Last year’s lockdowns had a massive effect not just on people – but also our homes. As houses became calm places of retreat and even workspaces, interiors morphed to reflect the mood, with lots of pale neutrals, contemporary clean lines and a zen-like vibe featuring in many people’s interior décor projects.
Now though, as we head towards 2022 a sense of hope and optimism is bubbling, and with many of us finally escaping the house and back into public spaces, it looks as if home interiors will be changing again to reflect the new, outgoing mood.
Trend-watchers predict that the brighter, more vivid colours of Mother Nature will be more in evidence this year, with paint specialists, Dulux, Graham and Brown, and Farrow and Ball all featuring new blue hues inspired by Nature: Bright Skies from Dulux, Breathe from Graham and Brown, and Stone Blue from Farrow and Ball.
The favoured look of the moment is to stick to neutral colours on walls but use these bold blues in furniture and accessories or to highlight an accent wall.
Forget all those painted arches though, which became so trendy you could even buy them ready to go, in decal form. It looks as if their reign has come to an end, in favour of décor features that create an illusion of space, such as floating shelves or cool, understated wallpaper.
Another trend that seems to be fading with 2021 is the ubiquitous velvet sofa everyone wanted not so long ago.
In 2022, comfort is going to be the main priority and curvy furniture seems to be the projected trend for the new year, reflecting a desire for shapes that are interesting on the eye as well as comfy to recline on.
One trend that seems to be here to stay is the one for ‘upcycling’ old furniture, which many people discovered a taste for during lockdowns.
Browsing secondhand shops and antique markets is an enjoyable pastime in itself – but there’s nothing quite like the satsisfaction of finding an item that you can love back to life with a lick of paint or some new fabric, and give it pride of place in your home.