A new year brings with it new trends! Now that many of us are spending more time staying safe at home, there has been a shift in interior design and décor to accommodate much of our current lifestyle change. Keen to see what the new year brings for interior design and décor? Check out some of the top trends set to grow in popularity in 2021!
Vintage
Certainly, an affordable and sustainable way to add timeless, and one of a kind pieces to your home, vintage is always on trend! Whether it's antique, salvaged, restored or repurposed pieces, a bit of energy and love poured into them goes a long way to add that retro feel to any room. The key with this trend is to reference the eras that these pieces come from rather than reproduce a particular style in its entirety. Touches of vintage dotted around the house are much more accessible and easier to add into your existing aesthetic.
The great thing about using pre-loved items is that you can gradually incorporate vintage style into your home as you find thrift store gems. This way, you can slowly add furniture finds that you love and that hold meaning.
Be bold and go for strong, contrasting colours, add décor items with a luxe feel like textured fabrics, wool, leather, and natural woods. A popular way of keeping a modern look is to add some bold statement lighting to tie it all together. Just note that the less-is-more approach is best here!
Keep these tips in mind, and you'll end up with a truly unique and eye-catching but cohesive space. This is a wonderful option for those looking to update their space on a budget. It may take some time and effort to search through junk shops and thrift stores to find the perfect piece, but you can save thousands on well-made pieces that would cost a fortune. The best part about it is that it is an entirely sustainable way to kit out your home!
Eco-Chic
Speaking of sustainable design and decor, Eco-Chic has had a resurgence as consumer desire for eco-conscious and sustainable products has become more of a core purchasing value. Eco-Chic encapsulates meaningful, multi-functional design, a calming aesthetic and a deep commitment to environmental sustainability. Think muted, earthy tones and natural textures like cane, natural woods and ceramics as well as organic fabrics like linen, wool and jute.
If you're interested in environmentally friendly wares, know that these decor and furniture options have increased in affordability and popularity as awareness around harmful production methods, and materials have increased. Naturally, brands are shifting to more sustainable business practices making these options much more budget-friendly.
Popular colour palettes in Eco-Chic are warm tones - think light olive, moss green, golden beige, earthy orange and rust. Layering with comforting and tactile fabrics such as matte velvet, linen, wool, jute and bouclé is bang on trend here, and these are perfect solutions for high traffic areas and intensive use due to their natural durability.
Conscious consumerism is on the rise, and consumers are more interested in furniture that stands the test of time. With consumer values like these fueling this trend, the need for multi-functional furniture is a natural progression too. If you're looking for some multi-functional furniture ideas, check our space-saving furniture hacks here.
Bright and Joyful
2020 was a challenging year the world over and more than ever we are spending more time in our homes. In contrast to Eco-Chic's understated tones, there has been an increase in the popularity of bright and bold colour palettes forecasted for 2021. As people stay safe at home, designers see a shift towards bright, bold, and joyful colours as people tire of neutrals and earthy tones.
Of course, neutral tones are still a classic and solid choice often accented with statement decor, art pieces and accent walls but 2021 seems to be the year where we will see much louder use of colour. Bold and bright colours will fill entire rooms to lift the energy and mood of the spaces we now spend so much of our time.
Alessandra Wood, vice president of style at Modsy, interior design service and blog, explains, "...this trend is really inspired by people's disconnect with the outside world and a yearning to create a home that has a bit more flair and personality." Wood in a recent interview with Insider said, "Looking back at a few golden eras of home entertaining, such as the Victorian era or the mid 20th century, people decorated their homes with bold and intense colour palettes." "Perhaps as we lead lives that are more centered at home, we too are turning to more bold statements via colour," she added.
Planning to go bold!? Consider how you would like to feel in each space when deciding on a striking splash of colour. Intense colour often works well in areas like the living room, dining room and kitchen where there is more activity and space than places you'll like to feel calmer such as bedrooms and home offices.
Multi-functional outdoor space
Covid-19 has meant that we have spent more time in our own homes and outdoor spaces than ever before and the outdoor trends are reflecting this change. This has led to homeowners rethinking their outside areas to accommodate their growing needs to make the most of every square meter.
Homes have become offices and gardens have become spaces to connect with nature and meet together safely and in a socially distanced way. Homeowners are now finding the outdoor space more important than ever, and investments in these outdoor areas are on the rise whether your space is large or small! Top places to focus on if you have space are the pool and outdoor cooking areas.
Cottagecore
Cottage what now? Cottagecore also known as Farmcore or Countrycore, is a design aesthetic that centres around simplicity, and traditionalism. The look and feel of Cottagecore takes its inspiration from a romanticised notion of agricultural life. Think Biggie Best country living with a modern and minimalist twist!
The key design elements are reclaimed wood with visible textural elements like chips, knots, and rough edges rather than clean lines and perfect finishes. Of course, this works well in homes that already have these elements built-in like wooden floorboards, exposed beams, raised ceilings, and wall panelling. But this is not to say that you can't achieve this look in homes without these features. You can create this look with a few reclaimed, repurposed or salvaged pieces as well!
When looking for furniture, look to more traditional styles with softer edges or decorative carvings rather than angular, minimal mid-century pieces. Think overstuffed sofas, and comfy armchairs perfect to curl up on and relax. Cottagecore is an incredibly appealing style to create a comfortable, nostalgic and inviting home for those looking for that modern country feel.
Thinking of updating your space? Cleaning up and organising are great ways to prepare for any decor and design changes. Decluttering gives you an easy reset button to start planning the look and feel of your home update. Check out our guide to decluttering here.
