The design trends for this year are all about creating spaces that are calm and soothing. The colours are warm and earthy, and taking inspiration from nature.
After a challenging year that has seen most of us spending more time at home than usual, there is a real movement towards making our spaces more relaxing places to be. The textures, colours and patterns that we’re seeing this year evoke this feeling and are simply stunning.
Read on to be inspired by the interior design looks that are trending this year.
Colours
Colours with a nod to nature are being used to create calm and restful spaces. This is seen in the warmer shades of white and grey, and soft brown earthy tones. These warm base colours are being paired with shades such as sage green, terracotta and olive green, as well as the stronger colours of deep teal, slate blue, rich burgundy, tan and gold.
For warm neutrals I recommend the Ash palette from Resene which is a smokey soft grey with a hint of green; as well as their quarter Akaroa shade that is a grey with a hint of taupe. For an alternative to white, I favour Rice Cake by Resene for a softer, warmer feel to a space.
Texture
Texture with natural hues is playing a big role in trends this year. We’re seeing a move away from flat polished block colours, in favour of a more organic look. It’s a trend that is being inspired by nature, with organic fibers like rattan and bamboo used for furniture and home accessories.
The texture trend also extends to walls in wallpaper and in feature tiles for splashbacks in kitchens and bathrooms. Even the size and shape of tiles are being used to create texture and variety, such as modern finger tiles and mosaics in warm neutral tones. The impact is striking with the varying shades of colour and pattern.
Wallpaper
Here at Inside Storey we love wallpaper and we’re loving the trend of soft textured paper.
Choosing patterned wallpapers for feature walls and combining them with textured wallpapers on adjacent walls is an exciting new approach to decorating, creating the “Wow!” factor.
We’ve seen more people embracing wallpaper recently with a preference to wallpaper over paint. As lovers of wallpaper we’re very happy about that!
Feature walls with a gorgeous wallpaper are a popular way to add some style and interest to a room. This year we’re seeing feature walls extend to more than one wall and being used to accentuate corners. People often shy away from wallpaper in small spaces such as toilet rooms however the trend for this year is to embrace these spaces with statement wallpapers.
For those of you who are keen for something more dramatic and adventurous, we’re seeing traditional patterns like the Jacobean, Chinoiserie and Damask given a modern twist. These classic floral and leafy styles have been given a 2021 makeover with an ombre or metallic finish, resulting in an elegant and bold look. Whether you want a bold leafy design or a small scale pattern, there is plenty of choice if you want to embrace this floral look.
Interesting fact - the Japanese inspired wallpaper and fabrics is a nod to Japan as the intended host of the 2020 Olympic Games. The event was postponed but thankfully this trend wasn’t.
Elevated accents
Choosing features that add something showstopping to a space is really popular. For example we are seeing stone benchtops being used for waterfall islands or splashbacks. This creates a seamless finish with the benchtop continuing up the wall, or down the sides for kitchen islands.
For kitchens we promote the use of stone bench tops over laminate options. The stone provides a beautiful smooth surface and there are so many affordable composite varieties available for colour and pattern. When investing in your new kitchen, talking to your designer about different choices for stones and porcelains is an absolute must.
Another trend that we are setting a lot of in kitchens and bathrooms this year is the use of coloured finishes for tapware, handles and accessories. Gone are the days of being limited to chrome, you can now choose from a variety of colours to complement your tiles and colour scheme. The oxidised metal look is big for tapware, or you can choose from gold, rose gold, matt white, gunmetal and brushed nickel and brushed brass. These statement colours are also available for, hinges, mirrors, shower heads and hoses - even toilet seat clips!
Soft furnishings
We’re big on using soft furnishings to complete a look and we’re seeing styles that evoke comfort and warmth. For example wool loop pile carpets are on trend, favoured for being cosy as well as durable, chunkier knit weaves for throws and cushions and softer shapes for accessories.
The twist on the traditional pattern that we’re seeing in wallpaper has also translated to cushions, upholstery and curtains. Giving you plenty of options for how you can add some 2021 style to our decor. We especially love the Japanese inspired patterns that we’re seeing for soft furnishings.
Embracing these trends in your own home
Here at Inside Storey we make it easy to embrace the current trends whilst staying true to your personal style and functionality of a space. Book in a consultation today to learn more about the difference we can make to how your home looks and feels. Call Litsa on 021 610 752 or email litsa@insidestorey.co,nz
Photos featured in this blog are courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles and Pinterest. The flat lay photos are by Inside Storey.
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