1 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:06,600 Hello again, Happy New Year and welcome back to home and hosting 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,880 with Louis Bourke. All right, new year, fresh 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,960 energy, but same great taste. Over the break, I caught up on 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,680 what's coming through from places like Vogue, Living, 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,200 Studio McGee and designers like Amber Lewis. 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,280 And I also paid attention to what people are searching for on 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,360 Google, what they're saving and asking about when it comes to 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,720 their homes. And what's really interesting is 9 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,440 that for 2026, industry direction and real life 10 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,479 behaviours are finally lining up. 11 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,960 So today we're talking about the insurance and outs of 2026 Home 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,800 and hosting edition. What's gaining momentum, what's 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,960 gently fading, and what's actually worth doing in your own 14 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,640 space this year? So if that sounds of interest to 15 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,320 you, keep listening. And if you'd love all things 16 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,480 home and hosting, be sure to follow this podcast and give me 17 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:53,880 a star rating at the end. I really appreciate it. 18 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,200 Let's get into today's episode out for 2026. 19 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,920 Number one is homes that feel unresolved. 20 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,160 And I've got an analogy for this that I think explains it 21 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,680 perfectly. You know, when someone buys a 22 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,920 freshly painted house, the landscaping is done, the garden 23 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,760 looks great, and they move in with all their old furniture and 24 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,560 don't change a thing. They just leave it. 25 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,400 The paint slowly fades, the garden grows back over grows, or 26 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,840 the hedges go leggy because the sun can't get through. 27 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,160 And then one day you just see a painter out the front and you 28 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,240 just know that that house is going on the market. 29 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:35,440 That's the energy I'm talking about. 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,240 It's like furniture that's worked beautifully in a 31 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,200 different home but has now been placed into a new space that 32 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,520 never really had a mark put on it. 33 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,520 The rooms just never felt finished. 34 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,920 It's not minimal, it's not sculptural, it's not 35 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,120 intentional, it's just untouched. 36 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,560 A sculptural edited home absolutely still has a place. 37 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,680 They work because every choice is intentional. 38 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,040 What's drifting out is this in between stage where the home 39 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,759 hasn't been personalised, resolved or properly adapted to 40 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:14,640 the people living within it. The home isn't just somewhere 41 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:17,800 you rest your head. It should be a space that like 42 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,160 represents you and inspires and invigorates you. 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,800 So if you feel like this, say you've moved recently, or if 44 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,840 you've lived somewhere for years, ask yourself, does this 45 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,600 furniture really suit this space? 46 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,720 Have I adapted to the layout and how I live now? 47 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,040 And what would putting my stamp on this home actually look like? 48 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:46,920 Sometimes one re layout, one material change or one anchoring 49 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:50,680 piece is enough to resolve the whole space. 50 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,040 Now that I've got you thinking about this, I've got my second 51 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,560 out for 2026, which you might find interesting. 52 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:00,240 Which is default finishes, Especially the new builds and 53 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:01,920 developments. They're out. 54 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,240 It's a big one, particularly in Australia. 55 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,440 People are paying more attention than ever to these apartments 56 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,960 and homes and they're sitting on the market for longer because 57 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,720 the finishes just don't feel special enough. 58 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,200 Stock standard grey flooring, basic black hardware, no 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,680 texture, no sole. And what's interesting is when 60 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,720 you look internationally, the UK has incredible access to 61 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,600 textiles, cushions, throws, lampshades, and not to mention a 62 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,560 pole plethora of antiques that are readily accessible at all 63 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,760 different kinds of price points. And then the US has an amazing 64 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,800 choice when it comes to the hardwares, windows, floorings, 65 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,440 and architectural detail. Australia just doesn't have that 66 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,520 level of access, but we're slowly getting there. 