If your tastes run to the opulent or the ostentatious, it’s safe to come out from behind your velour Chesterfield. The interior design industry has your back again, after a seven-year stint during which “luxe” was a dirty four-letter word and mainstream interiors were burdened by the cloak of modesty expressed as “rustic”, “shabby chic” or “faux industrial”. Velvets, button-upholstery, gold, mirroring and flock have returned to drape themselves, unabashed, all over our rooms.
This molecular light has black adjustable arms with fittings for two light bulbs. It measures 68cm x 78cm and is made of iron and brass. €225, aprilandthebear.com
Oliver Bonas’s homewares for winter are dominated by copper — terrariums, trays, vases and candle holders. This hammered faux gold tray is just €64. oliverbonas.com
Luckily, you don’t have to be a royal to have pretensions to a throne-like armchair, a snazzier “water closet” or gilt edging. You can fake it until it looks as though you’ve made it — but avoid becoming a mass consumer of furniture rip-offs.
For every super-luxe product beloved of oligarchs and boutique hotels, there are budget options on the high street that bring to an interior a sumptuous edge without resorting to blatant copying.
Metallic accessories are on point for autumn. This hand-beaten copper tray by Van Verre is €210 at amara.com, the luxury homewares site.
The quirky two-seater Onkel sofa from Danish team Normann Copenhagen is almost sold out in fabric finishes, but this leather version is available, at €3,600. normann-copenhagen.com
Textiles and hard materials — metallics and mineral-effect finishes — are the easiest way to transform a room from minimalist to maximalist without a massive outlay.
The Bouji chair, left, comes in a few colour combinations and is made of solid wood with lacquered legs on casters, with button-upholstered fabric. €250, made.com
LuxDeco’s Barbara occasional chair is available in a range of fabrics. It’s made of solid wood, and is shown here with button-tufted grey velvet upholstery and nailhead trim. €1,700, luxdeco.com
Copper, bronze and faux-gold are the key finishes for accessories, while velvets, velours and intricate embroidery are being touted by mainstream stores such as Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser.
Scandinavian Design’s Grumpy Guy sofa, seen here in Antracite with oak legs and red button detailing, is a large two-seater, and now reduced from €1,149 to €949 at Arnotts, while stocks last. arnotts.ie
The Orsjo Kvist 4 Pendant light, made from rough copper, is 54cm x 41cm with a 5m cord; a white lacquered version is also available. €1,865, nest.co.uk
Walls are the cheapest revamp you can opt for: pattern-heavy wallpapers, featuring rich botanicals, toiles and damasks can spell instant affluence.
In paints, the key shades for the season ahead are drawn straight from the musty, earthy palettes of the Old Masters and the walls of the big country house.
This autumnal, lush boutique hotel-style look is by DFS, built around the Bridgewater coffee table, which is on sale at €725, and the Vista four-seater sofa in silver with piped detailing. €1,400. dfs.ie
Flock, velvet and pops of colour against a black palette is a modern take on luxe baroque interiors. The accessories here include the flocked dog bust by maximalist interior designer Abigail Ahern. €90, debenhams.ie
