With a new year unfolding before us, we start to think ahead to the changes we can make to our homes. Just for you, we've collated all the best trends on the horizon for 2019. Get ready for vegan furniture, mermaid shells, dark kitchens, subtle nudes, copper galore, clashing brights, concrete, velvet and so much more...

Channel the spirit of the amazing Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, through your rooms this coming year. Go all out with bold colour, hand-drawn artistic elements and add in accessories featuring the portrait of Frida herself. Small touches give a gentle nod to the trend – an ornamental skull, tropical greenery, opulent vases and a brightly coloured rug. When combined, bold blues, pinks and black look thoroughly modern, particularly with these geometric wall shapes.

 

The conscious effort to be as eco-friendly and healthy as possible is growing rapidly – not just in how we eat, but with the clothes we wear and the furniture we choose. Happy Beds has created a supremely sustainable bed made entirely from corrugated cardboard and it's 100% recyclable. "We will see a lot more sustainable products being made for the home," says Joy Richards at Happy Beds. "Our cupboard bed is completely vegan too, and this is just the beginning for completely green homes!"

READ MORE: 7 ethical bedding companies that don't cost the Earth

Forget bare wood, or even white finishes, it's all about colour from now on. Brightly painted fitted and freestanding units will instantly inject personality into your home and it's set to be the hottest trend for next year. Plenty of pre-painted options will be available to purchase, but you can also take on a little upcycling project and paint items of furniture yourself. 

You're going to be seeing a lot more in the way of carpets for 2019. While bare wooden floors are still very popular, there has been a recent surge in popularity for soft carpets – patterned and plain. It's all about creating texture from the floor upwards with plenty of layering. Incorporate soft, luxurious carpet then layer up to the ceiling with different finishes. A tactile chair, fur throws, sensuous bedding and an upholstered headboard bring this room together.

Would you dare to go nude? Next year will see a huge boost for the neutral colour palette. It's all about slight tones and using very little colour at all, like this from Rom Sofas. Gone is the grey backdrop, it's now all about off-white and light sand with delicate pastel accents that won't overpower the scheme. 

READ MORE: Neutral decorating ideas that always work like a charm

The popularity of woodburning stoves continues to be on the up and up. But new for next year are bold and bright colours. Gone are the days of settling for a dark black stove or, at a push, white, because they now come in a fabulous range of colours from blue to pink to cream. These beautiful focal points from Arada Stoves truly bring a room to life. 

We're going to be seeing a lot of shell and scallop-shaped furniture and accessories hitting the high street in the coming months. These gorgeous velvet occasional chairs, £395 each from Oliver Bonas, are stylish, comfortable and beautifully tactile. You'll want one in every room of your home.

Digital bathroom technology is set to be big. According to Tina Simpson, Marketing Director at Triton Showers: "Homeowners are on the lookout for products which offer market-leading innovation such as futuristic showering solutions. Digital showers with advanced displays and touch-screen controls are going to be prevalent for 2019." 

READ MORE: Affordable ways to create a spa bathroom

With more and more of us living in smaller properties, the likelihood of having much in the way of outdoor space is getting ever slimmer. This, however, needn't quash your options for planting flowers, herbs and veggies. So, say hello to the living wall. The concept is rapidly growing (excuse the pun!) in popularity and provides the perfect place to flex your green fingers.

Cane is having a comeback for 2019. You'll be spotting this gorgeous blonde wood across furniture, seating and accessories in the coming months. It owes its popularity to the fact that this is a totally natural material, that's grown sustainably. It's also exceptionally durable and hardwearing. You'll also see painted versions, so you can go for the natural look or add some colour if you want to.

Pinterest reports say searches for 'organic materials' and 'plywood' have gone up by 139%, indicating a move towards using raw and bare materials in the home. And it's not about using faux-effect wallpapers to emulate a look anymore either, it's about using the real deal for a tactile finish. A sheet of heavily-grained plywood affixed to the wall creates a fabulous bare-wood look that a wallpaper just couldn't. Not to mention the woody scent that will linger in the space, too.

Thanks to the success of retro Netflix television series' like Stranger Things, you're going to be seeing a whole lot more 1980s style. Think old school film posters, retro cameras and tech, bold colours, pleather furniture, monstera plants and more. Go on, kick off your sneakers and snuggle down in your throw-back home.

READ MORE: Timewarp homes – untouched time capsule properties of the past

Like jewellery, there has been a steer away from silver. When it comes to our homes, there's been a departure from chrome to gold, copper and even matte black finishes. For 2019 there is going to be a huge surge in gold taps and fittings for kitchens and bathrooms. Door handles, too, are seeing an update. Wherever you see chrome, whip it out and replace it with sunny gold!

No longer old-fashioned, heritage prints are hot on the interiors trends chart. Chinoiserie, as seen on this bright Thurloe sofa, dates back to the 18th-century Chinese-inspired patterns that adorned everything from dresses to wallpaper. Florals, botanical, chintz and damask have never been hotter. Layer them up for a pattern clash that is still cutting edge for its bold flouting of the design rulebook.

Chosen by colour experts at Dulux,  Spiced Honey is 2019's shade of the year. This beautiful colour is a warm amber tone, inspired by the beauty and versatility of honey itself. And it's so versatile, too, it can be soothing or calming, cosy or vibrant, all depending on the palette you pair it with. Combine it with muted pastels for an elegant scheme.

