Decorating
Decorating: How to Add Tactile Cork to Your Interior
One of the 1970s’ favourite materials is set for a comeback this season. Here’s how to make the most of it in a modern home
Lots of you have already been commenting on the recent story about the 1970s revival set to come our way this year – and some of you love the idea, some of you hate it. So what do you think about the new-found love for cork, a mainstay of the era’s interior design?
Cork is back – as furniture, on walls, on floors and more, and in many different finishes and shades – riding the 1970s revival wave, and boosted by a high-profile, cork-heavy collaboration between designer Ilse Crawford and Ikea coming this year. And high time, too: cork is a natural yet highly sustainable material, something more and more manufacturers are tapping into as eco-awareness grows. There’s plenty of it popping up on the pages of Houzz, too. But how can you add this warm, tactile and versatile material into your home – and give it a 21st century twist? Here are some ideas that might tempt you…
Cork is back – as furniture, on walls, on floors and more, and in many different finishes and shades – riding the 1970s revival wave, and boosted by a high-profile, cork-heavy collaboration between designer Ilse Crawford and Ikea coming this year. And high time, too: cork is a natural yet highly sustainable material, something more and more manufacturers are tapping into as eco-awareness grows. There’s plenty of it popping up on the pages of Houzz, too. But how can you add this warm, tactile and versatile material into your home – and give it a 21st century twist? Here are some ideas that might tempt you…
Pick a perch
Cork is a great material for multi-purpose pieces of furniture. This pleasing dark brown side-table/stool is sturdy yet spongy, making it perfect for parking both bums and books.
Cork is a great material for multi-purpose pieces of furniture. This pleasing dark brown side-table/stool is sturdy yet spongy, making it perfect for parking both bums and books.
Bring warmth to your walls
Cork wallpaper is available in all sorts of finishes, and I love how this one layers two natural materials – the cork is backed with bronze to create this subtle, shimmering effect. It’s almost as if the sun is blazing behind it. The look is also wonderfully cosy for a bedroom, don’t you think? You can buy this – or similar – in the UK. I found some at a company called, surprise, surprise, Wallpaper From the 70s.
Explore more 1970s throwback styles that look good right now
Cork wallpaper is available in all sorts of finishes, and I love how this one layers two natural materials – the cork is backed with bronze to create this subtle, shimmering effect. It’s almost as if the sun is blazing behind it. The look is also wonderfully cosy for a bedroom, don’t you think? You can buy this – or similar – in the UK. I found some at a company called, surprise, surprise, Wallpaper From the 70s.
Explore more 1970s throwback styles that look good right now
Add cork accents
Give a nod to the trendsetting material in a small way. These stylish kitchen storage jars show that kitsch and retro is definitely not the only way to go with cork. These pieces are soft and satisfying to the touch, and beautiful to look at as part of a nature-inspired, sludgy palette. If shops such as Folklore, Labour & Wait or French Connection Home do it for you, you’re probably ready for a touch of low-key cork.
Give a nod to the trendsetting material in a small way. These stylish kitchen storage jars show that kitsch and retro is definitely not the only way to go with cork. These pieces are soft and satisfying to the touch, and beautiful to look at as part of a nature-inspired, sludgy palette. If shops such as Folklore, Labour & Wait or French Connection Home do it for you, you’re probably ready for a touch of low-key cork.
Show off with sheets
There are so many ways now to cover your floor with cork. This cork sheeting creates a smooth, sleek finish and makes for a quirky alternative to solid wood when it comes to natural floors. Cork can be an inexpensive option and an achievable project for experienced DIYers, especially in smaller rooms.
Make sure you buy your cork thick enough for the job – anything thinner than around 6mm is unlikely to be sturdy enough – and get expert advice on the correct glue to use. (Personally, considering how much cheaper cork is than solid wood for floors, I’d use the difference to hire someone professional to fit it.)
Read about the pros and cons of cork and other flooring for kitchens
There are so many ways now to cover your floor with cork. This cork sheeting creates a smooth, sleek finish and makes for a quirky alternative to solid wood when it comes to natural floors. Cork can be an inexpensive option and an achievable project for experienced DIYers, especially in smaller rooms.
Make sure you buy your cork thick enough for the job – anything thinner than around 6mm is unlikely to be sturdy enough – and get expert advice on the correct glue to use. (Personally, considering how much cheaper cork is than solid wood for floors, I’d use the difference to hire someone professional to fit it.)
Read about the pros and cons of cork and other flooring for kitchens
Go sleek and shiny
If retro or rustic isn’t your style, don’t dismiss cork: there are many more styles of cork flooring available, from pale matt tiles to dark, glossy herringbone patterns, with all sorts of textures and finishes in-between – would you have guessed this high-shine, contemporary look was created with plank cork flooring? The boards have a four-coat factory finish and are made by Expanko. This pattern is called Castello.
