With many of us spending more time in our homes than ever before, shifts in lifestyle are influencing the look, feel and functionality of our interiors.
Gone are the days of homes that look like a perfectly matching magazine spread, void of any actual form of life. Trends themselves are becoming obsolete and instead people are resonating with what they find beautiful. Our homes should be as individual as we are, and in a world brimming with technology and mass production, we want to create unique, authentic spaces that reflect our personalities.
A more eclectic approach to design is the key. Mixing different textures, colours, styles and periods to create a space that tells your story and brings you joy. Here are the top 10 trends we’re seeing in interiors.
1. Textured Surfaces & Furniture
Texture was a top interior trend last year, but it has moved beyond layering a space with contrasting finishes. Textures are now being incorporated into different surfaces and furniture pieces. Timber panels have become three dimensional, tiles take on a tactile twist, glass panes are fluted, and wallpaper is heavily embossed.
Furniture and joinery have become more decorative as flat surfaces are replaced with groves, cut-outs reeded details, rattan and ornamental panels. These tactile surfaces pieces add interest, variety and another dimension to your space.
2. Think Sustainable
Just as there is ‘fast fashion’, there are ‘fast interiors’ that utilise cheaply made furnishings that won’t wear well or stand the test of time. In 2021 there seems to be a growing respect for handmade craftsmanship as well as vintage and unique bespoke pieces. I really encourage my clients to purchase pieces they love (handmade locally if possible). Pieces that they will treasure for a lifetime instead of constantly replacing and adding to landfill.
Whether it’s sculptural, iconic, tactile or antique, make a statement! Curate your furniture like you would your wardrobe, with each piece carefully collected over time. Re-purpose when you can and only spend your hard-earned money on things you love.
Sustainability is also about creating environments that enhance our well-being with less toxic materials, integrated plants, an abundance of natural light and beautiful outlooks.
3. Connect with Nature
In many parts of the world people still aren’t able to move around freely. It’s not surprising that our innate connection to nature is an ever-growing focal point of interior design. Inviting nature into our homes is about creating tranquil spaces that ground us to the earth.
Surround yourself with nature. It could be a gorgeous shell collected from your favourite beach or a wooden bowl discovered on your travels, a floral wallpaper and organic materials like raw timber. The humble house plant is also making a great resurgence, so get back in touch with that green thumb and incorporate one plant or an entire green wall.
4. Embrace Green
Along with the increase in green design, the colour green has also increased in popularity in everything from fabric ranges to paint colours to cabinetry and indoor foliage. Obviously green promotes a sense of connection with nature, but it has even been shown to decrease the heart rate, alleviate stress and provide a sense of calm.
Nature is also evident in the soothing colour palettes of sophisticated neutrals. A subtle and refined palette of layered neutral tones with a bold accent here and there. Warmer shades are back too – think beiges and browns, sand, oatmeal and stonewashed linen, rather than grey. It’s all about instilling balance, calm and serenity in living spaces through natural textures, forms, colours and aesthetics.
5. Multi-Functional Spaces
With more people working from home, this year has made us rethink our homes. We are looking for clever ways to screen and divide the various functions of an open plan space to allow for flexible use throughout the day.
It may be the use of a bookshelf, curtain, sliding wall or screen to cleverly zone a room. These subtle divides retain the spacious feel that open plan living provides, but also give a sense of separation so that people can carry out different tasks. Broken plan living establishes a connection between spaces and preserves the flow of light but offers privacy too.
6. Incorporate the Home Office
We believe that the home office is here to stay. We’ll see more dedicated, private home offices in addition to the incorporation of desks and workspaces that are incorporated into bedrooms and living areas.
Creating multiple, flexible workspaces throughout the home allows families to work from home at the same time when required.
7. Create Your Escape
A big trend in interiors at the moment is based around our need to escape from the world. Our homes have become our own personal sanctuary. With no international travel on the cards, they have taken on a resort like ‘other worldly’ feel with a laid-back aesthetic and rustic touches.
A refuge from the stresses of the outside world, comfort is key. Think linen curtains blowing in the breeze, terracotta or slate floors, floor cushions, plenty of indoor plants, rustic touches and natural materials. All that with a calming palette of natural tones – bliss!
8. Cocoon in Organic Forms
An emphasis on organic forms from cocooning squishy sofas, curved walls and arches is getting stronger. From tapware to joinery we are seeing hard edges and corners go and become softer on the eyes and hands. Soft shapes will be at the forefront of forms from arched bed heads and niches to flowing couches and round mirrors. These organic curves offer homely comfort, a gentle feminine aesthetic and a throwback to 70’s and 80’s retro design.
9. Adopt Vintage
Mid-century modernism is providing style inspiration for everything from architecture to furniture and accessories. This style focuses on clean well-designed lines, gentle organic curves, pops of colour and a strong interaction with nature and the outdoors. At its essence, this style is all about simplicity. It’s about eliminating clutter to allow you to focus on your space and its focal points. It gives our homes a classic or vintage vibe and has become synonymous with design itself.
Adding vintage, one-of-a-kind pieces adds a layered look to your home and makes it feel personal, liveable and not over-designed.
10. Add Bold Splashes of Colour
Now that we’re spending more time at home tending our castles, renovations are becoming more personal, individual and truly thought out. Interiors can make a huge difference to mental wellbeing. They can evoke emotion and really bring joy. So, embrace your space and allow it to tell your story.
