The Top 10 Home Trends to Watch This Year
Sage green paint, comfortable outdoor living, the return of the dining room, and other big home and design trends to keep things interesting in 2022.
Courtesy of Chairish
Chairish, an online marketplace for vintage and secondhand furniture and home accessories, is a trusted source for thrifty and one-of-a-kind decor—and a great solution when new pieces can take months to arrive.
If you feel conflicted about home design trends, trust us, you are not alone. Buy the right furniture, and it’s supposed to last a lifetime, right? Sinks are not intended to be swapped out seasonally. But it’s human nature to hanker for something fresh and new on occasion, especially at the beginning of a new year. So if you’re on the hunt for simple, mindful upgrades to make your living space feel fresh and exciting, we’ve got you covered.
A coat of soothing paint or some new placemats for your dining table, once you reclaim it from those stacks of mail and Zoom-school projects, may be all it takes to liven things up. And if that old sofa has reached the end of its lifecycle and you need a replacement, or if this is the year you’re taking the plunge with a bathroom renovation, we have ideas for that, too. Read on for more inspiration.
1. Vintage Revival
Thomas J. Story
According to a national survey conducted by Apartment Therapy, 70% of interior design professionals polled say that vintage decor will be a major trend for 2022. Motivated by two separate but intertwined forces—the continuing supply chain crisis, which has added months to projected ship dates for new furniture manufactured overseas, and the increasing focus on sustainability—secondhand furniture has never been hotter. Facebook Marketplace is a convenient stand-in for the old-fashioned garage sale. And Chairish, the online marketplace for vintage furniture and home accessories that was founded in 2013, has never been hotter. Its business doubled in 2020, and continued to grow 46% in 2021. On the Chairish trend forecast: bright colors, “biomorphic” furniture in curvy shapes, ‘70s-era ceramics, tiger print, and classic Schumacher florals.
2. The Return of the Dining Room
Thomas J. Story
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Wait, did the dining room ever go away? Or was it just buried under stacks of Amazon boxes? That same Apartment Therapy survey reported that 50% of pros say dining rooms, that place where people sit around a table to enjoy a meal together, are making a big comeback. In recent years, the trend had shifted toward more casual entertaining in the kitchen, around built-in banquettes or a more casual table, and dining rooms were repurposed to accommodate work-from-home setups. But people are craving more elegant spaces to entertain at home, it seems. It might be time for some cool new placemats, glassware, or dishes to host that next dinner party in style.
3. Sage Green Paint
Courtesy of Sarah Stacey Interior Design
While Pantone is banging the drum about its 2022 color of the year, Veri Peri, paint brands are singing a different tune. Sherwin Williams’ pick, Evergreen Fog, and Benjamin Moore’s selection, October Mist 1945, are both soothing shades of sage. Texas-based designer Sarah Stacey’s favorite green is Clary Sage by Sherwin Williams. “My favorite way to use sage is on any dominant piece like kitchen cabinets, or a sofa,” says Stacey. “It is a calming color, and low-key enough to use as a neutral. I love pairing it with navy, cream, and burgundy.”
4. Open-Air Living
Courtesy of Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
One thing we know for sure is that—post 2020 and 2021—we will never feel comfortable packed into a cramped, airless room again. Hold on…did we ever feel at ease in an airless room? Anyway, indoor/outdoor entertaining, and outside living areas that feel as luxe and comfortable as a home’s interior, are in demand heading into next year. The design team at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen, and Lighting Gallery has pulled together a trend report, and the consensus is that they love these Big Ass Fans (yep, that’s the brand name). They increase airflow, shoo a few flies, and make outdoor spaces livable in those sweltering summer months. Inhale. Exhale. Enjoy.
5. Nubby, Soft Upholstery
Courtesy of Lulu and Georgia
One universal theme heading into this new year is comfort. Seems like everybody needs a hug, or the closest thing to it, which is a soft chair or sofa to curl up on. Bouclé upholstery fabric, with a snuggly, soft texture, has been a growing trend in recent years, and its popularity shows no sign of slowing. According to Apartment Therapy, 68% of those polled say bouclé is here to stay. Instead of creamy whites and beige, expect to see it in bolder colors like blue or earthy browns.
6. Curved Lines and Rounded Edges
Christopher Lee Foto
A whopping 83% of designers in the poll endorsed those soft, sinewy, curvilinear sofas and chairs that hover lower to the ground and started popping up everywhere last year. They say the look is here to stay, for now. They’re inspired by shapes from the ‘70s (a popular decade for decor inspiration), with a little Art Deco mixed in, and have all but replaced hard angles in stylish homes across the West.
7. Colorful Refrigerators
Courtesy of Samsung
We’ve already built a compelling case for a pale blue refrigerator. And the Ferguson team confirmed that the momentum around selecting appliances in unexpected colors is growing. The team is seeing a surge in interest in bold appliances in unexpected colors, like the matte black Cafe Appliances collaboration with Kelly Wearstler. Samsung also introduced a Bespoke French Door refrigerator: Three- and four-door models can be color-blocked to your heart’s content, and swapped out when you want to redecorate.
8. Burl Wood Accents
Courtesy of CB2
Step to the left, rattan and cane. Burled wood finishes are taking over. The unique swirls and patterns formed from tree growth add some organic, lovely texture to everything from small tabletop accessories to larger, elegant pieces, like this chic and simple desk from CB2. And there’s plenty of vintage burl pieces to be found on Chairish (see No. 1).
9. Golden Touch
Courtesy of Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
Ferguson has included these soft gold sinks and bathtubs from Thompson Trader’s in its trend forecast as part of the “organic modern” movement, and the enduring popularity of raw textures like brushed metal, rope accents, and ceramic that feel pulled from nature. As far as we’re concerned, there aren’t many worries that a soak in a luminous tub couldn’t alleviate. So, if a bathroom reno is in your future, it might be time to go for the gold.
10. Warm Minimalism
Thomas J. Story
About 80% of the designers surveyed said that the uncluttered, light-filled, soft look of warm-minimal interiors is what will finally nudge the farmhouse aesthetic, and decades-long obsession with mid-century modern, off of the pedestal. Think pops of joyful color, pale wood, statement light fixtures, and great tile with natural texture used sparingly and well. Warm minimalism is a soothing look that invites you to sit down and stay a while, and doesn’t work too hard to impress anybody. And that’s a trend we can get behind.
