It’s been a long year; 2020 has been challenging for many of us, it has required us to spend more time at home than ever before, as a consequence interior design has played a significant part in our mental wellness. Our home is the most important place in our lives; it’s where we relax, work, recharge our strength, spend time with loved ones, and raise our children.
There are plenty of reasons to look forward to 2021, especially when it comes to the home; the new year is an opportunity to bring comfort and creativity to our living spaces. We have reached out to the experts to help you out and ask about the biggest interior design trends for 2021 and we’ve arranged them into five categories:
- Color palette
- Wall décor
- Interior design styles
- Interior design themes
- Home textiles
- Others
Read on to learn more about what our top designers predict within the interior design world.
Interior Design Color Palette
2020… what a strange year it’s been with a massive effect on all our lives. Forced by circumstance to spend more time in our home, we’re looking for reassurance, inspiration, and entertainment from our surroundings. Color is the most instant way of achieving this, whether used for walls, paintwork, and furniture or added in soft furnishings, finishes, and accessories. Here are three of our current favorite color palettes:
- Terracottas: Warm browns are creeping back into modern interiors from plaster tones to aubergine inspired browns. Great for updating a creamy neutral room.
- Earthy neutrals: stone greys, dusty beiges, warm earthy tones. Use these in concert for a total redecoration; add a splash of Mediterranean sky blue if you’re pining for color.
- Green grounding greens: inspired by nature from chartreuse through olive to fir. Use them to update a white interior, soft furnishings, or accessories.
-Marion at Falchi Interiors
Paint colors are trending toward warmer hues. Is it because people are spending more time at home and want to feel the comforting embrace of color? Or are the steely grays and icy blues taking a hiatus?
Hazy and muddled blue/greens and blue/grays are so popular right now. You will see them everywhere from kitchen cabinets to bedrooms. These colors also blend harmoniously with a variety of other colors. These colors are popular in tones ranging from lighter (waters edge Ben Moore) to dark and moody (oval room blue by farrow and ball). These darker hues also make a big impact when using them in a high gloss!!
Warmer whites (French canvas Ben Moore) will be very popular in 2021. They are fresh and clean looking but cast a beautiful warmth and glow.
Golden hued yellows with a bit of citron or apple green are making a big comeback! These colors are warm and vivacious. A daffodil yellow when paired with white is so crisp (Farrow and ball citron) and warmer yellows (Cambridge heights Ben Moore) are so rich and inviting with everything from sumptuous jewel tones and black and white artwork to soft blues and pinks.
– Robin Pelissier at Robin Pelissier Design
Wall Décor Trends
Wall decoration is a crucial part of home interior decor as it fills empty space in a room and gives a phenomenal look to the surrounding.
As we are moving to 2021, things will change when it comes to making walls living. There are several ways to decorate a wall: texture, painting, wallpaper, hanging portraits, and many more. In this upcoming new year 2021, interior design trends will come up with some exciting wallpapers that are flexible enough to be repositionable and removable. Have a look at the following black polka dot peel and stick wallpaper that can really give joy to your home wall.
Macrame-wall hanging art will also play a vital role in 2021. The fact is that these types of wall-hanging items look impressive and are easily reusable after washing when they get rusty after some time of usage. There are plenty of designs and options to work with while decorating walls with Macrame. There’s also the option of using plants in your home to bring nature and a pleasant atmosphere.
Paintings will remain to be the smart choice in 2021 as well. You can use green painting, environmental sceneries, or family painting to decorate the wall.
– Aman Bansal at Home Décor Buzz
“The wallpaper trend continues to grow and if you are still hesitant there are a few ways to test out the trend. Rather than papering a complete room, try adding a floral or botanical to one wall or a graphic print inside of a bookcase. If you are like me, once you see the change it can make in your room, you’ll be looking for more places to add gorgeous color and wallpaper prints. Another big trend we are seeing is macrame wall art with adds such nice texture.”
-Lia Griffith at Lia Griffith
- Textured wall coverings are a great way to bring in visual interest while still being able to layer on artwork or photographs.
- Wood-paneled rooms are becoming more popular for a rustic feel that can still be modern with clean lines and contemporary decor.
- Murals are a wonderful way to make a room feel very personalized, whether it’s hand-painted, wallpaper, or even a fun decal in a kids’ room.
-Laura Hodges at Laura Hodges Studio
Include Texture to Your Walls
Upholstered walls are frequently a forgotten design option. Producing textured walls is now much easier than ever. Expect you would rather avoid the significant task associated with including texture to your walls than choose a material like grass-cloth wallpaper. Here you can find 55 ideas that add interest to your living-room.
Opt for Strong when it pertains to Wallpaper
Wallpaper is generally a love or hate pattern, however, it does permit you to get imaginative within your area. You can choose timeless prints to include a sense of elegance and sophistication to your living room. Or you can attempt something that is a vibrant contrast to the remainder of the space. Mixing furnishings designs with Miles Redd’s brand-new wallpaper can produce an interesting juxtaposition.