67 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:54,480 I honestly think the homes space here is what beauty was about 15 68 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,120 years ago. Like if you think about Mecca, 69 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,520 back then we had very limited access to brands, services and 70 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:06,760 education around beauty, whereas now, thanks to Mecca, it's huge. 71 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,000 I think we're going to see the same thing happen in home, 72 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,360 especially because younger people are renting longer and 73 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,360 still want to add personality to their spaces, even if they don't 74 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,320 own them. So the takeaway here is people 75 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,880 want more than the default. Now even renters are expecting 76 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,680 personality and choice and we'll see a wave of better home 77 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,520 offerings in Australia over the next decade, I'm sure. 78 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,960 Now Speaking of default finishes, I want to talk about 79 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,560 beige because I know it's going to come up. 80 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,720 I am not an anti beige or anti white follower. 81 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,480 I love white and I love beige and I'm more than happy for 82 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,240 white to be the colour of the year for 2026. 83 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,880 Hello, you've probably seen my turn on tone beige bedroom but 84 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,120 what I would like to talk about is perhaps you've seen my 85 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,160 bedroom and then you've gone a few videos down and you've seen 86 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,040 someone else using the same colour palette and it might not 87 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,000 come off like it works. The reason why it doesn't work 88 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,960 is because everything is made from fake materials. 89 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,480 Nothing is real. We need real materials. 90 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,440 If you're going to use a beige on beige colour palette, you 91 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,560 have to be very intentional with your materials and also the 92 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,160 scale. In my bedroom, I intentionally 93 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,320 use a lot of neutral colours, particularly in the beige family 94 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,880 because I incorporate lots of different coloured bed linen. 95 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,520 I can't have things clashing too much because I'm going through a 96 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,440 fair amount of bed linen per year because bed linen and 97 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,480 tablescapes are one of my main things that I focus on on my 98 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,000 profile because homewares is the focus. 99 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,920 People who can transform any space, be if they rent or own, 100 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,360 make it feel like home through adding their personality. 101 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,640 And the way they do that is through bed linen and 102 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,760 tablescapes and also of course other things, but mainly bed 103 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,640 linen and tables. But when you look and compare my 104 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,280 room to say someone else who is an aspiring interior design 105 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,160 creator or so and so who doesn't have that background is my 106 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,760 bedroom has like intentional curves. 107 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,760 The bed head is extremely large, like the scale. 108 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,000 A lot of the furniture in my room is oversized, oversized 109 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,720 bedside tables, oversized bed head, large Ottoman in front, 110 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:19,160 large mattress, really lofty duvets, extra fluffy pillows. 111 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,840 Like everything is oversized. And then when it comes to the 112 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:25,760 materiality of things, more like 9 times out of 10 everything is 113 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,800 all a natural material, and if not, it has a synthetic blend 114 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,200 that looks real, especially behind that of a phone screen, 115 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,400 and it's there to serve as a practicality purpose, as in it 116 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,160 cleans well. It's going to last the test of 117 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,480 time. I think where people go wrong 118 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,440 with the beige on beige tone is they don't focus on the size of 119 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,760 the elements. They'll buy lots of small medium 120 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,120 trinkets and put it on like a plethora of surfaces. 121 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,840 And their furniture 9 times out of 10 is smaller than the 122 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:58,920 average size, say console or bed bed linen or the bedding itself 123 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,440 is not feather down, it's not lofty, it's not large. 124 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,280 Everything is a bit too stock, standard fake materials trying 125 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:08,160 to be the real thing. And most people are probably 126 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,880 thinking, well it's due to accessibility or it's due to 127 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,200 money. But you can achieve a similar 128 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,320 aesthetic to mine going You can shop it at Kmart, you can shop 129 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,600 it on Facebook Marketplace. You can get things like in hand, 130 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:25,640 my Doona is from Myer and it's like $90.00 I believe or $110, 131 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,600 which is significantly cheaper than the stock standard duvet 132 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,520 which would set you back five, $600.00. 133 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,720 So you can definitely get natural materials and beautiful 134 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,480 furniture at any price point. It's just a matter of dedicating 135 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,840 a little bit more time and effort and energy towards it, 136 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,040 which is definitely something you need to do if you are just 137 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,600 going to use one colour throughout. 138 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,640 So you can get away with having less intention and energy if you 139 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,520 are going to mix up things when it comes to the colours. 