting. "We're curbing our consumerism," she says, "to save money and save the planet." What does that mean exactly? Well, in terms of home style, it means we are buying local - and seeking quality. "My clients are keen to support their community; they're looking for NZ-made products that are unique, simple, useful and beautiful."

And we're not just recycling plastics, tins and bottles, we're recycling design. When it comes to homewares this idea extends to updating old pieces of furniture to create something contemporary. "It's about treasuring their history." So like many others, when Sonya needed a chair for the living room, she turned to Trade Me and found one with rolled arms and deep buttons just like Grandma used to own. "The quality of the workmanship could not be overlooked so I had it re-covered; although it wasn't less expensive, it had some back story to it."

Even the more pedestrian home updates are turning to the past for their future. The latest form of insulation involves old jumpers that are mulched and sprayed into the walls. It's all glamour!

Making hay while the sun doesn't shine has become rather trendy, too. By which we mean that instead of slipping into the pessimism of harsh economic times, we're celebrating it. "It's called Depression Chic," explains Sonya. Faded fabrics, fringing, natural linens, silks and velvets - it's back to the 30s for us. "In the 1920s colour was in full swing but by the 1930s it was drab - a period they termed 'the beige years'."

Still, if we can't quite bring ourselves to fade to pale, we might choose to ignore such a mood. Pantone, the US-based authority on colour, recently released its Colour of 2009 - a shade it calls Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow. They added the helpful thought that "in a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount." Apparently no other colour expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow.

Now there's a trend you may be better bypassing.

Kitchen confidence

When Remuera-based Morgan Cronin claimed top spot in the International Design Awards for best kitchen, held in England in 2006, the market was, frankly, awash with cash. Kitchens then were like top-of-the-range cars - gleaming, bold statements that were driven furiously and where opulence was served up in generous portions. "With the recession, designers will have to be more creative and price-conscious," Morgan acknowledges. And there's no telling what may happen in the supply chain. Whereas local companies could look to broaden their product range in order to retain their turnover, others may reduce their ranges to minimise overheads. "We could see companies cutting back on new ideas and products," says Morgan. No matter. By all accounts we're stepping gleefully off the consumer treadmill. Instead of looking for our next home investment, lower interest rates means there is cash freed up for renovating. And the kitchen is still the number one favourite for an upgrade.

As a social centre, everyone knows that in a depression, people turn to their homes for comfort and entertainment. "Kitchens are increasingly personalised," explains Morgan. "While functionality is still essential, they incorporate more geometric and organic shapes." The mood, too, is far less formal. "I'm using tactile surfaces and contrasting materials such as rough stone and natural timbers combined with stainless steel and gloss lacquer."

The trend is also towards shielding ovens and microwaves behind doors and using no handles on cabinetry and drawers, just an integrated pull-out system. Now there's a saving.

Outdoor central

"I've never had a client who hasn't requested a low-maintenance garden," laughs landscape designer Michael Wheatcroft from landscape design and development company Form and Foliage. No change there then. But with travel costs soaring through the stratosphere, people are inclined to stay put - and entertain more. Thus a well-designed outdoor space has more appeal than ever before.

But how do we achieve that elusive low-maintenance patch? Hardy, native plants are a good place to start: the blushing Poor Knights' Lily and grasses are still pretty popular. Or choose from a broad range of flax, from tiny to lofty in a multitude of colours. "The old foliage dies away inconspicuously," says Michael. Additionally, plants that eliminate the need for chemical sprays, need less water, and attract birds to the garden are on a growth curve.

The much-documented rise of the vegetable garden is a continuing trend but not in the way you might expect. "Not many are taking it on massively to supplement their food supply. Rather they just want a herb garden and a few edible plants."

So although Jamie Oliver might be feeding his family from the fruits of his labour (helped of course by a bevy of invisible workers), we all still have jobs to go to (well, most of us) and are too time-poor to take this passion for potagers seriously.

With financial pressure bearing down, the great outdoors has become a room for living, cooking, dining and entertaining. "Smart homeowners who recognise that they get significantly more living for every dollar spent have put the design of outdoor spaces at the top of the priority list," says Michael who estimates it costs about $300 per square metre to renovate alfresco, significantly less than any indoor alterations.

If you can't afford to do it all at once, choose one part of the garden and have it properly landscaped. "Invest in a design and break your garden into segments that can be built one element at a time - but do it well." Sustainability in order to save money and to live a more environmentally responsible lifestyle is the zeitgeist of landscaping now. Apart from the growth of edible gardens, homeowners are considering waste. The need to reduce waste is being driven by local councils who are increasing costs for its disposal. Compost bins help reduce green waste while "it's not uncommon for homeowners to install a rainwater catchment tank." As for lighting, emphasising a stand-out feature, such as a tree or piece of sculpture, with an up-light is hot to trot. If we're going to stay put, the very least we require is some drama on the scene.

3-D living

There seems to be an emerging design rigor in New Zealand architecture, a move away from trying to throw all your architectural tricks into one building. That's the view of Andrew Meiring of Andrew Meiring Architecture - and it's a positive change in direction. Another push into uncharted design territory has been shaped mainly by advances in technology. Just as the invention of concrete and the myriad ways it could be formed drove the modernist movement, so the effect of 3D modelling packages has become evident in contemporary design. In fact, it's an inverted way of designing. Whereas previously, homes were designed in 2D, sophisticated 3D computer programmes mean an architect can design by taking a 3D block and breaking it down . "It's like taking a block of stone and chiselling it away. And what's left is the form," says Andrew. "There is no way we could do this in 2D or on the drawing board. It has a complexity that even the most talented architect would struggle to visualise, let alone document."

"The essential structure of homes that began in the 50s has been with us for a long time: we expect a facade to do certain things. Change will invariably have uncomfortable beginnings and these new compositions may initially be a little uneasy on the eye."

Praise be, though, that the repetitious box-like structure with its cool surfaces and aloof personality is being shown the door. This homogenous look which in time will become emblematic of the early nineties is one result of a trend run rampant. "While we can't work in isolation and all pick up stuff from our peers, good contemporary design should show a progression of your own work," says Andrew.

Happily interiors will become less stylised, more personalised over the next decade. "You only have to look at the design awards over the past six years to see this shift in emphasis," Andrew remarks. Hard surfaces - that plasterboard, aluminium and honed concrete floor combination - will give way to more tactile materials with timber on the rise. This style has a lightness to it, a bach-like quality, but remains slightly industrial and could be termed Pacific Modern. This means our vernacular is maturing. They're the type of homes we love to relax and entertain in and if the Great Depression II sets in, retreat to and hole up in.

In light of tightening purse strings, it's an architect's responsibility, says Andrew, to be more vigilant in their planning. Compact spaces, designed to minimise "off-cuts" by working with standard material sizes, is one way to ensure we save money and reduce the impact of construction waste on the environment.

"We don't suddenly decide to become eco warriors, but we'll be pushed this way through pure economics." Another silver lining in a dark fiscal cloud.