If retro or rustic isn’t your style, don’t dismiss cork: there are many more styles of cork flooring available, from pale matt tiles to dark, glossy herringbone patterns, with all sorts of textures and finishes in-between – would you have guessed this high-shine, contemporary look was created with plank cork flooring? The boards have a four-coat factory finish and are made by Expanko. This pattern is called Castello.
Make a full-wall pinboard
If you have a home office and a paper-collecting habit, you probably already have a pinboard of some sort. But this idea takes it further, making a real feature of collected cards, flyers and bits of paper you need to keep track of.
Because there’s space for everything, the messy overlapping thing that nearly always happens with pinboards (or is that just me?) is avoided, and the finish is far neater than you’d expect. It would make a nice feature wall for a teenager’s room, too, or to house an ever-changing gallery of children’s artwork and family photographs in an open-plan kitchen/living room.
If you have a home office and a paper-collecting habit, you probably already have a pinboard of some sort. But this idea takes it further, making a real feature of collected cards, flyers and bits of paper you need to keep track of.
Because there’s space for everything, the messy overlapping thing that nearly always happens with pinboards (or is that just me?) is avoided, and the finish is far neater than you’d expect. It would make a nice feature wall for a teenager’s room, too, or to house an ever-changing gallery of children’s artwork and family photographs in an open-plan kitchen/living room.
Help little ones to step up
This cork bathroom step for kids is a sweet touch to make a bathroom accessible to all family members. And what a warm place for little toes…
This cork bathroom step for kids is a sweet touch to make a bathroom accessible to all family members. And what a warm place for little toes…
Replace seat pads with cork
This new build is all about showcasing its materials, with expanses of chipboard and polished concrete lending an industrial edge. Look closely and you’ll notice that cork makes a cameo appearance, too, customising the dining chairs and island stools as cut-to-size seat pads.
This new build is all about showcasing its materials, with expanses of chipboard and polished concrete lending an industrial edge. Look closely and you’ll notice that cork makes a cameo appearance, too, customising the dining chairs and island stools as cut-to-size seat pads.
Choose natural lighting
Incorporating natural materials into your home can be a stylish way to warm things up. But think beyond the obvious and choose cork. If you like the look but don’t want to commit to too much of a retro statement, try a detail, such as this pendant shade. It works really well with the ivy in the background, which complements its natural side.
Connecting the pendant to the mains with too-long fabric flex is a great idea for a dining table, too, as it makes it easy to lower or raise depending on the mood you want to create. You can find something similar by designer Benjamin Hubert.
Incorporating natural materials into your home can be a stylish way to warm things up. But think beyond the obvious and choose cork. If you like the look but don’t want to commit to too much of a retro statement, try a detail, such as this pendant shade. It works really well with the ivy in the background, which complements its natural side.
Connecting the pendant to the mains with too-long fabric flex is a great idea for a dining table, too, as it makes it easy to lower or raise depending on the mood you want to create. You can find something similar by designer Benjamin Hubert.
Plump for pattern
Patterned tiled floors are having quite a moment this season alongside cork, and this look combines both trends beautifully. This bespoke design, based on a patchwork quilt pattern, is an interesting take on the classic tiled floor – and one that will be kinder to your crockery if you drop it.
Patterned tiled floors are having quite a moment this season alongside cork, and this look combines both trends beautifully. This bespoke design, based on a patchwork quilt pattern, is an interesting take on the classic tiled floor – and one that will be kinder to your crockery if you drop it.
Make a mosaic
These penny cork tiles are an interesting twist on the classic bathroom mosaic. The small hexagonal tiles are waterproof yet warm enough to lean against with bare skin.
These penny cork tiles are an interesting twist on the classic bathroom mosaic. The small hexagonal tiles are waterproof yet warm enough to lean against with bare skin.
Custom design your own pinboard wall
If the full-wall cork look is a little too much for your space, this interesting design made up from strips and circles of cork creates a subtler effect, and looks great whether full of pinned postcards and to-do lists, or completely bare.
TELL US…
How do you feel about cork – and how would you use it in your home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
If the full-wall cork look is a little too much for your space, this interesting design made up from strips and circles of cork creates a subtler effect, and looks great whether full of pinned postcards and to-do lists, or completely bare.
TELL US…
How do you feel about cork – and how would you use it in your home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Probably not quite something you could knock up yourself, unless you happen to be a skilled craftsperson, but this interesting hanging corks light is something you could easily commission or seek out. Search for ‘cork chandelier’ online and you’ll find a few variations out there, including Alkesh Parmer’s Celebration chandelier.
Find out what to think about before installing pendant lights