Ele Cooper got a sneaky glimpse of Next’s SS11 homeware range and found gorgeous florals, chic lighting and some very bling-tastic chairs…
This morning, in preparation for AboutUs’s expansion into the world of interiors (we are relaunching in three weeks!), I went to the launch of Next’s spring/summer 2023 homeware collection.
The main theme, rather season-appropriately, appeared to be flowers: plates adorned with a gorgeous pink peony design which almost looked hand-painted; small round cushions in teal, maroon and a muted gold, shaped like very Valentino-esque rose heads; and a real mix of flowery wallpapers – some quite nostalgic (they brought the traditional Laura Ashley prints of my childhood to mind), and others distinctly modern (think red backgrounds with black-and-white line drawings climbing up the paper).
It wasn’t all floral fancy though: I also fell for a very sophisticated zebra-print rug and an uber-cool standard lamp, with three ridged glass ‘bobbles’ (aka glass balls) at the top of its stem, which was crowned by a dark turquoise shade – I will definitely be snapping that one up for my living room.
Elsewhere was a breadbin helpfully decorated with instructions on how to make toast (in case you forget); cute white porcelain apple halves which could be used as bookends or a doorstop; oh-so-’70s ecru bowls whose rims had been dipped in what looked like molten gold and pewter; and a range of jewel-coloured bathroom accessories including a soap dispenser that would be absolutely divine if it weren’t for the chrome pump, which I felt cheapened the effect.
As I sipped on my apple juice and ginger beer mocktail and made my notes, I realised I was sitting on a particularly bling-tastic chair – black velvety fabric studded with diamante – but also observed that another interiors journo was perched on a ’60s-esque white chair with cut-out detail, which was altogether more up my street.
So, an exciting new season for Next – I can’t wait until it all hits the shops in the new year; the upbeat, cheery designs certainly brightened my dreary November day. I am heading off to see what House of Fraser has got to offer soon, and this time will have my camera in tow, so I’ll keep you posted!
Update: to see photos of Next’s Hi Summer 2023 homeware range, available in stores from March 2023, click here.