140 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,720 But if you're not and you're going to be like on colour 141 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,760 Family only, you have to be very strategic and specific with the 142 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,360 things that you put in that room. 143 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,880 The end of the day, white is bright and light, it's 144 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,040 energising, it feels good, It also feels clean. 145 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,480 And then beige, it feels soft, it feels cosy, it feels warm, it 146 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,280 feels Zen. These colours work in living 147 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,080 rooms and bedrooms because they are the energy that you want to 148 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,560 feel when you're in that space, in the living room, you want to 149 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,720 feel energised. You have people over, it has a 150 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,800 really good energy, a great mood. 151 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:29,640 You're happy to see people in a bedroom. 152 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,600 It's beige because you want it to be more Zen. 153 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,200 You want to relax, you want to sleep, you know, you want to be 154 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,240 able to see if there's dirt in any of these spaces. 155 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,039 You want to be able to clean them easily. 156 00:08:38,159 --> 00:08:40,960 When the mood comes in, that's when you can do it in a powder 157 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,919 room or a dining room, of course, because there's small 158 00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:46,440 intimate spaces. But more and more homes have 159 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,840 open living spaces. If anything, there's a trend 160 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,280 where we're actually seeing more rooms pop up again and we're 161 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:56,040 adding walls back into spaces. But these big open spaces, all 162 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,400 these spaces we want to retreat to, are going to be in those 163 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,720 natural tone on tone colours, and I think it's absolutely 164 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,560 fine. So if you're stressing about 165 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:10,040 beige or white, don't just be very strategic and intentional 166 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,400 when it comes to your space, which I already know you are. 167 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,400 Anyway. Let's move on to the next out. 168 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,120 This one flows really nicely on, which is homes that look good 169 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,800 but really hard to host in. There's no prep zones, there's 170 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,160 no landing space, there's no flow. 171 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:27,520 The behaviour shows people are actively looking for storage 172 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,680 solutions, hosting ideas, ways to entertain without stress. 173 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:34,840 Because people want homes that support real life. 174 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,480 So what's in for 2026 is intentional restraint with a 175 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,920 better flow. And since it's the start of the 176 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,160 year, this is the perfect moment to focus on those areas we move 177 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,080 through the most, like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry zone. 178 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,600 Before we go out and buy anything, ask ourselves, can I 179 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,240 move things into a different cupboard? 180 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,200 Can I declutter and reshuffle? Can I make this space work 181 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,520 better for how I actually use it? 182 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,640 I did this at my mom's house over the holidays because they 183 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,720 recently moved into the space maybe two years ago and only 184 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:06,640 really just completed the renovation. 185 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,000 So throughout that entire time like it's been about making the 186 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,880 space liveable. Then also adding in furniture 187 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,480 and making it feel like home from a spot that wasn't 188 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,000 previously it. Like my parents lived at the 189 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,040 property they were at for 40 years before living in this ones 190 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,840 and making the furniture fit in this space, making it up to 191 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,120 scratch. Like the flow was off. 192 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,960 There was this small pantry off to the side like a Butler's 193 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,280 pantry. And then there's the main 194 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,360 kitchen. And mum didn't get custom built 195 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,080 cupboards put in. That's just not her style. 196 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,440 She wanted to use consoles and add in sinks in different spots. 197 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,640 Like I'm sure you've seen a couple of photos throughout my 198 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,920 social media on Instagram in particular. 199 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,080 You'll see it's like a ray of consoles, cupboards and there's 200 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,760 like a little stack of drawers like it's all there. 201 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:52,800 We just needed to adjust everything because when you, 202 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,640 when you have a Butler's pantry, there's like the kettle and your 203 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,120 toaster and your microwave in there. 204 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,480 But then where do the knives go? Well, they go out in the main 205 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,080 kitchen area. Where are you prepping? 206 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,000 Like we, we have to like, you know, sometimes like we prep 207 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,720 breakfast in the Butler's pantry, but then we prep dinner 208 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:08,640 and lunch in the main kitchen area. 209 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,120 So we need knives in the kitchen area, but then we also need 210 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,760 different things in the Butler's pantry. 