Focus/24: Top 10 Trends, Inspirations, and Delights

Focus/24 has once again lived up to its reputation as one of the design world’s most exciting showcases, bringing together over 600 brands, 130+ showrooms, and more than 30 house guests. The organisers set out to deliver five days of inspiration, where world-class designers, emerging creatives, and innovative makers would gather to share their expertise and vision. With new product launches, thought-provoking talks, and engaging tours, Focus/24 promised a vibrant hub of innovation and creativity—a place where connections are made, and ideas are shared.

Focus/24: The Longer View – 23 Sept – 11 Oct

With so much to see and experience, it was easy to get swept up in the vibrant atmosphere of Focus/24. Our expectations of discovering the latest trends and meeting the faces behind the brands were certainly met. We’re excited to share our top 10 picks—highlighting the trends we discovered, our observations, and where we found delight in this year’s showcase. Let’s dive in!

1. Block Printed Pattern

Block printed patterns stole the spotlight this year, with beautiful, intricate designs that celebrate the traditional hand-crafted technique. What really stood out was the focus on elegant, pared-back colour palettes for each design, which allowed the artistry of the design to shine through. A soft, natural palette tied the trend together, creating a sense of understated sophistication.

Blithfield

Blithfield and Marthe Armitage Prints Limited each exemplified this approach perfectly, showcasing collections that felt both timeless and contemporary, with each pattern telling a story through its refined simplicity.

Marthe Armitage Prints Limited

2. Sharing Valuable Skills

Chase Erwin’s showroom became a hub of creativity as they welcomed A Shade Above for a live lampshade-making demonstration, drawing a full house of engaged designers. The session was both practical and interactive, with a lively Q&A running throughout.

Chase Erwin and A Shade Above

The demonstration wrapped up with two key highlights: first, Chase Erwin unveiled new collaborative designs with A Shade Above, featuring their brand-new Swing collection, where the textured weave added depth to the light effect.

Secondly, A Shade Above shared current trends in lampshades, including the rising popularity of skirted shades and the enduring appeal of box pleats.

3. Deep Surface Texture

A standout trend this year was the prevalence of deep surface textures across textiles and rugs. Whether achieved through innovative surface treatments, like those in Kirkby Design’s new 4D collection, or through the weave itself, as seen in Coral and Hive’s work, textured surfaces were everywhere.

Coral and Hive

This trend feels like a supercharged evolution of the popular boucle fabrics, offering even more dimension and tactile interest to designs.

4D by Kirkby Design

A further example was seen in the Mosaic Collection launched by Zimmer and Rohde. The collection features geometric raised patterns that amplify the design through texture, adding another layer of depth and visual intrigue.

Mosaic Collection by Zimmer and Rohde

4. Celebrating Craft

This year, craftsmanship took centre stage, with several brands highlighting the skill and dedication behind their designs. Turquoise Mountain stood out as a prime example. Founded in 2006 by His Majesty King Charles III, Turquoise Mountain aims to revive traditional crafts and historic areas, creating jobs and restoring pride in communities.

Turquoise Mountain

The organisation has supported over 50 small businesses across Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Middle East, empowering a new generation of artisans. At the event, they showcased the timeless craft of weaving, not only through their finished textiles but also by displaying a traditional loom, offering a tangible connection to the heritage and skill of the artisans behind each piece.

5. Let’s Talk

Focus/24 delivered a robust talks programme, enhanced by additional showroom-hosted sessions. A highlight was GP&J Baker’s talk featuring designer Joanna Plant in conversation with their Creative Director, Anne Grafton, moderated by Homes and Gardens.

GP&J Baker in conversation with Homes and Gardens

The discussion provided a packed audience with valuable insights into Joanna’s design expertise, her approach to navigating client relationships, and practical advice on managing the design process. The talk was a fantastic opportunity to learn directly from a seasoned professional, offering real-world examples and tips that resonated with the audience.

6. Performance

Lincrusta used Focus/24 to invite guests into their showroom for a live demonstration of creative expertise by Sarah from Hare and Humphries.

Lincrusta with Hare and Humphries

In front of an intrigued audience of designers, Sarah transformed the Lincrusta x Morris & Co. ‘Fruit’ wallcovering, showcasing her artistry and technique in real time. The performance captivated viewers, offering a firsthand look at the skill and creativity that goes into elevating such versatile designs.

7. Creative Inspiration

The creative process behind the Harlequin x Henry Holland collection fostered a deep connection between the viewer and the design. Footage and photography of Henry working with clay to shape organic, unique patterns brought the designs to life, adding a tangible sense of depth to the surface patterns.

Harlequin x Henry Holland

Each line in the design originated from a hands-on craft process, translating a three-dimensional form into a beautifully intricate 2D surface pattern, enriching the collection with both texture and story.

8. Heritage

Many brands embraced their archives to inspire new collections, trusting the enduring quality of historic designs to meet today’s market demands. GP&J Baker’s Eldron collection exemplifies this approach, offering archival designs in both their original colourways and fresh new palettes. The brand also chose to relaunch a design by renowned garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, further bridging past and present.

GP&J Baker Eldron Collection

Similarly, Warwick Fabrics revisited their archives with a full collection of heritage designs, including the stunning Fairfield, shown here in Jewel. Visitors were also invited to join a discussion on colour, led by expert colourist Steve Downend, providing further insight into how these classic designs remain relevant today.

Fairfield in Jewel by Warwick Fabrics

9. Small Scale Pattern

Bold designs may grab attention, but intricate, smaller scale patterns are proving just as essential in creating detailed, layered interiors. This trend was beautifully showcased by Birdie Fortescue, who layered these delicate patterns across upholstery, cushions, and lampshades, adding depth and subtle interest to each piece.

Birdie Fortescue

Rapture & Wright took a different approach, pairing smaller patterns with mid-sized ones, creating a dynamic play of scale that adds richness and dimension to their designs. It’s a reminder that sometimes, it’s the finer details that truly make a space stand out.

Rapture & Wright

10. Narrative

Many of our top picks showcase designs with rich, engaging narratives—whether it’s craftsmanship or heritage—but Routes stood out for the spiritual meaning woven into their motifs.

Routes

A prime example is their Celestial Stripe, which blends modern colours with ancient Mayan symbols. The ladder stripes represent the connection between earth and the divine, while interwoven butterfly motifs symbolize transformation. This fabric, suitable for a variety of uses, not only adds aesthetic beauty but also tells a story, serving as a bridge between the earthly and celestial realms.