Despite what’s going on in the outside world, the desire to create a warm and welcoming home that oozes style and comfort stays strong and unwavering.
In fact, many analysists and interior designers are saying that due to pandemic and reconnection with our home as a safe haven and place of refuge, there is more emphasis than ever on creating an energy within our homes that creates a calm, relaxing, and positive environment.
With the ongoing threat of restrictions in how we interact with nature, culture, travel, and the planet – many are now turning that focus inward and looking to create a home environment that reflects the things that we have been void of for the past couple of years.
This will play a big part in how we shape our homes and style our interior spaces for 2022, and as you will see, the emerging trends (and the ones on the way out) will reflect this shift in emotional strategy.
Image source: rebelwalls.com
Below our top 10 trends we see emerging for home and décor for 2022 in New Zealand and Australia.
1) A big shift we can see is the move from minimalist and crisp whites to more organic and texture based products and finishes. As people look to reconnect with nature in more ways than one, we will start to see nature inspired finishes, more organic and less manufactured than what we have seen over the last decade. People will start to explore colour again and with larger scale and bolder patterns than what we have seen previously.
2) Sustainability and nature inspired elements to continue to come to the fore. People are becoming more and more aware of the life cycle of products from how they are made to how they can be repurposed or recycled. Environmentally friendly products and materials will continue to surge forward as these items make their way into living room and bedrooms.
3) Bigger, bolder patterns, but decluttered Zen style spaces, décor, and architecture. Being forced to stay at home and reconnect with their house and how it is used has forced people to reconsider their use of space. Prioritising calm, usable, and declutterd spaces has become a priority, so we will see this kick in but to keep visual interest and flavour we will see larger scale patterns, more variety in textures and fabrics, and deeper, nature inspired tones.
4) The biophilic design movement is gaining momentum, not just in the residential space, but also in community and commercial interiors. The concept of biophilic design is an “applied solution to appease this desire for nature by integrating natural elements and processes into the built environment” – essentially bringing the outdoors in. Studies show that the use of natural, living, and visually pleasing plants and greenery can have a profound impact on the feel and energy of a room or space, keep an eye out for a resurgence in indoor greenery.
5) Supporting the above trends of more organic, naturally inspired products and finishes, this will flow into furniture and architecture where we expect to see more curved and sculpted style furniture and architecture. As people get away from the linear and clean lines look, we will see softer edges, curved forms and patterns emerge to take away the hard edged look that has been so strong with the minimalist movement.
6) As the threat of a new wave of a Covid variant remains strong, the need for a work from home space for both work and school remain a strong movement for 2022. What has been slowly emerging for some time as the work from home movement began, this need has been accelerated over the last 2 years and will continue to shape our interior design and architecture for 2022. What this ultimately means is added touches or refined layouts to make our living areas multi or dual purpose, think things like work desks or storage in bedrooms or guest rooms, work out equipment in living spaces, or a home office kitted out with high tech video conferencing equipment.
7) Splashes of retro and vintage will make its way back into the home interior with not only salvaged pieces from boutique antique and op shops, but also new lines of retro inspired furniture coming into the market. We may see the revitalization of plush materials such as velvet and may even see the 70’s colour scheme eek its way back into living spaces, so look out for some burnt orange or Avocado green – and definitely a big push for shades of brown.
Image source: https://bohemiansoul.co.nz/
8) In line with the push for more organic and natural surfaces, is the array of textiles with unique and varying textures and tactile finishes. Creating surfaces people can touch and feel and that have character will be trending this year, both inside and out. Think things like soft linen, mohair rugs, velvet couches and the like.
9) Along with seeing more pattern in way of textiles and furniture, this will also work its way into our interior architecture and renovations. Playing along with the retro and classic look, we may see the re-emergence of vintage looks and combining our favourite bits of different eras such as patterns like herringbone timber floors (16th century), limewashed walls (classical era) and embracing of floral patterns (1940s) and merging these into a unique style we can make our own.
10) Creating some uniquely personal, mixing and matching, and ‘more is more’ will be a unique trend in 2022, the ‘grandmillenial look’ was subtly emerging in 2021, and we see more of the same for 2022. This is almost an eclectic look, vibing with floral patterns in a contemporary palate, yet not matchy-matchy and with different yet complimentary patters. Expect to see bedroom and living room fabrics matching plaid and floral, geometrical and natural patterns on the same piece.
We are loving these new trends that are coming to the forefront of interior design, in a time where people are limited with their options in the outside world, the options to make an extraordinary living space seem endless.
Looking back at different eras and handpicking some of the best styles and fashions over the century’s and combing in them in a unique and modern style creates a wealth of options that can make for a calm, positive and a home full of character.
Aspen & Fern.