Over recent seasons there’s been a shift in people’s views in the home. We are increasingly seeking solace from our interiors, staying in has become the new norm and people are taking a renewed interest in decorating. We’ve discovered most of the things that go to the garbage aren’t broken, we’re just bored with them, and that buying things we love is a fantastic ecological step. Find out what’s trending and ending, and really moving interior design forward. So long, quantity. Hello, quality. The biggest trends have more to do with sustainability, than consumerism, doing what feels right and doing what you love. Read more, ‘What’s Hot, What’s Shot – It’s Time To Say Goodbye to These Trends.’
Discover how people are changing their relationship to style with these new design trends.
From the hues, you’re going to see everywhere to people buying quality second-hand pieces as thrifting becomes a habit and unexpected joy.
Taste is subjective, and positivity has power, so be ready to increasingly harness happiness when it comes to decorating your home. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: STATEMENT INTERIORS
IN: HAPPY HOMES
People are increasingly filling their homes with beautiful things; pieces they find on their travels, that you fall in love with at first glance will never go out of style. We are also continue to celebrate more individualism and authentic style. Read more, ’10 Interior Tips to Happy Up Your Home.’
Because living beautifully is about living with what you love, and no one can tell you what that is or should be.
Remember taste is subjective, and positivity has power, so be ready to increasingly harness happiness when it comes to decorating your home. You may as well make it as happy as you can. A happy home is a confident home. It’s more about what feels right; just do what do you love.
If you love it, it will work. Every object should mean something to you.
OUT: FAST FASHION HOMEWARES
IN: 1970S-STYLE BUYS
Carved furniture abounds. Chrome details, cane and wicker seating, formica surfaces, low leather sofas, with everything unified by colour. It’s about being fearless rather than frivolous. Accessories are key. So add peppy pieces for an instant mood lift. Read more, ‘How to Shop And Why Retail Therapy Works.’
Buying things that last is the best and easiest thing you can do for the environment. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: CONSUMERISM
IN: SUSTAINABILITY
Consumers exposed to constant flux of styles through social media are not willing to own products forever, and are more concerned about sustainability than ever before. From tackling plastics to curbing consumerism, creative minds are focused on stylish ways to save the planet. The challenge was one of the main focuses at April’s Milan Design Week. It’s better to consume less from the outset. Organic materials make sense because of their intrinsic health benefits.
In our own home we live predominantly with beautifully crafted second-hand and antique pieces made during a time when things were more valued.
Let’s not recycle what we can reuse. Most of the products that go to the garbage aren’t broken, people are just bored with them. Buying things that last is the best and easiest thing you can do for the environment. Breaking the cycle of global capitalism of us constantly craving new things is design’s biggest challenge. Surround yourself with as many natural sustainable materials as you can – think wood, linen, wool and ceramics. They’ll not only make you feel good from an ethical point of view, but they’re better for your health, as they’ll reduce the amount of chemicals released in your home.
We’re noticing a growing trend for baked tones in decorating with tobacco, terracotta, rose and creams hues. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: LIFE IN MONOCHROME
IN: WARM, NURTURING TONES
Monochrome shades were once the mainstays of interior design – the subtle, safe, fade-into-the-background canvas on which to build a modern decorating scheme. But things are changing. Read more, ‘The 50 Best Decorating Tips of All Time.’
After decades of grey, black and white, we’re happy to see warm nurturing tones coming back into our lives – they make our bodies feel rooted and stimulate our senses in a nourishing way. Warm, honeyed tones of rusts, baked terracotta, roses, taupe, amber, mustard, cream, tobacco, and clay.
Soft pale shades make the most of natural light.
It’s set to be a season of earthy tones, so ready your interiors with warm terracottas, pinks and creams. We’re noticing a growing trend for relaxing hues that include earthy browns (which feel grounding) pale pinks (nurturing) and powder blues (certain cells in your eyes are especially sensitive to blue, relaying messages to the brain that reduce blood pressure). Layered with warm whites, these shades create an airy, uplifting mood. Stormy blues also mix well with these colours.
t’s set to be a season of earthy tones, so ready your interiors with warm terracottas, pinks , roses and creams. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: QUANTITY
IN: QUALITY
When it comes to design, people are choosing quality over quantity. Lately, we have been drawn to things where the emphasis is on the quality of the material and objects. Our goal is to simplify and focus on getting to the root of what is necessary and essential. If a room is thoughtfully designed, there is less need to bombard the space with accessories to make the room feel complete.
