Most Popular Home Design Trends This Past Year

Reviving Ancient Practices For Wellbeing

People continue to spend more time in their homes. Common notions of stability have changed. Today, climate change, economic uncertainty, and a number of political and social factors have fundamentally changed mass psychology. With so much unrest in the world, people crave comfort and a sense of inner peace. And 2022 interior design trends reflected this.

We saw a resurgence of Feng Shui or the ancient Chinese practice of arranging one’s home and interior space for maximum well-being along with the rise of wabi-sabi, the Japanese notion that it’s okay for homes to be “good enough.”

Some interior designers and homeowners found inspiration from ancient Rome by including natural materials and more earthy, elemental features plus warmer tones in their interior designs. Terracotta walls and accents helped people transform their interiors into oases. The key theme was comfort, physical and psychological comfort.

Modern Practices For Wellbeing

Of course, as the realities of the last two to three years draw to a close, designers are embracing more recent innovations and trends. Hygge is having a moment as homeowners seek designs that feel like a big warm hug. Now, in many homes, it is hard to find any nook or cranny without something soft and plush in it.

Then there is the rise of interior health technology. Many homeowners want devices in their homes that improve their well-being and reduce drudgery. The market for interior hydroponic gardens, robot dog companions, and scented diffusers is growing significantly. Items must have a clear purpose, otherwise, they are just taking up space.

And, finally, there is a movement towards travel-inspired décor. Given the restrictions on going abroad (many of which were in place until late 2022), people are looking to include styles from Morocco, India, Thailand, and Fiji in their interior spaces and decorative objects, usually to generate a little variety.

But What’s Still Trending?

Bold Colors & Prints

Natural color schemes dominated 2022, reducing stress, increasing productivity and creativity, and generally making us happier. Deep green, blue, and warm earth-tone colors continue to be a big trend embraced across the country as nature-inspired hues provide timeless elegance when appropriately deployed.

Homeowners are embracing fun colors and unique wallpaper prints in every corner of their houses. Incorporating colorful printed fabrics, custom upholstery on sofas and chairs, and window treatments is a fun and fierce way to bring personality into your space.

Nature-Inspired Elements

The desire for more nature-inspired interiors became a trend last year that continues as people move towards warm tones and natural elements. Decor elements made from real or faux raw materials are in high demand, adding a natural and authentic look to your space. Large plants looked more sophisticated, styled in oversized planters and popping up in unexpected places like a living room, bedroom, and bathroom.

Stone, marble, and travertine emerged as popular materials in baths, backsplashes, accessories, and furniture. These natural stone materials remind us that nature never hurries yet accomplishes everything. Natural wood materials like burl, rattan, cane, leather, jute, wicker furniture, ceramics, woven lighting, furniture, and decor are incorporated everywhere, from flooring to countertops, to accent decor and cabinets. Their rawness provided a sense of permanence, peace, and stability.

Both consumers and interior designers are embracing recycled and handcrafted goods for their aesthetic appeal and as a sign of their eco-friendly design approach. Whether you use a sustainable bamboo floor or a garden of indoor plants, bringing nature indoors has been one of the hottest interior design trends for 2022.

Curved Elements

Curved furniture was once something you only saw in coffee shops and science museums. But now, curved architecture is one of those interior design trends that is becoming increasingly popular and making its way into people’s homes (and quite tastefully, too). For so long, furniture design has been dominated by geometric patterns and sharp angles. But one of the home decor trends breathing fresh air into the industry is softer, rounder shapes and textures.

Rounded furniture, sometimes called sculptural furniture, such as curved back chairs, sloped arms on sofas, waterfall corners on desks and consoles, or a drum coffee table, is the perfect blend of culture and nature that creates a stylish elegance to any style of home. More importantly, it is also rule-breaking. Rather than adhering to the orderliness of straight lines, it has curved edges that help people feel freer in their homes. It’s a way of being somewhat rebellious but stylishly so.

Curves are an interior design trend that will stick well into 2023, with many curved architectural elements popping up in homes, including arched doorways, curved bar designs, and curved countertops.

Dual Purpose Rooms

Dual purpose rooms have also become standard in the interiors industry. A holdover from stay-at-home mandates, dual purpose rooms emerged when people had to convert their regular living spaces into offices. Homeowners became their own interior designer when it was necessary to hastily create a home office in the guest bedroom or carve out a workstation in the living room. Necessity was truly the mother of invention and outfitting a dual purpose room was suddenly a design and decorating trend. The kitchen, for instance, is now a conference room, while a three-season room is a place to work, not somewhere exclusively for relaxation and enjoying the sunshine.

While many workers have returned to their offices, many others have not. Corporations are embracing remote work or telecommuting as a new wave alternative to in-office-only environments. Still others have grudgingly embraced the fact that remote work is an effective way to cut down on corporate overhead costs and still retain valued employees.

Of the many lifestyle adjustments and latest trends to emerge, the dual purpose room seems destined to stick around. Check out this blog by ELLE Decor for tips to creating a high functioning multipurpose room.

Outdoor Space

Whether you have a small patio or acres of land, making the most of your outdoor space has likely been a top priority this year and will continue into 2023. Many homeowners have dedicated extra time to upgrading their patios, porches, backyards, or even small city balconies. Homeowners are investing in these areas by adding pools, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and extensive outdoor furniture to the top of their wish lists.

In warmer climates, indoor spaces extend to patios for indoor-outdoor living, often doubling the square footage of your home’s eating and entertaining areas. If you don’t live in a warmer climate, you can install bi-folding or sliding doors that span the entire width of a wall and can help you seamlessly connect to the outdoors, while large windows are a better option in climates with four seasons.

Conclusion

A few trends for 2022 will make their way into 2023 and into your home. So whether you want to make a statement by adding a warm paint tone on your walls, get more practical use out of your living space by setting up a dual purpose room, or create a stay-at-home oasis, the design team at Rockford Homes can easily help you incorporate the latest interior design trends into your home.