Our team shares mixed feelings about the idea of trends in design, but the truth is, our homes are ever evolving and often a reflection of what is happening around us. It’s always fun to watch how the patterns of material, form, and influences ebb and flow from year to year, and we’re excited to share a few things we can’t wait to incorporate more of in 2022.
While we love light and bright spaces, the design pendulum is swinging back to traditionalism as we spend more and more time indoors and long for the feeling of comfort that timeless, warm elements bring to our spaces. This year, we’re encouraging our clients to welcome rich materials that bring depth to the home, and we’re excited to see a resurgence of traditional details in everything from architecture to product design.
Here are a few design “trends” we’re anticipating this year:
Playing with scale is always a great way to keep things interesting in design, and this year, we’re excited to see even more exaggerated proportions in everything from statement-making lighting to sculptural-like vases and artwork.
Even proportions in hard finishes like tile and hardware can feel exaggerated and draw the eye to every detail, giving any interior a custom and thoughtful feeling.
Pattern is going to be big. While committing to a pattern can feel intimidating, there are countless ways to incorporate more patterns into your space that don’t involve covering your walls from floor to ceiling. Think patterned textiles, rugs, and even artwork!
We also predict that more earthy colours of browns and tan, displayed in fabrics like leather or even in terracotta floors or walls. Nature-inspired surfaces and accents—think marbles and mushroom shapes. Essentially, anything that feels warm, welcoming and cosy.
Then, there’s the pandemic the reality is that our homes have become the main settings for our lives, not only where we sleep and socialise but also increasingly, where we work. Every corner, and every object we’re surrounded by, must serve some sort of purpose. Perhaps it’s a functional one, but I think travel-inspired interiors will also be introduced to enhance our escapism.
Dual-Purpose Rooms
“As we get into another year of COVID variants, our living spaces continue to double as our work rooms. The kitchen continues as the conference room and the farmhouse table is the new boardroom table. Garages turned into offices or a home gym, for somewhere to escape to.
A garage conversion by Studio LBI
Vintage and Sustainable Accents
Whenever I can use vintage, I will. From a design standpoint, vintage is the protagonist of every room—it has the power to influence the storytelling and direction. But aside from their decorative propensity, these rare antiquities are stylishly sustainable. By repurposing the old and worn into something new, we’re reducing our footprint while bringing a rich sense of history and spirit into a space.
Utility/Dog shower designed by Studio LBI. Vintage accessories @Kernowfurniture.co.uk
Nature-Inspired Surfaces and Objects
“With more time spent indoors than ever before, we’re all seeking to strengthen our connection with nature. This has simultaneously inspired a resurgence in natural surfaces—think stoneware, terracotta, marble, and travertine being used across the board from backsplashes to bathtubs, furniture, and decorative objects. The raw, porous, imperfect nature of these organic materials adds depth, soul, and visual intrigue while also mimicking the calming, restorative ambiance of the outdoors.
Softened kitchen furnishings
We’re excited about seeing more furniture-like builds in the kitchen and living-space-like decor in the kitchen this year. We’ve been using artwork in kitchens for years, and we love incorporating lamps and other unexpected décor and finishes to soften the hard lines of kitchen cabinetry and appliances.
Warmer material & colour palettes
From terracotta to deep brown hues and warm natural stone and woods, we’re expecting to see even more warm material and colour palettes in 2022. After a few years of uncertainty in the outside world, these warm tones are comforting and inviting, encouraging you to sit down and stay a while. Although warm and rusty tones are typically associated with autumn and winter months, we anticipate them having a year-round staying power as we continue to create spaces of refuge at home.
Images from Mandarin Stone
Pedestal dining tables
While pedestals aren’t a new trend, we’re seeing more and more people incorporate them into their spaces, and we’re all for it! Pedestals can be a great way to add a new layer of material or texture in your home, fill an empty space, bring in height variation, or all the above! We’re excited to see new variations on pedestal materials and colours, and we might even have a few to share in our upcoming collections for our new Studio LBI shop.