Yes, you Must Produce a Gallery Wall
Make a “Living Space Style Declaration” by organizing all of your preferred pieces and photos on a wall in your living room. Gallery walls are no longer for family pictures. Integrate pictures with wall art and other cool decoration pieces to develop a display screen that will capture the interest of everyone going into the area. Here you find ways to install a gallery wall in just minutes.
-Juergen at Top Home Design
Interior Design Styles for 2021
Vicente’s 2021 predictions have everything to do with end users’ transition to spending more time at home due to Covid, which, in itself, is a trend. Even when the world begins opening up, a vast majority of the workforce will continue telecommuting. Below are three trends he predicts will become more utilized:
Focused reading lights: Sitting room, cozy corner of the living room, and especially bedside, focused spotlighting will become more of a thing. This is a recent bedroom Vicente designed with a flexible light source built into the headboard.
Flexible TV Positioning: Rather than taking up wall space with your flatscreen, TV’s will be positioned on swiveling devices, especially in larger rooms. Pictured is a recent living room Vicente designed with the pole of the TV mounted directly through the bold-colored resin top of a hand-carved 19th-century Italian table. The rear is stainless so that it practically disappears from the reverse side. This allows viewing from any side of the space.
Eating tables lower to the ground: With an emphasis on spending more time dining, a lower table height promotes after-meal lounging with your family. The attached image of a luncheon or tea table is a 27″ table instead of a customary 30″ height.
-Vicente Wolf at Vicente Wolf Associates
For 2021, I see three emerging interior design styles. They all revolve around optimism, uniqueness, affordability, and climate awareness.
Luxurious pastels
Over the past few years, interior design aficionados often worked with either darker or more saturated color schemes to create a Hollywood Regency atmosphere at home. Those years are now firmly behind us. Climate change is here and conspicuous consumption is simply not done. Instead, the twenties have started – and we start looking ahead to a future that has at least the potential to be brighter. There’s no denying we’ve learned to appreciate the little things that bring us comfort at home. I think we’re going to continue down that path. We’ll invest, for instance, in Belgian linen duvet covers, which will naturally keep us cool in summer. And we’ll translate our feeling of cautious optimism in a lighter color scheme with luxurious pastels such as pale jade, soft pink, and jaspis turquoise. The only way is up!
The age of the amateur
Do you really need all the stuff that keeps coming down that big Chinese conveyor belt? Cheap factory-made home decor items are simply not done. And if you didn’t throw them out during last year’s Marie Kondo craze, now is the time to get rid of them once and for all. As Dutch trend forecaster extraordinaire has said, the age of the amateur is upon us. With tons of online inspiration and literally millions of YouTube tutorials, we’ll start the new decade knitting, sculpting, painting and yes, even macrameing our way to a home that can be no one else’s but our own. Don’t feel like letting your creative juices flow? Then why not go to your local art school and buy something from an upcoming artist? I’m also convinced there’s a good antique market wherever you live. Look carefully, do a little research, put thought in what you buy and I’m sure you’ll find something totally unique. And let’s not forget about plants! Like it or not, we’ll be spending more time at home even after the end of you-know-what. The perfect occasion to start exchanging plant cuttings with friends and neighbors and create your urban jungle.
Stripes
To be honest, I’d like to think I’m a bit of a trendsetter myself. A few years ago, I painted out every surface in my living room in fuchsia pink: walls, woodwork, and yes, even the ceiling. I was astounded it was such a big hit in the media. My home was featured in so many Dutch TV shows, newspapers, and magazines, I frankly lost count. People even started copying my idea and sent me photos of their own pink living room. Such an honor! In 2021, I’m taking things to the next level with painted stripes. If you’re willing to do the work, they’re an affordable way to kick things up a notch at home. And don’t be afraid to go big and paint out the ceiling as well! To complete your 2021 makeover, buy some well-made items with bold graphic patterns. I’m even thinking of re-upholstering my old sofa in stripes. Whatever you do, have a little fun with it!
– Patrick Kooiman at Interiorator
I think that classical sculptures and columns are going to be huge in 2021, along with religious and renaissance-esque type artwork. Moody colors seem to dominate the current palate when it comes to painting and a combination of these decor pieces fit well together. Lastly, I think a De Sede sofa will be on everyone’s watch list. It’s snake-like, the sculptural shape is very intriguing, and would be a show-stopper in any house.
-Jessica Rey at Domicile 37
- The top 1 design style for 2021 will be “The work from home” style. Make room for the office while separating your private life with conscious design decisions. Creating long term home offices, usage of room separators in apartments, work stations with enough task lighting, and motivating energetic colors.
- The top 2 design style is “The smart and healthy home” style. Everything in reach with just your voice. Close the curtains, call your mom, and turn on your coffee machine without touching a single thing. This style also has a home gym, yoga studio, and living walls with herbs and vegetables for wellness.
