THESE 2021 DESIGN TRENDS WILL TRANSFORM YOUR HOME
Fresh ideas, bold colors, natural materials, 50 shades of black…
New design trends emerge from year to year, influenced by culture, fashion and art. But with a trying year like 2020, it’s no surprise that 2021 interior design trends materialized in response to the way we spend time in our homes and the craving for brighter days.
ALL THE FEELS
It’s all about the feels. From soft textures, to natural materials, to the layering of textures on walls - it feels from the finger tips to the eyes. My clients want cozy places to burrow with soft textures that feel good - a distraction from the current climate. Layering various textures in a space creates a warm, inviting feeling, similar to the way we feel when we experience the textural landscape of mother nature. Specifically in bedrooms, in addition to velvety fabrics and subtle woven textiles, adding interest to the walls through specialty finishes like plaster and wallcovering is especially on the rise.
Now more than ever, designers are using more natural, organic materials such as linen, wool, rattan, hand-woven fibers and wood. There is a heightened awareness of the impact we have on nature and need to be more mindful with the materials we use in the built environment to reduce our carbon footprint.
Photo credit: behance.net
SPARK JOY
With our hands tied in 2020 when it comes to celebrating, the world is ready to come back to life in 2021 - and so is design. Patterns, colors and fun furnishings are on the rise as we unaplogetically articulate brighter days through design. Designers are making bold moves with the layering of adventurous color combos like fuchsia with royal blue and canary yellow.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Lawson. Photography by Ori Harpaz. Source: https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/ryan-lawson-tribeca-new-york-city-loft-interior-design-day-versus-night/
As Marie Kondo puts it best “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.” With all the time people are spending at home, the desire to purge all the extra junk and create more space for living continues to be on the rise.
mindfulness
There is a heightened awareness of the impact we are having on our planet and the urgency to combat climate change, especially in the built environment. Design firms across the globe are stocking their material libraries with sustainable, ethically sourced products so they can infuse eco-friendly solutions into every project. The push for products to be made from recycled materials, have the ability to be recycled at the end of its life cycle and to be produced with a low or net zero carbon footprint is on demand.
Not only are designers specifying more eco-friendly products in their projects, but they are also becoming more mindful around manufacturers that prioritize fair working conditions and fair wages. Supporting BIPOC and women owned businesses is also on the rise. Shopping trends around values, ethics and sustainability is hopefully more than just a trend, hopefully it becomes a norm that is here to stay.
THE MULTI-PURPOSE PAD
The need for spaces to function for more than one purpose is a trend that may be here to stay as people continue to see the benefits in multi-purpose spaces. Whether the guest bedroom is used as a home office, or the living room converts into a virtual playground for VR, there are many ways the spaces in our home can be used to save on real estate.
Innovative, convertible furniture pieces are being introduced to the market to facilitate this trend. Furniture that can be used for more than one purpose is on the rise to help keep the home looking clean and stylish yet functional.
Photo credit: Adea
“Working from home is not just a temporary solution and therefore the goal has been to develop a piece of furniture that blends in with the rest of the room. " says designer Alexander Lervik who designed “Kabinett” for Adea. At first glance, Kabinett looks like a regular cabinet or bench but it has built-in features that allow it to be transformed into worktable that can be raised and lowered. And voila you can easily hide your ergonomic workspace when you’re ready to play or relax.
50 shades of black
Black, one of my favorite colors, is taking a front row seat in design. It’s an iconic color that brings drama and sophistication to any room. Designers are making bold statements with matte black kitchen cabinetry and striking all-black bathrooms. It not only brings visual interest to a space but can also evoke a sensual experience. Black may seem like a risky color to use on a large surface, but with the diverse array of textures and materials available designers can awaken a multitude of moods through placement, proportion and intensity of this rich color.
Photo credit: One bedroom apartment designed by Taipei and Shanghai-based firm Wei Yi International Design Associates
ostentatiousness
A coffee table that could serve as a dance floor, a light fixture that fills a room, or a bed frame that covers the whole wall - it’s all about making a statement. Designers are having fun with scale, thinking big and playing with form. Postmodernism is flooding furniture showrooms, Pinterest and architecture in 2021. A flashback to a movement that was driven by contradiction, experimentation and ornamentation is no surprise in the current economic climate. Manifested through vibrant colors and bold forms, furniture and design elements are taking on a sculptural characteristic that can brighten the spirit of any room. Sculptural furniture adds interest and energy to a space, something the whole world is craving more of these days.
Photo credit: estliving - Orchard House by Chelsea Hing
The great indoors
I could write a book about the many ways that spending time with nature has proven to have a positive affect on our bodies and minds. I’ll try to keep it brief with the highlights of this phenomenon: nature acts as a mood booster, decreases anxiety, increases productivity & memory, stimulates a positive mindset while natural light supplies our bodies with vitamin D, improves the mood, assists in the prevention of depression & neuro-degenerative diseases.
2020 was a chaotic, stressful year - to put it lightly. The importance of using interior design to harness the healing power of nature by bringing the essence of the outdoors inside has never been more prevalent. This is called biophilic design. Designers are taking inspiration from nature to curate spaces that evoke a sense of calmness, well-being and simplicity during an otherwise chaotic time.
Photo credit: Designboom - photography by césar béjar, courtesy of esrawe studio
I hope you found this article helpful in discovering this years design trends! If you are looking to remodel your home or want help bringing your vision to life for a home makeover, let’s chat. Click here to start the conversation.