While the business environment remains challenging for much of the home furnishings industry globally, the UAE’s changing demographics are driving positive growth, particularly in the luxury sector. The outlook continues to remain strong for 2024, as the growing population of entrepreneurs setting down roots here seeks to create more permanent homes that reflect their personal style.
Indeed, one of the most significant over-arching trends that we are seeing now is an upswing in the higher-end home office category, as businesspeople want their homes to include offices outfitted with luxurious tables for meetings and lounge seating for guests that are styled specifically for residential settings, in addition to a desk.
As consumers demand more furnishings to suit the way they live now, we are also seeing an increased integration of technology in furniture products, especially those that address health and wellness. For example, we just expanded our popular Ergomotion adjustable bed offering with the innovative ErgoSportive sleep system, a first-of-its-kind smart adjustable bed connectable with Garmin wearables, to help improve sleep and recovery.
Designed for consumers with active lifestyles, as well as the health conscious, ErgoSportive speaks to the ever-increasing awareness about how improving sleep positively impacts all aspects of our lives. It uses advanced smart sensor technology to provide users with key health and sleep data, as well as tailored recovery recommendations via a mobile app and Garmin wearables. Integrated with biosensors to track sleep activity and enhance athletic performance, it is also equipped with a zero-gravity mode, a vibrating massage feature to enhance sleep quality, as well as a sunlight-emulating light in its headboard which can be turned on at a specific time to regulate circadian rhythm and promote sleep regulation.
New technologies addressing health and wellness are not just options for the bedroom, we also have massage chairs that integrate with a phone to monitor key health data like blood pressure to next-generation adjustable beds that communicate with a smartwatch to improve sleep and recovery.
Creating personalised looks in a home that seamlessly integrates these new requirements points to the increasing need for expert assistance in furnishing a home. This gives rise to the third over-arching trend we see gaining traction in 2024: More and more shoppers will choose to work with professionally trained interior designers as they look to plant more permanent roots in the UAE.
For those in the market for home furnishings in 2024, the following style directions will dominate the coming year according to our on-staff designers:
• Modern and contemporary design styles consistently stand out as timeless choices for décor and continue to influence both interior and exterior aesthetics. The clean lines, minimalistic approach and emphasis on functionality create a versatile canvas.
• Soothing neutral hues are favored in upholstery and leather, with bursts of vibrant color in accent furniture and patterns used to create focal points. Look for rich, sophisticated tones like black, blue, navy, and green.
• In materials and finishes the strong preference for matte champagne gold finishes is expected to endure, as will the high demand for natural marble in surfaces, though high-quality faux marble is gaining popularity as a viable option. Solid wood, particularly American walnut and dark walnut are also strong sellers in this market, as are oak finishes, especially in smoky or dark brown hues.
- Mubashir Shaffi is the co-founder and managing director of The Mattress Store, the UAE’s leading home furnishings retailer. For more information visit www.themattresstore.com
