(Photography: Martina Gemmola / Interior design: Amy Spargo, Maine House Interiors)
We might have officially entered the colder part of the year but is there anything like shopping for new homewares to combat the winter blues? This month, we get reacquainted with the pleat, fantasise about abandoning everything for the dream Texan ranch and attempt to find some magic in the colder days through cosy decor.
The best interior trends and homewares to shop in May 2025
Pretty pleats
The design world’s current infatuation with British interiors has seen the return of the pleat. The feminine frill is found throughout our May issue, with Amy Spargo’s Mornington Peninsula home really bringing our pleat fantasies to life with her celebration of pleated patterned lamps, armchairs and curtains. Double pinch pleated curtains also starred in the latest issue’s feature on giving your home a luxury look for less.
But this isn’t your grandmother’s pleat, with the design trend spilling into rigid materials as well as traditional fabrics. This means we’re starting to see the pleat appear in more unexpected places, such as metal on light fittings, ceramic vases and even wood furniture. Are pleats the new scallop? Only time will tell.
- Bora Lamp In Duck Egg Blue, $220, Fenton & Fenton
- Layla Pink Cushion Linen Voile, $41.99 (usually $59.99) Linen House
- Cotton Woven Stripe Curtain, USD $68.00 – USD $98.00, Anthropologie
- One Six Eight London Stacey Ceramic Vase, $99.99 (usually $119.99), Temple & Webster
- Lee Brass Buffet Table Lamp, USD $198, Anthropologie
Rich ranch
This month, we’ve fallen in love with the deep orange hues and weathered timber textures of Netflix’s new Ransom Canyon series. This elevated ranch aesthetic is somehow both sleek and rustic, making us want to flee the big city for the wild Texan desert—but only if the house (and the cowboy) is included. But the resurgence of the Western aesthetic extends beyond the show, with fringe making a strong return in the textiles space and coveted brands like Fenton & Fenton releasing ranch-inspired ranges. Even IKEA’s recent collection drop has elements of ranch style, with mustard-coloured sofas and orange handwoven rugs making it easier than ever to bring the look into your home.
- Carson Leather Ottoman Dakota Vintage Brown, $949 (usually $1,299), Early Settler
- Apollo Ceramic Table Lamp, $79 (usually $199), Early Settler
- Vintage Linen Fringe Rectangle Cushion in Bronze, $34.60 (usually $69), Myer
- Margot Chair In Tobacco, $890, Fenton & Fenton
- Morgan & Finch Horse Head Bookends Set Of 2, $69.95, Bed Bath N’ Table
Winter wonder
Australia might not suffer through the coldest of winters (although those in Tasmania and more mountainous regions might beg to differ) but we also don’t have the magic of the Christmas season to get us through the greyer days. In my opinion, this makes creating a sense of cosiness in our homes all the more important.
Whether its cooking a warming meal in this icy blue Le Crueset dish, wrapping yourself up in a new bathrobe and enjoying a mug of hot chocolate, lighting candles or bringing more wintery theme—but still stylish—textiles into your home, there are plenty of ways to embrace the colder days.
- Le Crueset Petal Relief Shallow Casserole 26cm in Sea Salt, $620, Myer
- Ecology Set Of 4 Mugs In Denim, $49.95, David Jones
- Georg Jenson Cobra 3 Pack Candles, $315, David Jones
- Sanderson Oxbow Indigo Rug, $729, Ruggable
- Morgan & Finch Sebby Robe In Oatmeal, $99.99, Bed Bath N’ Table
