Interiors: The handmade tale
From woven materials to knitted finishes, the ‘crafted’ look has gone mainstream. Interiors editor Sally Cullen shows you how to hone the trend – with or without the graft
When was According to Pinterest, DIY, crafts and home décor are still the top searches in the UK. Whether it’s making macramé plant holders, creating our own candles or getting handy with a tufting gun (that’s a type of rug-making tool to you and me), it seems more of us are getting hands-on with our homes.
You need only look at the high street for evidence that this hankering for handcrafted homeware is here to stay: tactile materials and rustic, porous surfaces dominate the interiors offerings this season. Unfinished edges, open weaves and a natural palette all echo human involvement in their making and add a folksy, artisanal vibe.
Whether the idea of crafting makes you want to dust off your old sewing machine and start creating or merely sit down to watch the latest series of The Great Pottery Throw Down, everyone can appreciate the artistry. However involved you’re prepared to become, your home will thank you for one or two handcrafted objects – and no one need ever know whose hands actually created them!
A mix of organic shapes with unfinished edges will up the rustic vibe. From left: cushion cover, £39.99, blanket, £49.99, vase, £34.99, carafe, £34.99, glass, £6.99, lantern, £39.99, and basket, £24.99, all hm.com
Layer woven textures in natural tones for instant handcrafted appeal. From left: chair, £200, cushion, £12, pendant light, £25, bowl, £15, vase, £14, coffee table, £130, table lamp, £60, basket, £20, cushions: faux sheepskin, £14, and jute, £12, throw, £35, rug, £55, and magazine rack, £16, all habitat.co.uk
For a simple, unadorned effect, keep fabric textures raw and opt for furniture with organic lines. Cushion covers, from £15.99, all zarahome.com. For a similar coffee table, check out taskers.com. For a similar stool, try laredoute.co.uk
Create showstopping wall art – with a rug! Wall hanging, £59.99, lamp, £59.99, cushion covers, from £12.99, mattress, £39.99, stool, £69.99, and rug, from £49.99, all hm.com
Dark accents and tones will make paler woodgrain and fabric textures stand out. From left: mirror, £150, basket, £18, desk, £250, stool, £150, and rug, £175, all frenchconnection.com
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Now try it yourself
...with one of these get-creative kits
Make your own raffia hanging clay pot with this beginner-level (yes, really) kit. £65, Wool and the Gang x sculpd.co.uk
For extra style miles, stitch together your own luxe leather passport holder. This easy-to-follow kit promises you’ll enjoy some mindfulness, too. £55, artisans.life
This sustainable, natural and eco-friendly Relax & Unwind Candle Making Kit will not only help you be creative but to ease up, too – it smells fab! £28, Hazel & Blue, notonthehighstreet.com
Add a crafty touch
Our handmade-looking picks – did you really make them earlier?
Chair, £600, alsohome.com
London Craft Week runs from 4 to 10 October. For more details, visit londoncraftweek.com or @londoncraftweek
Compiled by Charlotte page
