Mustafa Khamash, group managing director at Kart Group shares the top five decorating trends for fall 2019, inspired by the yearning for nature

1. Back to nature:  “As we prepare to enter a new decade, there is a real yearning to go back to nature, made more poignant by the climate change crisis facing the earth,” says Khamash. This season, greenery and biophilic design work together to create that peaceful haven inside. Interiors are lushly planted with variegated, dramatic foliage grouped together in pure, restrained, Scandinavian-style planters. #2

2. Retro glam: Just in time for the festive season, bold polished accents inspired by the Seventies make a comeback. To keep it classy, Khamash advises: “Pair jewel-toned accessories and bright accents with dark neutral walls to create a restrained and elegant scheme.”

3. Pure blue: The colour blue is always a designer favourite, and it has evolved from deeper cobalts to a crisper and calmer shade. Teamed with neutrals, blue creates perfectly restful spaces. “While blue and white are a perennial and always-pleasing combination seen everywhere from Santorini to fashion weeks, we have combined blue and oatmeal for an updated twist in the latest spaces designed by our firm,” Khamash.

4. Handmade and sustainable: Adding a handmade accent to your decor scheme adds warmth. Think rugged ceramics, hand dyed textiles and tactile wood crafts. “An unusual handcrafted accent is a surefire conversation starter, and what can be better than shopping local,” Khamash says. Consider the Nightingale of the Nile side table designed by Kart Group. Handcrafted in sustainably sourced teakwood, it has lyrics from the Umm Kalthoum classic, Enta Omri, inscribed in Arabic on it. Bonus points for being #MadeintheUAE.

5. Global eclectic: This trend perfectly suited for the UAE, home to 180 nationalities. As the world shrinks, interiors are increasingly becoming more well-travelled. “In the homes we are currently designing in Moscow and Riyadh, we have combined European ceramics, Indian block prints, Scandinavian furniture, and Middle Eastern motifs,” says Khamash. “As people travel more, what was once exotic is now accessible and it all speaks the common language of great design.”