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Credit: Tatjana Plitt

Whether by consensus or cultural osmosis, 2016 will be remembered as the year in which the world donned (and swiftly removed) its rose coloured glasses.

Though the colour – pithily dubbed millennial pink by some – contained multitudes, the message was clear: the PANTONE sanctioned shade in its manifold variations was a tipped to be a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveyed compassion and a sense of composure at the outset of a year in which it looked as if the highest glass ceiling might finally give way. And it was everywhere.

Levels of Baker Miller Pink-like tones of the kind once used to correct hostile behaviour in correctional facilities fast reached peak saturation: from our wine glasses, courtesy of the advent of frosé, to the covers of summer literary sensations; on runways and in the haute packaging of labels like Mecca, Mansur Gavriel and Acne Studios; and in our homes, where we witnessed in the proliferation of burnished copper, rose gold everything and plush pink velvet accents. 

As a new year looms and while the promise of a reinvigorating fresh start still holds true, GRAZIA spoke with one of Australia’s most respected interior stylists to gauge her predictions for 2017, gain an insight into what she’s currently coveting and solicit advice as to how you can turn over a new (fiddle) leaf at home to ensure it’s truly your own.

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At left, the Cone Home pendant lights by LAAL, a current obsession of Larritt-Evans; and right, The Atlas rug by Armadillo Co. is a great way of layering personality and texture in a room, while hiding “a multitude of sins”
Credit: Courtesy of LAAL and Armadillo Co.

“2016 was the year of marble that is for sure,” says Claire Larritt-Evans, of Melbourne-based studio Larritt-Evans.

“We saw it being used in really interesting ways – clashing of colours, shapes and sizes,” she continues of the year’s most popular stone finish – one that, she contends, is starting to feel a little overdone come year’s end now that the once endearing motif has well and truly lodged itself in our collective eye.

“Marble effect accessories like phone covers, laptop, bedding. Nothing can replicate the real thing, so I think the faux marble can disappear!”

Larritt-Evans, whose eponymous studio specialises in championing her clients needs through the prism of a more refined, highly considered palette, predicts that 2017 will bring with it a movement away from easily replicated finishes like marble in favour of rerouting in a more dynamic direction – one that echoes the current cultural predilection toward a spirit of individualism that is both unabashed, bold and idiosyncratic. 

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The Line Lamp table from Douglas and Bec, which Larritt-Evans loves for its “soft, ambient light,” making it the perfect bedside lamp: “I am weaning myself off social media before bed and switching to meditation so this soft light sets the tone for the right headspace before falling asleep.”
Credit: Douglas and Bec

“Color! I feel a shift towards being bold, combining colours that traditionally are frowned upon. I think there is a move towards forgetting ‘the rules’ of colour combinations and making surprising combinations. Thinks pinks and reds, blues and greens.”

That tendency toward unexpected pairings carries through to the stylist’s mantra when it comes to styling a room of one’s own. “When I am designing for clients, whether it for a brand in a commercial environment or a family at home, the best design authentically represents the people who inhabit the space,” says Larritt-Evans.

“For me with styling it’s about creating layers, so it’s not too ‘of it’s time’, that [it’s] a mix of old and new, high street and luxury. Try to source items from a multitude of suppliers so it’s not too singular in its tone of voice.”

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At left, the Abbotson Linen Collection pillowcases pictured in a variety of colours and the Abbotson Linen Collection quilt cover in silver, both by Sheridan
Credit: Courtesy of Sheridan
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Sheridan’s Abbotson Linen Collection bed cover in Midnight. View the entire Abbotson Linen Collection, 100% linen bedlinen, in full here.
Credit: Courtesy of Sheridan

Considering our current climate, the accumulation of layers may seem undesirable but according to the stylist, there’s never been a better time to pile on – so to speak. “Elise Cakebread’s Pile High Cushion in Infinite Worlds colour palette is a brilliant way to inject colour, texture and personality into a space. These can be used on a neutral couch or even as a statement layered over the Silver Abbotson 100% bedlinen from Sheridan.”

“If you’ve never slept in linen sheets, you don’t know what you’re missing – the more you wash them the softer they become. I always tell my clients to invest in the items you use every day so you can maximize your enjoyment of them.”

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Elise Cakebread’s Pile High cushion is “a brilliant way to inject colour, texture and personality into a space”
Credit: Courtesy of Elise Cakegood

It’s undoubtedly invaluable advice from the stylist, interior designer and multi-tasking mother who, like so many in her field, assisted Australian super stylist Megan Morton – often dubbed the interiors whisperer – during her nascent years. Like Morton, Larritt-Evans’s passion for her craft is palpable and an extension of an outlook that sees one’s domestic interior as almost inseparable from one’s interior life.

“Open up the doors and windows and let the cooler evening breeze in,” Larritt-Evans offers by way of advice for styling our homes for the stifling summer months, when even our most comfortable spaces can become stifling hotboxes. 

“Dress your windows with oversized linen drapes that puddle on the ground – enjoy a cool rosé with the breeze lapping in through the drapes – heavenly.”

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“I love the new vase collection from artist Anna Verendorff,” says Larritt-Evans. “It’s such clever and deceptively simplistic design, combining two of my favourite elements: brass and greenery.”
Credit: Anna Verendorff

Produced in association with Sheridan

Tile and cover image: Tatjana Plitt