211 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:17,040 Like I just like would love everyone to sit down for a 212 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,960 little bit and think, how do I use my kitchen? 213 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,240 Where do I prep things mainly? Do I prep every everything in 214 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,360 the same spot? Do I prep it in different spots? 215 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,760 And that could be the same kitchen, like the one room, but 216 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,160 you're prepping meals in different places and think, is 217 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,200 there a way that I could walk around less and get access to 218 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:39,280 things to make my life easier? And making meals, particularly 219 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,920 when you're hosting lots of people at occasions like 220 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,840 birthdays or Christmas or other holidays, is there a way you can 221 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,680 make this better and easier? So definitely walk around your 222 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:51,320 space as you start prepping things and write out a list of 223 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,000 things that you need to make it better and feel better. 224 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,280 Intentionality, that's what we're looking for. 225 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,880 It's amazing what you can do with the same house, the same 226 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:02,640 stuff, but just a completely different experience by 227 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,760 reshuffling a few things. So flow is a design choice, 228 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,320 function is a part of aesthetics, and decluttering is 229 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,480 often a layout issue, not a storage one. 230 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,720 What else is in for 2020? 6 I kind of just mentioned which 231 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:19,360 is warmer kitchens with a furniture feel. 232 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,220 Like I said, my mom's kitchen doesn't really have many built 233 00:12:22,220 --> 00:12:24,120 in cupboards that doesn't actually have any built in 234 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,440 cupboards. It's all made from furniture 235 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:31,720 that's been turned into like a basin and consoles and all that 236 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,400 good stuff. Open shelves. 237 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,080 We need more timber, more furniture style elements, less 238 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,880 flat perfection. And the recommendations I can 239 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,120 give you is incorporating timber stools or boards left out 240 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,960 intentionally, or softer finishes like fewer appliances 241 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:49,600 on display. These are the kind of kitchens 242 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:53,840 that invite people in, which is exactly what hosting should do. 243 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,000 Which really speaks to my next in for 2026, which is a calm 244 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,600 front of house and a capable back of house. 245 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,440 Designers are talking about Butler's pantries, including 246 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,080 myself, but real people just want somewhere to hide all that 247 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,200 mess. And the options I have for you 248 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:13,680 is a cupboard reorganisation, a trolley draw dividers, a 249 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:18,360 designated hosting zone. Small changes, but a big relief. 250 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,800 So get out that list, write it all down, see what you need and 251 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:23,400 make it happen. And you know what? 252 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:28,080 It doesn't have to be the stock standard drawer dividers. 253 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,840 You don't have to go on Amazon and type in drawer divider and 254 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:32,920 find that it could be something else. 255 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:37,120 You could make something so it doesn't all have to be plastic 256 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,320 containers because I know some people really don't like the 257 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,600 look of plastic containers. And I totally get it. 258 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,240 Especially if you're renting. You don't want to buy one that 259 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,320 fits in that drawer and then you're going to move out again 260 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,000 and you're going to find another one for another drawer. 261 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,480 Like use containers and bits and bobs that you have that could 262 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,600 instantly elevate it and make it feel different and more custom 263 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,680 to you. Hey, it could even be a couple 264 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:58,960 of past the jars that you have depending on the home. 265 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,680 If you live in a cool workers cottage and you want it to feel 266 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:05,640 like cool, you could use those jars from pasta dishes or you 267 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,480 could use tins from those really large like potato chip tins. 268 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,920 You could take off the packaging and do something really cool and 269 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,280 funky. Speaking of, leads very nicely 270 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,480 into my next one, which is for 2026. 271 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:20,040 We're seeing a lot of silver, pewter and brushed metals, 272 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,840 especially for trays, candle holders, ice buckets, table 273 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,320 details. They glow at night and layer 274 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,440 beautifully with neutrals. I think there's a lot of mixed 275 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,280 metals happening in fashion and we're now seeing it be 276 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:35,160 integrated into the home. I also think we're seeing a lot 277 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,960 of animal print in fashion that I think will come through in 278 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,600 home. But because we're in Australia 279 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,160 and it's hot weather, we're not really thinking about those cosy 280 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,640 textures. But I swear that we are going to 281 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,520 see some of that like Mongolian wool sheepskin, like, you know, 282 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,440 that sort of poodle fur cushions come back into the light. 