- The top 3 design style is “Earthy Vibe” style. Tranquil colors and natural textures to set our minds at ease and create a feeling of safety and peace, with outdoor spaces built for year-round entertaining.
Interior Design Themes Trends for 2021
Much like ordering items online, many people are looking at magazines, social media sites, and home design TV shows for the latest interior design trends. However, this can be an unsatisfying and ultimately fleeting way to create a residence as design trends are just that — fads that change as fast as last year’s runway looks.
To conceive a home that feels completely and authentically yours, you can envision a design theme all your own. This singular aesthetic will stand the test of time and is guaranteed to never go out of style because it represents your real personality.
Collaborations Founded on Creativity and Connection
Getting to know our clients on a deep level is the secret sauce to our success. We draw out desires, aspirations, past experiences, and hopes for the future when discussing design plans.
We take as much time as needed to select color stories, line and form structures, texture scenarios, and the like to create branding sheets that encapsulate a client’s aesthetic. Once tested and tweaked through our ongoing collaborations, these mood boards serve as the guiding force for the design project moving forward until the final touches are in place.
I’d like to share a few examples of branding sheets we’ve created to comprehensively capture our clients’ full personalities via their homes’ interior design. We create a highly personal mood board considering the following about our clients:
- Their past – the core of who they’ve always been
- Their present – their current lifestyle as well as the architectural opportunities and constraints of their home
- Their future – who have they always aspired to be
Personal Branding That Goes Well Beyond Pinterest Boards
As you’ll see in the below brand pages, it’s paramount to our team to work hand-in-hand with our clients to address their distinctive spaces and embrace their singular design aesthetics. We’ve found the winning formula to bring to life surroundings that transcend trends and embody lives authentically lived.
Luxurious leather the shade of midnight. Plush velvet in rich jewel tones. Sinuous curves. The bounce of light off of a metallic surface. For a downtown Chicago client, we went with a swanky steakhouse-meets-sexy cocktail lounge vibe.
Sometimes, we must define the personality of an entire building. For this 1980s-era residence in the heart of Chicago’s historic Lincoln Park neighborhood, we went for full-on glam, elevating the Dynasty-era aesthetic of the public spaces into an undeniable, of-the-moment opulence.
For a young family who recently relocated from the city to the suburbs, we struck a decidedly chill vibe — sunset-drenched hues, beachy elegance that brings the outdoors’s beauty in, and a playful elegance that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
– Emily Mackie at Inspired Interiors
Must-Have Home Textiles for 2021
- High-Performance Fabrics: As we spend more time at home, our fabrics get more use (and abuse), therefore need to perform better than ever. That is why we are seeing the use of high-performance, bleach-cleanable, and anti-microbial fabrics being used indoors as well as outdoors. The technology of these textiles has advanced greatly in the last 5 years, and we no longer need to give up style or comfort to have high performance.
- Digitally Printed Sheer Fabrics: Digital printing has revolutionized so many aspects of our lives. In the interiors’ world, one great example is the ability to print (at relatively low cost), almost anything on fabric. This has, especially, had an impact on sheer fabrics allowing printing of images, scenes, subtle color gradations – just to name a few.
Viscose Blend Fabrics: Viscose is a plant-based fiber that mimics silk at a fraction of the cost. As a single component, it is best used for vertical application (drapery) as it’s not easily cleaned and doesn’t react well to liquids. However, blended with other fibers, like linen, cotton, and polyester, it performs much better and can be used on upholstery. It brings lustre and depth to these blended fabrics.
-Dennis Duffy at Duffy Design Group
Best Tiles Design for 2021
“One of my favorites would be onyx or agate slabs. I also feel that hand-painted concrete slabs are really beautiful; like a malibu tile is very fun. I also love the Kate Spade splattered porcelain tiles. They are very unique and cool, and you can create a mural-like wall with them.”
– Kari Whitman at Kari Whitman Interiors
Furnishing Material Trends for 2021
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that there are many things we cannot plan for or expect. We can, however, predict trends from what we have seen and learned this past year. As the work-from-home market exploded in the wake of the pandemic, we can expect to see consumers looking for transparent, durable, long-term solutions to accommodate their newly installed at-home offices—many of which are at their very own kitchen tables. These consumers demand and deserve more from their at-home office atmosphere.
With that, the team at Uhuru Design is predicting a continued boom of work-from-home trends from the new-economy workforce. Remote workers will be craving accessible, sustainable, and minimally luxurious pieces to simplify their office furniture. As it relates to color, we are loving light, bright, and aesthetic palettes, such as our new high-quality, yet affordable office line Propr.
No matter where and how customers work, learn, and live, collections such as our Signature, DK, Tack, Fold, and Waterline collections, will prevail. As Uhuru Design continues to marry the best of form and function, our quick-ship products—Tack Bench, Hono Stool, and BB-55 Rocker—check all the boxes with bespoke-quality design and fast shipping.
-Jason Horvath at Uhuru Design
We hope that these inspiring interior design trends for 2021 offer you ways to incorporate the latest home decorating ideas.
