Design in 2019 – what will interior design look like?

As part of our series on design in 2019, Clotilde Passalacqua, interior design leader at Ikea UK and Ireland, looks at what will happen in interior design over the next 12 months.

Clotilde Passalacqua, interior design leader, Ikea UK and Ireland. Photo: Courtesy of Ikea UK

What do you think 2019 will hold for interior design?

Now more than ever, people are moving to mega cities and into smaller spaces, yet they still desire to have separate rooms and living areas. As a result, products need to be flexible and adaptable to fit people’s needs. This means products that can be easily folded away, moved around and serve a number of purposes will be increasingly popular in 2019. Take storage solutions such as Ikea’s PLASTA collection, for example — these modular pieces can be customised and adapted to fit any living space.

Furthermore, compact living is becoming a reality for many with people having less space to call their own. This shift reinforces the need for personalisation in interior design more than ever, as many want to create a space that is unique and different from those around them.

What was your favourite interior design project in 2018 and why?

Zhekai Zhang’s ceramic tea set project, courtesy of the Royal College of Art.

In 2018, my favourite design pieceswere those that were “imperfect”, each with unique designs and markings. I loved the work by Royal College of Art product design graduate, Zhekai Zhang, who designed imperfect ceramic tea sets with his collection Fabric Formula. The mould was the same but each piece was different depending on the fabric placed in the mould.

It reminds me of the work we did for the SJÄLVSTÄNDIG collection, where the look and feel of each product was different and each one told the story of how it was made. I love knowing I have a one-of-a-kind product that no one else has, and taking into consideration the craftsmanship and skill it takes to make each product, this means that I treasure it that little bit more. Furthermore, to me these projects challenge the trend of mass production and I look forward to seeing many more “imperfect” products in 2019.

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