283 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,440 Same as I've seen a couple of like cheetah leopard print 284 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,760 chairs come through as well for of course. 285 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,640 But I do think that it's going to pop up in a couple of walking 286 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,080 wardrobes and a couple of cool apartments. 287 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,640 It's definitely on the rise. But back to these softer metals, 288 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,680 like if you think if you remember like Marinoni, they 289 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,960 still sell it at David Jones, but you see way more popular 290 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,400 maybe 15 years ago. I absolutely love that Italian 291 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:20,040 serveware with like the beautiful white ceramic with the 292 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,200 pewter detailing. It's gorgeous. 293 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,400 My mom has the most beautiful collection and I, I've said to 294 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,840 her many times, I want to inherit that entire collection. 295 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,400 I don't know if I'll get the whole collection, but I love it 296 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,200 so much. I've got a beautiful serving 297 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,320 bowl myself and I use it as my catch all in my centre table and 298 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:42,200 pewter just has this beautiful. It's like elegant, but it's Vorm 299 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,000 rustic, but it's not too rustic. It's just beautiful. 300 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,640 It's the same as when I put in the chain and ball lights in my 301 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,760 hallway in the bedroom. Prior to that, it was that sort 302 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:57,120 of gaudy gold 90s look. So I swapped them out for the 303 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:58,880 chain and ball. But when I was thinking about 304 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:03,280 the metal, the finish, I ended up going for a brushed nickel 305 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,240 because I felt like it was more neutral. 306 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,800 It wasn't a silver, it wasn't a gold, it wasn't too 307 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:09,640 contemporary, it wasn't too traditional. 308 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,920 It just met the perfect balance where it isn't going to date and 309 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,640 it isn't going to pull away from anything that I put in the 310 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,280 space. And that's what I think that 311 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,920 pewter does as well. The next thing we're going to 312 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,520 talk about is what's in when it comes to colour. 313 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:27,960 And I think that blue is going to be our grounding neutral, but 314 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,000 blue, not in the coastal way, not in the Hamptons way. 315 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,240 You're going to treat blue the way we treated green, brown or 316 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,240 burgundy. So you can expect to see it in 317 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:40,080 like an accent chair, a tray, a cushion, a candle. 318 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,800 It's grounding, it's calm, it's incredibly versatile tile. 319 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,560 I also think we're going to see it accented with a lot of 320 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,000 chartreuse, which is that sort of yellowy green. 321 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,680 I've said I've seen a lot of those rugs pop up last year. 322 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,320 I think it's going to continue on into this year. 323 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:59,480 Also, I do see purple being a big colour, big accent color, 324 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,640 purple, magenta, magenta style pinks. 325 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,960 Be a moment because I feel like we always have a pink around and 326 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,760 I think it's going to be a bit more magenta. 327 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:10,640 And then ultimately I think it's going to lead us back into the 328 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,480 grey. We're already seeing grey 329 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:17,599 through the use of the pewter, so expect all the colours that 330 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:20,480 we currently have, which are quite warm, to move back into 331 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,040 the cool tone because that's how the pendulum swings when it 332 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,119 comes to trans. It goes as far as it can go one 333 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:26,760 way and then it swings all the way back. 334 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,480 So we've gone as far as we can go, as far as the warm, 335 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:33,160 beautiful tonal greens, creams, Browns, burgundies, and we're 336 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,480 slowly making our way back into the cool tones. 337 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,960 But it's going to be completely different to what we've seen 338 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,680 before because it can't be an exact replica of what we did 339 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,640 before because then people could just keep that same thing and it 340 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,480 would be no, no, no. Like the industry knows it has 341 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,760 to like, do what it did but slightly different to make it 342 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,640 feel fresh and new again. Next in for 2026 is darker 343 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,320 timber, and not in a heavy old fashioned way. 344 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,840 It's just something that keeps popping up across homes and 345 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,200 Gardens, Vogue Living and in Amber Lewis's projects 346 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,680 especially laid into those more neutral homes and you'll see it 347 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,560 reflected in search behaviour too. 348 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,880 Warm wood tones, dark wood furniture, timber contrast and 349 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:18,040 neutral living room 1 darker timber element is like a coffee 350 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:22,320 table, a console, a dining chair or bed head which instantly can 351 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,880 ground a space, particularly if you'd lean a little bit more 352 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,560 contemporary. I feel like a theme that's your 353 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,000 best friend is mid century design, because I feel like 354 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,960 contemporary furniture still leans quite heavily on mid 355 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,480 century design aesthetics. And a a lot of mid century 356 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,840 design has a lot of teak and walnut. 