Animal magic

The 150th anniversary in 2009 of Darwin’s Origin of Species seems to have inspired a natural history theme in homewares for 2010. Birds and owls will feature on some of John Lewis’s cushions and Marks & Spencer will offer a (wooden) stag’s head (£199). Lapstone, a company that sells candlesticks (£85) and other objects made from real antlers (shed by deer), reports a near sell-out of this wild thing type of bric-a-brac.

The bright stuff

In the boom, neutral walls and sofas that were brown, taupe or grey dominated decor choice. These non-committal shades should form an excellent background for the often startlingly bright colours that are soon to appear in homeware departments. Next’s 1960s-style Trend dining chairs (£40 each) are an example of this upbeat merchandise. If you are not yet ready for teal blue (also called peacock and kingfisher), hot pink or hot orange, there’s crocus — John Lewis’s new subdued purple shade.

Petal power

Since Ikea urged the British to “chuck out the chintz” in 1996, the return of florals would seem to be long overdue. They will be making a comeback at John Lewis, where you will be able to buy a big, blowsy red rose curtain fabric at £25 a metre. At M&S, extra-large peonies feature on a bedset (from £45). As you will see, there is not much enthusiasm for delicate flowers, unless, that is, they are embroidered.

Perfect stitch

The church fête aesthetic, folkloric, eclectic global mix — just three of the names being used for the new handcrafted-look fabrics. These are designed to give the impression that someone in your household has mastered skills such as crewel-work embroidery. M&S will be selling a crewel-work cushion (£25). Will you be able to pass it off as your own work?

Wood works

Wood should look, in the words of Mockie Harrison, John Lewis’s home design manager, “as if it has just been chopped down”. But the provenance of timber will be as important as the deliberately unfinished finish. John Lewis will be stocking Bunbury coasters (£15 for four), blocks of wood, each with a serial number.

This allows you to discover from which tree the block came and how that tree was replaced.

Stores galore

Amid forecasts that people will be moving house less, but spending more on home comforts, expect M&S, Next and other big high street names to open more furnishings and furniture-only stores. Takings at John Lewis’s new first home-only store in Poole, Dorset, which opened last month, were 30 per cent higher than forecast in the first few days; it seems we like to shop for furniture without the distraction of other merchandise.

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