READ MORE: Here's how to use the Dulux Colour of the Year 2019

If you care about the environment (and we hope you do!) you'll be pleased to hear that plenty of retailers are launching new ranges of sustainable and eco-friendly products. Urban Collective is one such brand that champions using 100% sustainable cotton in all its bedding and soft furnishings. So you can rest easy knowing your night's sleep is doing something great for planet earth.

Being brave with colour combination is hot news. Don't think tonal, instead think contrasting. It's multi-colouring done in a considered way, so don't just chuck two different hues together – make sure they're opposites on the colour wheel for maximum impact. Bright blue and zingy yellow are an old favourite that'll never go out of fashion, but why not try magenta pink with lime or purple with mustard?

READ MORE: 24 colour combinations so wrong they are right

If you didn't get one this year, don't despair, as in 2019 they're going to be more popular than ever! Finished in gold, you'll find them in a range of shapes and designs. Get one with wheels so you can move it around your home, from the kitchen to the living room, with ease. Stock with your favourite tipples and be ready for entertaining guests when they arrive. G&T anyone?

From the fashion catwalks to the interiors high street, crushed velvet is everywhere! First seen on sofas, this sumptuous fabric is now found on dining chairs, cushions, curtaining, bedding and more. Use it everywhere, there is no limit to how many surfaces you can grace with this gorgeous material. Its high shine gives a beautiful glow, too, so choose bright shades to make it really sing.

Hexagons and herringbone are so last year! These shell-like shapes are set to be a big trend for bathrooms and kitchens. You're going to be seeing a whole lot of these pretty shapes over the next few months. Make it look even more mystical by using coloured grout. Or better still, an amber or gold metallic finish will really make these sea-blue tiles pop. Check out these Pinterest boards for more tile inspo.

So many trends come and go, but mid-century modern is no such fad. Though for the coming year, it has been given an update. New-century modern is a twist on the 1950s chic style of yesteryear. It's about giving the look we love a luxe facelift. Think sumptuous velour and velvet, gold or brass finishes, natural woods and contrasting colours, all with a nod to the fifties.

Graham & Brown's colour of the year is this stunning teal shade named Tiru and its wallpaper of the year complements it beautifully. Tori celebrates Eastern art, incorporating an exquisite Chinoiserie bird print that is delicately hand-painted in-house. It's produced on deluxe textured Oriental paper with a subtle glistening shimmer of silk. This truly divine wall covering should be top of everyone's decorating wish-list for 2019.

READ MORE: 55 stunning wallpaper ideas to give your decor the wow factor

Forget clean lines, order and simplicity. Minimalism is out and maximalism is in! Think artfully arranged clutter, mismatching fabrics, unbalanced displays, vibrant colour and patterns that clash. The more you mix it up, the better. "Big and bold motifs with exaggerated proportions and contrasting colours can also act as art within the home, be it a scatter of mix-and-match cushions that uplift your bed or a bold blind that frames your windows," says Debbie Leigh, Design Manager for ILIV.

The number of orders for black kitchens has shot up in the last few months, giving sight to a strong trend for next year. Homeowners want statement rooms with sleek designs like this handle-less Malmo kitchen from Burbidge. It's deep colour, functionality and urban feel gives it a cool contemporary look for 2019. Combine it with a marble splashback for the perfect finishing touch. Can't afford the real deal? Go for faux-effect wallpaper underneath clear acrylic. Your secret's safe with us!

It's been said before, but shimmering gold and copper is definitely kicking chrome to the kerb. Think about how you can use it in unusual places, too. Gone are the days of ceramic butler sinks, so swap yours out for a copper one inset into a beautiful worktop. And don't cover it up with a plastic bowl – keep it on show to admire whilst you do the washing up!

READ MORE: 25 kitchen trends that are here to stay

These well-loved classic windows are certainly making a comeback for 2019. Edgy, industrial and stylish, these versatile slim-profile frames look the part in any modern or traditional home. You can also use them to cleverly partition different rooms to zone off areas and create internal rooms that will flood full of light.

Fluorescent shades hit the fashion world hard this year with the catwalks of London, New York and Milan awash with lime green, blinding yellow, magenta pink and flame orange, and now it's flooding onto the interiors scene. The key to making it work is to keep your backdrop neutral – white is best – and then introduce furniture and accessories in clashing bright hues. Don't match anything!

Want to embrace the dark kitchen trend but feeling a little nervous about going full out? Well, lucky for you, the two-tone look is on the up so you can be a little daring with your cabinetry by combining it with a section in a light finish. Pick a pale colour for an island, or go for dark base units and pale ones for the walls. Choose different worktops, too, to really make an impact; a dark work-surface for the darker cabinets and visa versa.

Tough, practical and stylish, concrete is fast becoming the go-to material to use in bathrooms. Thanks to its utilitarian finish, it creates a strong industrial and striking feel. Its surface can be coated and made smooth to the touch, making it comfortable to use. If you're unsure about using the real thing in your home, then there are plenty of tiling options that give the look of concrete for walls and floors.

Kept until last is this ultra dark look. If you're brave enough, totally transform your home with one daringly rich shade by incorporating everything in a deep, moody palette. It's only for the few, but those that do pull it off will create a superbly striking feature in their home. Just stick to one wall, though!

READ MORE: 18 black houses that will make you turn to the dark side