Design Team: Top trends at Sleep 2016

Large-scale, artistic lighting was key to creating a statement.

Metallic finishes in brass, steel, and polished nickel were also spotted across lighting, from perforated metal with circle detailing to copper highlights. And this also continued through to textiles, with metallic effects printed in bronze and gold.

Concrete and rusted, urban-inspired feature walls continued were a focal point for many exhibitors. 

Deep greens were also combined with luxurious materials, such as velvet, to further heighten the illusion of decadence.

The Johnson Tiles stand also led with a green palette, inspired by the luxurious use of bold, statement colours, favoured in the 1970s.

Elsewhere, geometrics continued to dominate the decor market, emblazoned with striking patterns, from squares to hexagons and triangles.

Glass was also in abundance, tinted with colour or intricately patterned. Hand blown pieces were combined with light sources to create delicate bursts of reflection and refraction.

Themed on the concept, The Science of Tribes, the two-day event exuded a rich sense of quality, functionality, opulence and luxury from the designers and brands in attendance.

For 2016, the key colour palette of the show was deep green and kale – illustrating a shift away from the blue hues that have dominated all previous exhibitions visited this year.

The stunning forest and environmental-inspired shade lends itself to a variety of schemes – from opulence and a 19th century feel, to a modern, contemporary Scandinavian-inspired look. It was frequently seen as an accent, to add depth and to conjure a sense of ‘bringing the outdoors in’.