357 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,080 So if you want to make something that feels quite contemporary 358 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:49,840 feel more deeped in neutral and more global, like earthy 359 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,920 elevated, you'll turn to those mid century design aesthetics. 360 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,840 So you can add a lot more warmth and dimension is through a 361 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,920 vintage piece you can pick up on Facebook Marketplace or even a 362 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,280 beautiful antique place like First Dibs to make it feel 363 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,600 fresh, dynamic and interesting. Again. 364 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,160 It can give a lot of contrast without clutter and depth 365 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,760 without noise. Think of it like seasoning. 366 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,680 You don't have to do a lot of it, you just need it in the 367 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,200 right places. So use darker timber as an 368 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:21,320 anchor. Not everywhere. 369 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,080 Pair it with lighter neutrals to keep the room feel balanced. 370 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,840 And vintage or secondhand timber pieces work beautifully here. 371 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:33,200 Even one strong timber piece can resolve an entire room. 372 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,920 Next in for 2026 is patent, but used with confidence and 373 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,360 restraint. This is something designers are 374 00:19:40,360 --> 00:19:43,640 very clearly leaning into. Again, you'll see it in a lot of 375 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,800 Studio McGee projects, Vogue Living editorials and across UK 376 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,080 publications where patent never really left and consumer 377 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,960 behaviour backs it up. Searches for striped cushions, 378 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,960 patent table linen, mixing patterns, interior are climbing, 379 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,280 but people are looking for how to do it without overwhelming 380 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,600 space. And here's the trick. 381 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,840 Keep one colour thread, mixing the scales and plenty of solid 382 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,480 texture around it. Pattern works best when it's 383 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,280 treated like a supporting character, not the main event. 384 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:21,040 So easy way to try it is through stripe or checked tablecloths, 385 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:26,000 pattern cushions on a plane sofa or small scale prints paired 386 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,720 with larger texture. Pattern adds warmth and 387 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,200 personality, especially when you entertain without committing to 388 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:37,600 a full all overhaul, so it's perfect for anyone renting or 389 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,760 working on a tight budget. You've just finished your 390 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,760 renovation. Think about using these bright 391 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,560 colours like the chartreuse, the magenta or the purple or even a 392 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,800 beautiful pattern. I think cheques and stripes are 393 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,120 a great place to start. If they're two geometric, go 394 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:57,040 with a micro floral and then move your way out from there. 395 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,880 Another in for 2026 is textiles acting as structure. 396 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,480 This is a big editorial shift and you'll see it in 397 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,360 Architectural Digest, Elder Core and European interiors in 398 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:11,480 particular. Fabric wall hangings, trimmed 399 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:17,040 edges, soft detailings like contrast piping and fringing. 400 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,840 Instead of art or hard surfaces doing all the work. 401 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,240 Textiles are being used to soften rooms and add dimension. 402 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,480 And interestingly, people are searching for fabric wall art, 403 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,840 textured wall decor how to soften a modern interior and 404 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,000 this tells us people want warmth but not clutter. 405 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,120 So consider fabric panels or textile art. 406 00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:43,800 Add trimmings or edging to cushion or throws. 407 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,240 Consider like a box pleat on your curtains or even on your 408 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,640 slip cover chairs and sofas. These details add soul without 409 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,920 filling a room with objects. And I think it also speaks this 410 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,160 sort of traditional design that I think we're seeing again. 411 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,280 And it kind of speaks to the political landscape, like when 412 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:06,480 things feel uneasy and when we go through times of hardship, we 413 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:11,880 do look for structure and rules to make us feel more comfortable 414 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,880 and in control of our space. So that's the reason why these 415 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,840 box plates and the trimmings are all coming back in. 416 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,960 Not only is it the pendulum of minimalism swinging back into 417 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,320 maximalism, but it's also speaking to what's going on 418 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,240 around us, which is so important across art and design. 