How to work with this year’s top trend from the Milan Salone: Jewel-tone velvets

This month we’re inspired by Milan’s trendsetting Salone del Mobile, which showcased a fancy for rich velvets and vivid jewel tones

by Eleanor Joslin | June 07, 2018

Complement vibrant furniture upholstered in Ikko Velvets from Anthology, Dh430 per linear metre, with Harlequin’s lively Saona pattern, mixing bulrushes, iris and lily heads in bright green and coral. Saona curtain fabric, Dh280 per linear metre, Saona wallpaper, Dh410 per roll, from the Zapara collection.

Create rooms that draw you in with soft fabrics, deliciously rich shades and playful elegance.

Cosy is key

With comfort the new luxury, plush velvet is tipped to be the material of choice for 2018/2019, creating super-soft, sumptuous living spaces that cocoon you in a snug hold. Walter Knoll, Edra and Marni combined comfort with a palette of rich hues such as mustard, teal, cherry and cobalt during Milan’s annual design week, Salone del Mobile, in April.

Add colour to a corner with this bold chair and stool in Warlock fabric, Dh4,258 and Dh1,247, Dôme Deco.

Manuel Canovas’ Park Avenue Collection for 2018 features the aqua-blue Brissac sofa fabric, Dh412 per metre, teamed here with a host of pink patterned cushions.

Bright future

Forget your grandma’s brown velvet curtains! While muted greys and creamy whites are the "new neutral" and tone down the plushness of this downy material, who can resist a shot of bright colour? Jewel tones bring the material to life and accentuate its luxurious, tactile nature. Create a confident scene by colour blocking with clashing tones such as emerald and fuchsia, orange and teal, or canary yellow with ruby red.

Evoke Old Hollywood glamour by teaming the Rivoli chairs (in rich teal, orange and pink, Dh412 per metre) and Proust screen (fabric Dh574 per metre) from Manuel Canovas with gold details and a striking geometric parquet floor.

Emphasise the luxurious nature of velvet with quilted stitching, seen here with John Lewis’ Boutique Hotel velvet stitch throw, from Dh665, and matching cushions, Dh221 each. The velvet floral Audrey accent chair, Dh1,473, complements the scene, also John Lewis.

Making space

Break up statement brights by mix-and-matching modular furniture in two or three shades, or choosing large items that are elevated slightly from the ground. Chairs and sofas that sit on slanted legs have a retro feel, as do furniture and accessories with rounded shapes – both looks are perfect for this trend.