When you choose well-made, artisanal pieces, you don’t need anything else. It’s easy to make a mediocre sofa look better if you throw on a million pillows, but if the piece is beautiful, then there’s no need to cover its beautiful shape.
People are becoming more thoughtful about the purchases they make – even those on a budget who might feel more inclined to value a deal over an investment.
A cheap sofa may feel tempting when there is so much else to factor in, but if you find one that is not only beautiful but of true quality, you’ll thank yourselves a million times over when you aren’t rushing to replace it within a few years.
Our goal is to simplify and focus on getting to the root of what is necessary and essential. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: SHOWY CHANDELIERS
IN: LOW-KEY, CUSTOMISABLE LIGHTING
The reign of the statement chandelier – all angsty angles and glaring bulbs is dimming. What’s next? Designers are discreetly tucking much-improved LED lights in every nook to create modern mood. Customisable lights are also big news. Bend them, shape them, any way you want them – the latest lights give you the power to transform their look. Read more, ‘The Essential Guide to Lighting.’ Inventive creatives are disrupting the lighting world with a do-it-yourself approach. Their fluid designs can be tweaked, twisted and adjusted to new shapes, altering the play of light and shades. One of the best examples of this trend is Interweave, a concept of Italian lighting brand Artemide and Dubai-based designer Pallavi Dean artemide.com
OUT: HIGH TECH RACKET
IN: LESS INVASIVE TECHNOLOGY
With less invasive technology on the rise, tech is disappearing before our eyes: streaming apps have replaced DVD players, wi-fi has banished cables and AI voice assistants have started to kill off buttons and screens. Enter the age of invisible tech, hidden in homes and everyday objects. Sonos has already tapped into the trend. Tech is now artfully designed to fade away when we want some peace and quiet, and is a welcome addition to our lives and living spaces. Read more, ‘This Really Is The Next Revolution in TV Technology.’
Tech is disappearing before our eyes and now artfully designed to fade away when we want some peace and quiet; it’s a welcome addition to our lives and living spaces. Image via Las Perelli.
OUT: DISTINCT LIVING ROOMS
IN: MULTI-FUNCTIONAL LIVING SPACES
Living spaces have always been places to relax, but these days they are multi-purpose spaces to enhance our wellbeing. Due to the rise of house sharing, open plan living and home working, the living room is now the most multi-functional space in many homes. No other space will serve you like the living room. It’s there for basically everything: breakfasts, dinners, conversations, work, projects, homework, exercising, entertaining, kid’s playtime, watching films in the evening, or nothing at all. Read more, ‘Improve Your Mood with These 50 Top Decorating Tips.’
The key is focusing on the essential furniture that you’ll always love (at least as far as you can tell right now) and remembering one thing: A great space is more alchemy than design because great chemistry is not something you can fake.
OUT: FAUX DESIGN
IN: AUTHENTIC PIECES FROM AUCTION HOUSES
Although the fake world in fashion and design has come a long way (e.g., faux fur, engineered wood, and even bonded leathers and fabrics), a big faux pas is when new tries to imitate old in the wrong ways. Things such as faux shabby chic, faux industrial, and faux finishes. The trend of making everything new look old is starting to look dated. Instead, we are looking for authentic pieces from auction houses which have become hot property or pieces inspired directly from antiques, as they are always in style and give you the look you want.
More millennials than ever are investing in second-hand, antique furniture.
According to the antique search engine, Barnebys – which monitors over 2,000 auction houses and hosts more than one million items daily, they want unique, personal and quality items that last over time. It’s not just sustainable, it’s also a thrifty option for young homeowners, who are able to purchase high-quality products for far less than they would be brand new.
We want unique, personal and quality items that last over time. Things from auctions are not just sustainable, but also a thrifty option for young homeowners, who are able to purchase high-quality products for far less than they would be brand new. Image via Michael Del Piero
OUT: BRASS OVERKILL
IN: MIXING METALS
Believe it or not, mixing metals is on-trend and shouldn’t be limited to light fixtures or hardware, even art. Don’t worry about being matchy-matchy—play with many different metal tones in one room, or spread them throughout your home. Metal sculptures and artworks created with foils or metallic accents are a great way to express this trend. While we love brass, especially with some patina to it, too much can feel contrived and even cheap without the proper context. Read more on Hardware in our Directory.
