After spending the last few years painting our living rooms dark blue or grey – most often Railings by Farrow and Ball – over the next year we’ll see a move to bringing the outdoors in as we look to relax and slow down our lives.

Turning to a slower way of living, more than four in 10 of us have taken up cooking, gardening or reading during the past few months to help us unwind*.

With people looking at furniture stores in melbourne, England, America, and every other part of the world for inspiration, you can bet that our homes will be filled with new types of furniture that we can decorate around. Calming colours, simple furnishings and natural fabrics are being used to create a stress-free haven of relaxation where we can nestle away with a book or Netflix show and wait for the dramas of the world to pass over. Take, for example, you can now purchase designer sofas from Melbourne stores like RJ Living, which is known for its unique couture furniture at affordable prices. As it turns out, inspiration can come from every corner of the world.

As the country turns further to eco-friendly and sustainable options, furniture made from natural materials are becoming increasingly popular. The French Bedroom Company has reported a 420% increase in sales of its Chateauneuf Collection, a natural rattan collection made from reclaimed wood. And Google Searches have increased 80% for bamboo furniture in the past year, and 133% for handmade furniture.

Georgia comments “When buying new items, we are going for pared-back pieces and considered choices. Putting more thought into our home choices with an awareness of sustainability, being mindful of the manufacturing process as well as end-of-life landfill. It’s a trend that aligns itself with softness and kindness.”

Colours will turn to more earthy tones such as fawn, taupe and beige, creating a new neutral that reflects warmer hues than the previously popular grey.

How to incorporate this style into your home

Warm up neutrals

Beige doesn’t have to be boring. With hundreds of different hues, from light to dark, getting the right tone can really warm up a room. Use throws like this one from The French Bedroom Company to add this as a subtle accent colour, as well as on photo frames and shelving. Taupe is a neutral colour that’s easy to use in each room in the house both in paint and materials, giving a cosy beach feel.

Natural furniture

Less is more for this trend so look out for handmade, simple pieces from natural materials that have a low environmental footprint such as timber or these bamboo side tables. Take the opportunity to speak with local designers who can create a beautiful bespoke unit. Invest in quality pieces while adding textures like shearling, wool and rattan to add points of interest.

Layer texture

Pair interesting textures with simple, neutral coloured furniture. The most obvious items to include are things like tassled cushions and wool blankets. Dried flowers and pampas grass are another way to add texture without adding lots of bold colours. Using delicate flowers with naturally neutral colourings like Craspedia and Gypsophilla help bring the outside in, transporting your mind to summer meadows.