419 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,480 And finally, what I've got here for 2026 is 1 strong anchoring 420 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,800 art piece. Oversized art continues to 421 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,600 dominate magazine features, and for a good reason. 422 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,160 Designers are consistently using one large piece to ground a 423 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,880 space, set the tone, and replace lots of smaller decor. 424 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,680 Search behaviour supports this too, with things like large wall 425 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,840 art and living room oversized art above sofa. 426 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,160 How to make a room feel finished. 427 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,480 If your home ever feels like it's missing something, this is 428 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,320 often it. And one confident art moment can 429 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,480 do the work of 10 accessories. So my recommendations is go 430 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,760 larger than you think. Keep the frame simple and let 431 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:12,600 the art lead, not compete. But I would preface this with 432 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,840 art can be quite expensive. It can also be quite dominating 433 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:17,480 in a space. If you feel like you can do a 434 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,600 bit of a DIY, don't be afraid to, especially if you haven't 435 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,360 found an art piece or an artist that really speaks your 436 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:26,920 language. Don't let it overthrow your 437 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,000 overall vision, because I do feel like a lot of people don't 438 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,200 have enough furniture yet in order to really make a room come 439 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,160 to life and feel like their own. I don't have a lot of art in my 440 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,480 space, and the art that I do have is mainly stuff that I've 441 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,680 done myself just to accent the space and kind of bring it to 442 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:44,760 life. Like there's something that 443 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,280 needs to be on the wall. So I've got that in place as a 444 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,800 placeholder, I guess, until I find something else. 445 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,840 I think I'd like to get a couple of vintage posters, but I just 446 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:58,200 haven't found anything yet that really speaks to what I like 447 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,240 having the creative direction background. 448 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,520 I really love art direction and creative direction, so I love 449 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,840 the branding behind some things. And that's why I think I really 450 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,840 like the idea of a vintage poster because it has that 451 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:14,120 element of graphic design brand ideology, like it's just got 452 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:16,440 something interesting versus the art. 453 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,480 But in saying that, there are still some beautiful art pieces, 454 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:23,200 but I do feel like art kind of moves like fashion at the moment 455 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,120 where things are really hot for one minute and then the next 456 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:29,560 they're not. So I'm very hesitant when it 457 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:33,720 comes to particular art pieces. So I completely understand as to 458 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,960 why a lot of people don't have a lot of art in this space, so 459 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,920 take it with a grain of salt. And so when we step back and 460 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,800 look at all of this, designers, publications and real world 461 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,800 behaviour through search engines are all pointing to the same 462 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:51,640 direction. The 2026 energy is fewer things, 463 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,920 better materials, stronger anchors, improved flow and 464 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,760 easier hosting. People aren't asking for 465 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,400 trendier homes, they're asking for homes that feel considered 466 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:07,120 personal, functional and genuinely enjoyable to live in. 467 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:10,480 And the good news is most of these gifts don't require 468 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,840 renovations or big budgets. They're about editing, refining 469 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,400 and making clearer decisions. And the start of the year, there 470 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,280 is no better time to do it. So if you enjoyed this episode, 471 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,400 be sure to save it, share it, or send it to someone who's been 472 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,800 thinking about their home this year and didn't quite know where 473 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,360 to start. And if you want follow UPS, I 474 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:36,080 can dive into the hosting trends of 2026, tablescapes and 475 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,800 entertaining rental friendly upgrades or room by room resets. 476 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,760 Thank you so much for kicking off the year with me. 477 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:46,080 I will talk to you all in the next one. 478 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,200 And if you want more stuff from me, feel free to head over to my 479 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:54,280 Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, wherever you'd like to look and 480 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,000 watch and find inspiration. You can also find a lot of my 481 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,120 recommendations over on my link in bio. 482 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,800 I have my shop my there. So if you've got your eye on 483 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:07,560 anything that I have in my home, be it a chair, console, a coffee 484 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:11,680 table, curtains, feel free to DM me or headed to my link and go 485 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,840 shop over there. Until next time, enjoy the rest 486 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,080 of your day and I'll see you in the next one.