Evoke days gone by with Crinson's Emperor collection

© Dominic Crinson

Embrace your spirit of adventure without leaving home and get swept up in 2009’s trend for globe-trotting style. Be a culture vulture.
1. 2009 trend - Cooltural
Yes, we’ve seen it before - think boho, gypsy or Russian peasant. But this year’s revisited folk trend is set to break down geographical boundaries, pulling together traditional motifs from different cultures and applying them in fresh ways. Trend forecaster David Carlson calls it 'Cooltural' - an abbreviation of ‘cool cultural’. ‘Above all it is about storytelling and authenticity,’ he explains. Swap last year’s Russian dolls for Mexican Aztec prints and Moroccan tiles. Like Dominic Crinson’s hand-drawn Emperor wallpaper collection, it’s about hitting back at the mass produced by evoking different decorative heritages. We love his intricate Baron design (£62.95).

2. Mexican magic
First brought back to life by fashion designers Matthew Williamson and Vivienne Westwood and recently sported by style-setters like Kate Moss and Rachel Zoe, Aztec prints are now making their mark on the home. The simple, primitive pattern of these Aztec geometric cushions (£18) from Littlewoods Direct are bang on trend.

3. Go geometric
Don't stop at fabrics. Furniture can get the global treatment too. This bedside table (£386.59) from Graham & Green has been inlaid with camel bone, ethically sourced from India. The geometric pattern gives it the look of a large-scale trinket box and instantly conjures up far-flung travels.

4. Folk grows up for 2009
‘It is subtler, more streamlined,’ says fashion writer Carolyn Asome. Gone is the slap dash approach and touristy tat. ‘It is more sophisticated - as well as modern - to team one whimsical piece with sharp tailoring,’ Asome insists. The same goes for homeware. This Karacoma sofa (£5,840) from The Conran Shop features three different patterns and flamboyant embroidery but its clean lines ensure it makes a smart statement.

5. Uzbek chic
Style expert Hilary Alexander describes folk as 'one of the more exuberant trends on the style merry-go-round that is guaranteed to brighten up the greyest of January or February days.' This Uzbek silk embroidery print (£29.31) from Easy art is a case in point. It's vibrant pattern and bold colours will make it a bold focal point on your wall. Tie it to your room scheme by adding some rusty red accessories.

6. Take to the floor
Spanish designer Nani Marquina draws on ornamental culture, reinterpreting traditional frieze designs in her new Folk rug (now £1,502.98, was £1,878.72) from Nest. The beauty of the global trend is that its constant revision means it never goes out of date. So consider this a fabulous investment for the future. A little accessorising is all it needs to keep it fresh.

9. Telling tales
Bring a little fantasy into your life with fashion illustrator Klaus Haapaniemi’s dinnerware collection for Iittala. The plates, bowls and cups feature mythical creatures emerging from flora and fauna, decadently referencing Nordic folklore. Start your collection with this show-stopping Taika plate (£95.92) from Nest.

10. Magic carpet
Tread in the footsteps of the rich and powerful on this Maharaja's carpet (£1,500) from Soto UK. Over 80 year's old, its velvet base is embroidered with heavy silver thread, making it a jewel for your living room.


Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current areas of specialism are furniture, bathroom and duvet covers