The great indoors: how to brighten up your home for autumn with Mondrian colours and squiggly lines

The darker months are going to be unusually bright and cheerful this season, with pops of primary colours, warm wooden tones, reflective stainless steel and curved lines.
Expect to spot a palette worthy of Mondrian with bold, block-colour accents dominating from influential design houses such as HAY and Normann Copenhagen, to high street dupes you won’t want to miss.
Coffee table books are one of the best ways to inject a bit of vivid colour to a room. Following on from The Gourmand’s Egg, Lemon is the second volume from Taschen, including more than 50 zesty recipes and a great cover shot by New York-based photographer Bobby Doherty (€40). Double the impact and pair it with railway-inspired buffer bookends, in chilli red from Massproductions (each €85).
A standout in these bright accents is a tribute to the designers love of “crooked” characters, a canary yellow candlestick from Normann Copenhagen (€215), available in the stylish Blackrock store Nordic Elements.
The design I’m most excited to see this season in real life, comes courtesy of a HAY and Muller Van Severen collaboration. Colour Rack, comprising C- and S-shaped alternatives to wardrobes (both €217.95), is well worth a trip to the wonderful Maven in Belfast to check out.
Cobalt blue is everywhere you look. Top of my wishlist is a lacquered tray (€34.99), from H&M, ideal for breakfast in bed or turning any pouffe into a side table. This electric shade is particularly striking in a blanket stitch throw from Zara Home combining a few other primary shades (€99.99), and a retro stool from Søstrene Grene (€25.90), which brings us nicely to our second trend.
Be it matte or full shine, this durable material is nothing to be scared of. Yes, it does tend to give an industrial feel, but within the context of a home with warm tones and finishes, it can be truly striking. Tap into this trend with the new-in Nolvia steel wall shelf (€279.95), from Sklum, the perfect canvas to display all things that make you smile. It’s a nod to the glam 1990s aesthetic, but still feels bold and modern. Already a modern-day classic, you can’t go wrong with the HAY Indian steel pitcher (€55), with a distinctive and timeless wide-rimmed spout, unsurprisingly stocked by the design-lovers at Indigo & Cloth.
Golden shades of ply, acacia and mango that have dominated the summer collections are also going nowhere for autumn-winter. Be it floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, or just a few added decorative accessories like a groovy mirror from Sklum (€76.95), a viral-worthy steal that truly pack a punch. Another piece you’ll be excited to bring home is a wavy wooden spoon from Arket (€17), which is serving in more than one way, made of tropical arjuna with a smooth curved finish. And it will soon be easier to buy items from the H&M-owned retailer, as it is due to open its first Irish outlet, on Nassau Street in Dublin, later this year.
You may have already guessed this, but the biggest divergence from the classic De Stijl look comes in the form of squiggly lines along with right angles. Make your introduction to this look with statement iron silhouette candlesticks from H&M (€14.99), and a floor-lamp from Sklum (€104.95), adding a shapely, sculptural sophistication. Functional and beautiful containers are also all around. By taking your vegetables out of plastic wrappings and into glass containers for your fridge, you will keep them fresher for longer. These won’t go unnoticed thanks to the curved fluted glass and wooden lids (€5 and €5.50), from Penneys.
The best thing about these big impact buys is that you don’t have to go all or nothing; one or two of these pieces will dial up the vibrancy of your space. A much-needed tonic to our gloomy weather prospects, creating a sense of expression and fun.