Clean living

IF YOU were expecting the 'in' look for your home this year to be all futuristic, metallic surfaces and fancy 21st-century gadgetry, think again.This year's look, says John Jones of York House Interiors, is going to be modern rather than futuristic.

That means a simple, uncluttered, natural look - cool, clean lines and a minimalist feel, but nothing particularly space-age.

"It's really pretty much the same as last year," admits John. "People are looking for texture, shape and style rather than bold patterns and colours. It's a restful, fresh and timeless look - something that will last."

The quintessentially English look - bookcases crammed with books, coffee tables, heavy curtains and plenty of fussy knickknacks - is less popular than it was.

In its place, comes a classic modern look. Stripped wood is still very much the in-thing for floors, along with natural seagrass or coir rugs and floor coverings. But when it comes to furnishing your home, the trend will be for hand-painted surfaces and simple, elegant items of furniture brightened up with accessories.

Interior styles this year, in fact, will mirror the latest clothing fashions.

So natural fibres are in - canvas and hessian - as are suede, leather and animal-print textiles.

The colours of the moment are creams and pastels - with soft lilacs and purples for the bedroom.

Beads are making a big comeback, too, used to fringe the edges of cushions. Tables and chairs may be elegant and modern - a glass top on stainless steel legs or, to combine traditional and modern, an antique table top on steel legs.

In the sitting room, a classic 2001 look might be a plain cream leather or natural fabric sofa, brightened up by scatter cushions covered in an animal-print fabric or suede. The floor could be cool polished or varnished wood, with natural fibre rugs or coverings in seagrass, sisal or coir to give warmth. Clean cotton curtains in the same pale shades fitted to curtain poles to give them lift, or else wood-slatted blinds softened by voile curtains, add the finishing touch.

"It's very much a basic backdrop brought to life with add-ons," says John. "Very natural and quite minimal, with clean, fresh lines and nothing too overpowering."

The modern, natural look continues into the dining room. A simple glass-topped table on stainless steel legs, or else an antique oak top and metal base are likely to be popular. Alternatively, modern tables in maple or other pale hardwoods give a crisp, clean look. Lighter colours on the walls, such as pale yellows, give a fresh look - though darker colours give a greater sense of intimacy.

Curtains can be heavier and fussier than elsewhere in the house, with fringed valences to add depth and texture. Natural-coloured wool carpets give warmth while maintaining the modern feel.

For the kitchen, there is a good range of hand-painted units now available, says John. Alternatively, for a clean, elegant look, go for hand-made hardwood kitchens in pale maple or ash. Appliances could be built in, with plenty of steel and chrome to give that modern feel. Polished granite work-surfaces are also likely to prove popular. Metal, glass-topped tables look cool and sophisticated and for floorings, natural terranova stone, polished limestone tiles or pale wooden floors complete the crisp, modern look.

In the bedroom, black metal beds with bronze fittings remain popular - but many people are also opting for the modern elegance of stainless steel, says John. Pale lilacs, violets and blues are the colours of the year - try matching curtains with throws on the bed in a different fabric but similar colour scheme. Simple, grained wallpaper is the thing. Floor coverings can again be seagrass, sisal or coir.

At the end of the day, John admits, how you furnish your home depends on your own personal taste. "We still have people who want the classic English look, but for people who are looking for a change and want to follow the trends, minimalist, clean lines and natural fibres and colours are definitely the way the industry is moving."

u York House Interiors, Hull Road, offer a free consultancy service. Contact them on 01904 414939.

uWorcestershire-based Crucial Trading offers a great range of natural fibre floor-coverings, some featured in pictures here and available through local dealers. Call freephone 0800 374429 for information or a brochure.