You’ll find the combination of metals will only add individual and organic appeal to your interior. And some dimension.
High-traffic spaces, such as kitchens, are opting for oil-rubbed bronze or chrome fittings and hardware, which feel timeless.
Mixing metals is on-trend and shouldn’t be limited to light fixtures or hardware, even art. Image via Plain English Kitchens
OUT: INTERNAL SHUTTERS
IN: HAUTE COUTURE WINDOW DRESSING
It’s the new art form of the house. It’s no long just the walls of your home that can accommodate art – windows are the new canvas. Architectural embroidery is creating solutions that maintain natural light and offer privacy, while also being graphic and memorable. Check Studio MTX, who layers ethereal silk panels to breathtaking effect.
OUT: HARD SURFACES
IN: CARPET + RUGS EVERYWHERE
No longer restricted to floors, the plushest and most fantastically patterned carpets and rugs are running up walls, ceilings and every room of the house. In uncertain times we often look to textures that offer comfort, sanctuary or a sense of belonging. There is something about the feel of soft carpet underfoot that is reassuring and with cutting edge creatives showing how it can be used there’s every opportunity to enjoy its cocooning effects. Read more, ’10 Style Mistakes That Will Instantly Cheapen Your Home.’
Hanging rugs is also on the rise – with their true beauty being properly celebrated as the practice of displaying rugs on the wall, gallery-style is having a resurgence.
OUT: HEAVY WOODS
IN: PALE TIMBERS
Beech, plywood, oak and maple are the materials of the moment – sustainable and sophisticated, they bring a quiet warmth to interiors.
OUT: STRAIGHT LINES
IN: SCULPTURAL FORMS
Sculptural shapes are dominating our homes, bringing an artistic shape to furniture. Many brands are approaching the design of new collections as art pieces, with hollow asymmetric structures that lend them a gallery-worthy quality. Ferm Living has its Place Bench.
Say goodbye to chaos. Hello to organisation. Keeping things tidy makes us happy. Image via Plain English Kitchen
OUT: CHAOS
IN: ORGANISATION
Keeping things tidy makes us happy.
OUT: MASS PRODUCTION
IN: POTTERY
With the emergence of quality over quantity, handmade products have gained popularity too, and we’re seeing more pottery. This isn’t breaking news, but pottery and ceramics continue to be a popular trend along with anything sculptural or handmade. People are looking for unique home accents, and real art to make their spaces feel personal.
OUT: DARKNESS AS A HABIT
IN: WELLNESS
Wellness architects are reinvigorating consumer wellbeing by creatively bringing the healing powers of nature into the home. Studies have shown that art particularly has the potential to impact a person’s long-term happiness, so consider tabletop sculptures or meditative works to create a calming atmosphere. Having a deep appreciation for the work, learning more about the artist, and creating a meaningful connection with the piece can bring a calming feeling every time you walk by the work.
If a room is thoughtfully designed, there is less need to bombard the space with accessories to make the room feel complete. Image via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
OUT: CHEAP ART
IN: NATURE-INSPIRED ART
Art inspired by nature, such as prints with palm leaves, or mountains has been popular this year. Don’t restrict your art search to works with nature as a subject matter. This trend can easily be embraced with earthy palettes, natural wood sculptures, and abstracts that celebrate natural forms and shapes.
OUT: FUSSY DESIGN
IN: SEAMLESS HOME DECOR
Clean and simple design is in, which we are so happy about. People are starting to stray away from too many lines.
Keeping cabinets, joinery and design seamless is a great way to create a calm space.
Seamless Speakers, for instance, are blending in with home décor as the speaker industry goes through a redesign. Ikea entered the tech market in 2018 with its Eneby Bluetooth seamless speaker, which can be hung up or carried by the handle. Audio expert Sonos teamed up with Danish design brand Hay to launch in September 2018. “These speakers deserve to be treated like furniture: strong, independent objects that fit different needs and spaces,” says Mette Hay, cofounder and creative director at Hay, in a release. Google’s Pixel Buds and pebble-shaped Home Mini speaker have comforting rounded shapes. Read more, ’15 Style Rules That Will Make An Interior An Interior Guru.’
When you choose well-made, artisanal pieces, you don’t need anything elseImage via Atelier AM, atelieram.com
