This year's interior trends have got everyone talking. From stylish storage and complete interior overhauls to innovating our office spaces and some quick and easy accessory swaps, there's something for every home, no matter the size, style or budget. We've checked the Pintrest forecasts and selected our favourite home decor and furniture trends 2021. Read on to discover what style staples to look out for this coming year.
Our Top 5 Interior Design & Furniture Trends 2021
No.1 - The Shelfie
First up, let’s talk shelving. Shelves have never been more on the interior agenda than they have in 2021. But while shelving should be functional, this trend is not all about storage. Pintrest is describing shelving as "the new gallery walls".
Photo-worthy Shelving
Like a selfie is a photo you take of yourself when you are looking and feeling your best, a "shelfie" is a beautifully styled, photo-worthy shelving set-up. Now for most, shelving will be used for storage. But that's not to say that it can't be stylish too. This idea is the essence of the shelfie trend.
Kitchen & Dining Room
The shelfie trend is going to be particularly popular in kitchens and dining spaces. No longer shall your kitchenware hide behind closed cabinetry! The shelfie is being used to add dimension to contemporary kitchens, providing display space for not just cookery books, but jars, crockery and saucepans too. If you're not sure where to start, begin by selecting favourite, photo-worthy homeware that you'd like to showcase. Follow the rule of three, grouping different sized items together to add height and lift. Just make sure not to overload your shelving. Leave plenty of room between items to avoid a cluttered feel.
Open Shelving
While Pintrest draws on kitchen and dining room shelving in particular, we're looking to furniture pieces too. Open shelving units are extremely stylish and versatile, offering the perfect blend of storage and display. Better still, they can be thoughtfully styled in the same way to create a seamless and understated look. In larger homes, open shelving can be used to segment spacious rooms into cosy and intimate corners. Head over to our Pintrest for inspiration.
No.2 - Japandi is the New Scandi
The effortlessness and functionality of Japanese design is enviable in the world of interiors. The Japandi trend blends this simple beauty with the casual notes of Scandinavian aesthetic. The two styles go hand in hand perfectly, and is set to be big in this year’s furniture and interiors trends.
Straight Lines & Soft Linens
Like the scandi trend, Japandi is mostly minimalist. The trend focusses on light wood furniture with straight lines and soft, linen fabrics. While the temptation can be to add drama with some key statement pieces, Japandi is all about layering up those neutrals and simple styles to create a streamlined and balanced look. The overall effect is a serene, calm living space that stands out – but not in the usual way.
Emphasise with Japanese Flourishes
Recreate this trend in your own home by seeking out simple, light wood furniture. Start with a base of angular, scandi style and then layer in some soft neutrals in the form of upholstery and blankets. If you’re desperate for a dramatic touch or to deepen the palette a little, select a single statement item to incorporate into your scheme. We’d recommend concrete grey toned ceramic accessories, a darker scandi dining table like this one or flourishes of oriental detail such as blossom or this beautifully hand-painted cabinet. See our Pintrest board for Japandi inspiration.
No.3 - The Cloffice
With 2020 behind us, it is no wonder that the home office is making its mark in this year’s interior trends. This term for this trend is a combination of "closet" and “office”, creating the “closet office” - aka. the cloffice!
Innovate Your Office Space
More and more of us may be working at home but we don’t all have our own designated office space. For some, our only private space might even be our own bedroom! People all over the world are adapting to a change in the way we are working and we need space to work productively from home. Whether you're working at the kitchen table, hot-desking at your dressing table or are just looking to add more style to your own study, the home office is set to become a permanent fixture of our homes for years to come. So now is the time to stylise and innovate your workspace.
Work Your Requirements Around Your Space
Of course, not all of us will have a suitable closet to transform into an office. But this trend can be applied in the same way to different areas of your home. Shelving can be added to an unused narrow alcove to create an immediate, streamline workspace. Alternatively, for something less permanent, use a desk instead. Chest desks or those with fold out tables are an ideal alternative if you need to create somewhere to work alongside a living space. They can be closed away when not required, ensuring that the room is not impeded.
Make it Stylish
However your cloffice comes together, ensure that you make the space your own. Liven up neutral walls with a lick of paint. Add a rug for a more comfortable, homely feel (it is your home office afterall). And invest in an office chair you love that is both supportive and stylish. See our Pintrest for cloffice inspiration.
No.4 - Reuse & Up-Cycle
An Eco-conscious Approach
Last year, many of us discovered or reconnected with our creative passions - from home DIY and gardening to painting and embroidery. In spending more time at home, we were looking for hobbies and tasks to pass the time, while also switching off from the events of the world. The reuse and up-cycle trend is a culmination of last year's new-found creativity as well as the world's ever-growing desire to be more eco-conscious.
Give New Life To Tired Furniture
While this trend can be applied in more ways than one, reinvigorating tired furniture pieces is a great place to start. Although it is nice to have something new (and pieces like sofas require a little more specialist expertise to up-cycle!), there is certainly furniture in your own home that could be given a new lease of life with a simple lick of paint! If you can't resist a project, this trend is for you.
Farrow & Ball Paint
You'll discover a variety of paint colours from Farrow and Ball that are specifically for use on wood and metal. These are ideal for painting tired wooden dining chairs, old radiators, second-hand side tables and the like. Better still, while we continue to spend more time at home than ever, up-cycling is a fun and creative way to “switch off” after working or home schooling. Get all the family together and experiment with colours and styles to give your furniture new life! For inspiration, check out our Pintrest.
No.5 - Tactile Touches
Following on from creative hobbies comes the tactile touches trend. This trend is all about incorporating beautiful textures into your home in the form of stitching, embroidery and natural materials.
Cushions & Throw Blankets
At the heart of this trend sits soft furnishings. It builds on last year's Textures through Textiles trend and is super easy to add to you home in an instant using cushions and blankets. If you are a dab hand at sewing or embroidery, you will likely have some unique, handmade additions you can use to decorate your sofa or bedstead. However, if you haven't got the time or the skill to make your own accessories, beautifully-made cushions and throws such as these will work just as well.
Handcrafted Furniture
This trend isn't all about soft furnishings however. You can create the trend with hand-crafted furniture staples with natural grains and organic textures. Style with other tactile materials such as rattan seating and wicker baskets. You can even take the trend a step further with patchwork materials and leather stitching. Head over to our Pintrest for inspiration.