Home Comforts

Composition is key to creating a sense of visual harmony, and the possibilities for mixing and matching pieces are virtually limitless. Create your own unique style by juxtaposing contrasting or complementary objects, shapes and colours in furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Be bold and mix it up with materials such as wood, metal, stone and glass for a natural yet contemporary aesthetic.

More than ever, there is a resurgence in the appreciation for traditional craftsmanship, a trend reflected in the material choices and designs of furniture and home accessories. Synthetic materials have been replaced by the natural resources that artisans have used for centuries: think furniture hewn from intricately patterned wood, design pieces incorporating richly veined marble and a renewed focus on ancient arts such as pottery and basketry.

Once regarded as dull business necessities, office accessories have been elevated to an art form by a number of cutting-edge design brands. By combining materials such as natural wood and brushed metal with innovative design, objects such as organisers, stationery and desk lamps have become as coveted for their aesthetic verve as they are for their practical usability. This trend has developed in tandem with the rise of the personal table, a workspace-vanity table hybrid that fits the modern age of multitasking.

Taking a kitschy staple from the 1970s and giving it an elegant modern twist, mustard and dark brown are the hues dominating the most fashionable colour palettes this season. The latter is best expressed through fittings and furniture in dark hardwoods and sofas featuring deep brown leathers, while you can add a refreshing spin to your interiors by setting the colour pairing against a clean, white backdrop.

In recent years, crowd-funding websites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo have provided a platform for independent designers to turn their visionary ideas into reality, resulting in a series of new products that push the boundaries of tech and design. Lane Crawford taps into this reservoir of innovation this season with a selection of game-changing gadgets that represent a quantum leap for everything from luggage (Trunkster) and calorie-counting (Vessyl) to audio equipment (Mars by Crazybaby).