A very Happy New Year to you. I hope you had a restful and peaceful Christmas. As is the blog’s tradition, this is the day that I share patterns of interior design directions that have caught my eye for 2025. This year, heritage design, along with bucolic evocations of the countryside, are top stories for interiors. From designer high street collaborations to independent designers and a burgeoning wealth of influential vintage and antique dealers, 2025 is shaping up nicely.

Heritage interior design style for 2025

When I was a child, I am not sure I could have imagined what our homes would look like in 2025 but now that we are here, they bear little relation to the futuristic space and flower power-inspired interiors of the 60s and 70s that I grew up with. Even with the political upheaval of the era, it was a time of looking forward and of design confidence.

In 2025, designers are happily embracing the past with its rich back-catalogue of design heritage. Print archives are being delved into (Collagerie have collaborated on a collection with John Lewis botanical print designs from their 140-year-old archive) whilst vintage and antiques form a natural part of most design schemes.

Bucolic

Some of the most recent eye-catching pattern designs are those based on an idealised version of nature and of historical medieval-inspired designs, such as this gorgeous new “Bucolic” wallpaper design by English designer, illustrator and ceramicist Polly Fern. It is completely delightful and wasn’t a surprise that it was also chosen by Hatta Byng, the Editor of House & Garden magazine, for her Editor’s letter page in the January 2025 issue.

The colour palette Polly has used in this wallpaper design consists of a background of heritage greens punctuated with flowers in a variety of colours including saffron yellows and crimson reds. Colours which always sing out when used minimally.

Take a heritage bow

Casa Gusto in Florida are influential interior designers, art and antique dealers who have the most incredible eye. There is everything to love about this image of theirs with its red striped woven screen, Chinese painting and wonderful tole painted bow. It’s so stylish and reminds me how the bow continues to hit a note.

Scottish Georgian heritage

Georgian design is an era I continue to be drawn to. I especially like the use of traditional exterior lanterns for interiors. I spotted this striking red version ‘below stairs’ in the National Trust for Scotland Georgian House designed by the architect Robert Adam in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. It was also good to discover that if you are based in England, you can now use your National Trust membership card in Scottish properties too.

Wood carving

Wood carving is just one of the many forms of decoration that fascinate me in country houses and churches. I spotted this intricate design last summer over a door of The Old Library at West Dean College in West Sussex who run all sorts of interesting arts and crafts courses including conservation.

Heritage style bedroom

This recent guest bedroom in a Dorset project by interior designer Sean Symington is completely sumptuous and divine. The client must have been thrilled. With its fabric half tester canopy, internal reading light, eiderdown style quilt and beautiful table lamp, not to mention small antique sorcerer’s mirror and bamboo table, it has a beautifully layered heritage style that looks so inviting.

Antique dealer style

It has been an exciting year for Rebecca Christie-Miller. with her new collaboration with Pentreath & Hall and in a few weeks time, she will be sharing a stand with @macintoshantiques at the forthcoming Decorative Fair, 21 to 26 January, 2025 in Battersea Park, London. I can’t wait to see more of Rebecca’s antique choices and great styling.

The White Door Brocante at West Green House & Garden

Elise McGreevy-Harris’ next White Door Brocante is on Thursday 24th April 2025 from 10 am to 3 pm in the wisteria-clad greenhouses in the walled gardens of 18th century manor house, West Green House near Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, RG27 8JB.

You can expect to find a beautiful array of decorative antiques and vintage goods including gardenalia and textiles from selected stallholders from around the country. Many items will be under £100. Perfect for creating sustainable, individual style.

The garden is open to the public via the National Trust and has a renowned programme of events including outdoor opera. There’s also a pretty cafe.

Tickets for the brocante are available from 15 January 2025 via Eventbrite at The White Door Brocante and on the door at £8. The ticket includes free entrance to the beautiful gardens. For more press information, please contact me.

Bucolic garden gazebos

Whilst planning your garden visits and escapes this summer, you might like to take inspiration from these gazebos. Perfect for shade and for creating a little bit of outside sanctuary. The first is made from “Ferret”, a new In-Outdoor fabric (stain resistant and lightfast), by Pierre Frey (note the Hollywood Regency scalloped pelmet) and the second is one of many incredible thatched garden gazebos at West Dean College Grade I listed garden in West Sussex.

The design heritage of ancient churches

I have always been interested in the interiors and architectural design of churches. But it is sad that there are so many sleeping beauties all over the UK that remain friendless and closed. The Churches Conservation Trust is a charity that works with communities to conserve around 370 churches most at risk, like 13th-century St Bartholomew’s, Lower Basildon in Berkshire which urgently needs a new roof.

More and more people are being drawn back to the heritage of these incredible buildings for all sorts of reasons and many of these are designers. It was interesting to see that King Charles III broke from tradition and made the exquisite former Fitzrovia chapel at The Middlesex Hospital in London the backdrop for this year’s Christmas King’s Speech.

Interior designers on the high street in Saga magazine

As I mentioned in my New Year’s Day blog post for 2024, the high street came to the rescue with some top notch interior design collaborations last year. And by the end of the year, the list of eminent interior designers grew even longer to include John Lewis x Collagerie, Next x Nina Campbell, M&S x Kelly Hoppen and Habitat x Morris & Co amongst others.

With many thanks to a commission from the team at Saga magazine, I have written a feature on the subject in the January 2025 issue of the magazine, out now. The multi-award winning magazine is full of great features and available in Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons and W H Smith Travel shops – as well as on subscription at Saga.

Shop the blog

A single Leeds Creamware candlestick based on the 18th century classical Vine Twist design made around 1980 is now available at £30 plus £7 shipping in my online vintage shop. This candlestick is 10.7 cm at base and 21 cm high.

Thank you

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Until we next meet (with a catch up with one of London’s top antiques dealers), I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year!

With best wishes, Charis x