It is largely expected that the interior design trends of 2021/2022 will feature a lot of innovation and experimentation on the part of designers. As a result, these trends will surely present themselves as narkedly unconventional while still posing a challenge to designers to forge designs with a strong aesthetic appeal.
Certain defining features inform the innovative trends that will highlight the approach to interior design in 2021/2022:
The modern-day, and ever-growing, eco-friendly culture will require that interior designs take the conservation of nature into strong consideration. The application of technology will be in greater harmony with the natural environment.
Redesigning the interior space will also be influenced by the sweeping changes that are occurring in the modern-day world. Technologies are rapidly evolving and thus rapidly changing our lifestyles. The interior space will have to support these changes and make room for the emergence of future technologies.
Nostalgia for the retro style will also take centre stage in the 2021/2022 season. Vintage-inspired designs – from the 70's and 90's, for instance – will come out in stark relief.
The modern-day way of living has become more complex, and this increase in complexity will have to be reflected in the interior space where we live and work. The conventional approach of delineating spaces for the different parts of a home will largely be replaced with a more integrated interior.
Also, modern technology and the constraints of the pandemic have actually succeeded in opening up the possibility of working from home. More and more companies find this more convenient and cost-effective. Hence, the future home will need to have an integrated workplace.
The conservationist culture of our time will dictate that the materials used in interior design be made of such things as are eco-friendly. As a result, there will be a decrease in the use of plastics and a strong preference for natural materials such as wood, marble, stone, ceramics, sea grass, bamboo and corn.
The use of natural materials will need matching colours. In this regard such colours as peach, pale pink, pistachio and yellow ochre are gaining in popularity. Also the increasing love for nature will inspire the use of multiple shades of green as desirable colours.
Minimalism will continue to be trendy in the upcoming season.
The Living Room in the 2021/2022 Season
The guiding principle in designing the living room in the 2021/2022 season is to create a comfortable minimalist space with a touch of the natural with regard to colour and décor.
It is equally worthy of note that the pandemic – having forced people to stay at home more often – has increased the functionality of the home. This is particularly true for the living room. Future designs may have to incorporate a gym, a workspace, or a place for recreation in the living room. These separate areas could be partitioned off whenever necessary using glass or metal foldable doors.
In keeping with the contemporary love of nature, living rooms are now featured in colours that reflect nature. This ranges from painting walls in such colours as sage, blue-green or Summer foliage colour, to painting furniture in such hues as pink, warm gray, blue-green or terracotta.
The furnishings are a throwback to the style of the 70's. However, this retro style is merged with such design styles as the Scandinavian design, Art Deco and minimalism. The furnishings are also marked by roundness, flowing lines, velvet upholstery and metallic objects.
The Bedroom in the 2021/2022 Season
The guiding logic in designing a bedroom entails arranging a space in a way that will ensure simplicity and ease of use.
Bedroom furnishings and décor in the 2021/2022 season are marked by a bed on a podium – a trend inspired by the Asian bedroom; a metal bed canopy – which could be draped or left open; an upholstered headboard; a wide open space with wooden flooring; and a minimum of decorative items.
The textiles used in the bedroom are natural textiles with colours that reflect nature.
The Kitchen in the 2021/2022 Season
The focus of designing the interior of a kitchen is on minimalism, serviceability and durability.
It is becoming increasingly fashionable to have kitchens surrounded by socializing areas in the home. This makes it more convenient for modern-day get-togethers in which families and friends prepare and eat their food, and socialize as well.
In this regard, it is becoming useful to have a bar counter which could equally serve as a kitchen island and an in-built dining area.
An aesthetically appealing material of choice for designers for kitchen floors, kitchen islands, countertops or bar counters is marble, and the trend is also to accentuate this appeal with metals such as copper, stainless steel and brass.
Colours such as the different shades of green, black, gray, brown and woody are in vogue.
The Bathroom in the 2021/2022 Season
Modern bathrooms are increasingly designed to be places for relaxation. This makes the process of designing bathrooms more and more complicated. We do not only have new trends but also new accessories (like soap dispensers and even televisions) that are now being included in the modern bathroom.
Designers are also increasingly integrating bathrooms with other living spaces within the home, such as the bedroom. In this setting, it is common to have the bathing area separated from the bedroom by a partition.
Bathroom finishes still tend to have the appearance of such things as concrete, smoke, graphite or wet sand. These finishes appear to blend well with other materials such as wood and gold metal, which will also be popular in the 2021/2022 season.
Other materials which are predicted to feature prominently in bathroom designs are marble, stone, and metals that have matt or satin finishes.
The most preferred colour schemes by designers will include bright blue; orange; pink; different shades of gray, brown and green; and other pastel colours.
The Office in the 2021/2022 Season
The layout of the workplace is expected to be significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because many of the exigencies of the pandemic have altered the way we work, and so the workplace must reflect these changes.
It is expected that the workplace will have places dedicated for video conferencing. The workplace will also see the space divisions mandated for limiting the spread of infection adapted in order to preserve the appeal and function of the workspace.
With more and more people getting used to the idea of working from home, companies can decide to decrease their office spaces and save money on rent and utilities. With this in mind, future offices will see the creation of more collaboration spaces and fewer assigned desks. The collaboration spaces will also serve to foster teamwork in the workplace.
Also, working from home will cause more people to be more casual in their approach to work. Hence, the office space will be designed to look more like home in order to make it more comfortable for workers.
