In 2021 we saw several design trends. Curved and shapely furniture and vessels draw the eye, inviting your gaze to dance across the space, Tropical wall-coverings full of lively patterns and dreamy painterly scenes, and more, but as we leave and approach a new year, new trends will start to emerge creating new different spaces. Here are some top design trends of 2022 experts say.
Biophilic Design
Biophilic design dates back to the early 1980s, when biologist Edward O. Wilson outlined his philosophy of biophilia, hypothesizing that humans have an innate, biological affinity for the natural world. Biophilic design takes this idea one step further:
Because humans today spend 90% of our time indoors, according to the 2001 National Human Activity Pattern Survey, it’s necessary to bring the outdoors in and create indoor environments that reference nature in both obvious and subtle ways. At the simplest level, that means plants–and lots of them.
This trend has even helped spur a boom in start-ups catering to plant-obsessed millennials in urban areas, where demand is so great growers report that they can’t keep up. But biophilic design is more than just adding plants to indoor spaces. It’s an ethos that poses interior design not merely as an aesthetic or functional discipline, but as a way to improve people’s mental and physical well-being.
We put it in practice in RoomBox to check out how it would look before actually proceeding to design a real-life space.ç
Statement Lighting
Form matches function in 2022, as we see a reframing of lighting as decorative objects.
Statement lighting is both utilitarian and fashionable, allowing people to highlight their magnificent houses while also serving as eye-catching artwork. Many people are already looking for statement lighting that matches their particular style, from sculptural pendants to eye-catching sconces.
Searches for 70s lighting will grow, as will searches for sculptural or ornamental lighting, as well as searches for antique lighting and, finally, searches for colorful lighting.
Sleep Sanctuary
Bedrooms have had to work harder than ever over the last 18 months, for many of us doubling up as home offices as we navigate working from home. For 2022, there’s a desire for the bedroom to return to a calm, peaceful sanctuary to retreat to.
For people, 2022 is the time to reclaim your bedroom as the sanctuary it should be. Bedrooms are a place of rest and recuperation so the focus will be on mood lighting, soothing color palettes, and layers of comforting textures. Designing a space conducive to quality sleep will be paramount. There will be a move towards simplifying the bedroom, removing clutter and distractions, and instead creating beautifully styled beds with soft and inviting cushions and investment bedding.
Vintage and New Mix
Instead of purchasing all new furnishings, people are increasingly sprinkling in antiques and vintage pieces among more modern designs, says Milwaukee-based interior designer Anna Franklin.
“Antiques and vintage-sourced decor and furniture is not only eco-friendly since you are repurposing items, but it allows there to be a juxtaposition between old and new in a space.”
Especially amid supply-chain disruptions and months-long backorders, shopping vintage is more desirable than ever. According to a report from online resale marketplace Mercari, Americans spent more than $17 billion on second-hand furniture and other items for the home last year, and that number is only expected to grow.
Sustainability and Natural Materials
Sustainability, responsible use of materials, and the rise of the ‘biophilia’ trend is predicted to be a top design trend of 2022.
The use of organic materials has become prominent in recent years. With the public’s increased exposure to climate change, the idea of sustainability has fed into the interior industry and our homes. This will translate into how we buy furniture, a move towards furniture items with reclaimed woods and accessories with recycled glass and metal. This trend will focus on materials used in the home
Vintage textiles, and fabrics that are produced sustainably and with a slow ethos that moves away from mass production. From responsible companies with sustainability at their core who have a focus on handmade items that will last a lifetime.
Our furniture, too, will move towards responsible design and manufacture. It is obviously inherently sustainable and brings warmth and texture to any surface or space, but it’s also ideal for insulating.
Decline of the Home Office
As much of the workforce transitioned to remote work at the beginning of the pandemic, home offices became a necessity rather than a luxury. Nearly two years later, many people are heading back to the office, and the need for at-home workstations may be disappearing.
According to a 2022 trend report from Modsy, 81% of people would prefer to work from home at least part of the time, but online interior design companies experienced a 30% decrease in the number of people designing home offices this year compared to 2020.
As needs shift, expect many homeowners to transition their makeshift office set-up back to the guest bedroom, game room, or walk-in closet it once was.
RoomBox – Explore and Experiment
There is no shortage of new and inventive ideas now that we’ve discussed some of the new trends we’ll see in 2022. You’re now ready to design your own spaces. Whether it’s a sleep sanctuary, a vintage living room, or a biophilic design, RoomBox makes it simple to construct your environments.
RoomBox, as a quick learning tool, will assist you in constructing these designs with complete customization. Plus, when you’re finished designing, RoomBox will show you what you’ve done with a high-resolution rendering of your space. Using RoomBox to design and create has taken interior design and furniture sales to a whole new level. Will you join us there?
