Design Trends for the Next Decade
It is always fascinating to watch and predict the design trends. More than ever before, this is a decade of “choose your own adventure” design….nearly anything goes, as long as YOU love it! With a turn of the calendar page, we will enter a new decade, and there are some emerging trends and new classics to add to our design options.
After a decade of whitewashed rooms and a sea of gray paint, there is a turn toward a bit more color. The 2020 colors of the year (click HERE to check them out) are indicative of this trend. Grey is warming into taupes, and the warmth of stained wood furniture, shelving, and cabinetry is paired with nature inspired classic colors in greens and blues. And black is the new darling of the neutrals - still a neutral, as in it plays nicely with everything else, and yet it adds drama with its high contrast impact, and an easy elegance.
Birds and Butterfly Wallcovering | Butterfly Mirror | Black Demilune Cabinet | Black and Gold 72” Bell Chandelier
Navy Velvet Tufted Bed | Blue Grasscloth Wallpaper | Blue Console Chest | Blue Custom Cabinetry
Metal Finishes
Black and natural brass or gilded iron have emerged as new options in fixtures, hardware, furnishings, and lighting in the last few years and show no signs of slowing down. This is not the shiny, lacquered green-tinged brass from the 80’s. So no, your faux WIlliamsburg lacquered brass builder chandelier is not suddenly in style…though it might be a step ahead of faux satin nickel at this point…hard to say…generic builder standard issue lighting is generally never ideal. Authentic finishes are always the best choice and the one with the most longevity.
Here are a few selected examples of some of the current offerings. Click on image for more info, *starred items are available ‘to the trade’ (please inquire for more info and pricing if interested), the rest contain links to order at retail directly.
Sustainable, Eco-friendly Design
After a decade of the furnishing industry equivalent of fast food, the tide is finally beginning to turn from fast, cheap disposable furniture to a deeper care and appreciation for sustainable, responsible design. We care more about who made our furniture and how it was made. We want to reuse, recycle, and buy for the long haul and are less willing to fill the landfills with disposable, toxic furniture. And in the same vein, we care more about design that supports and sustains our health, with low VOC paints and air-cleaning indoor plants being the most obvious and easy to implement changes! Navigating the myriad of options to know what questions to ask and whether a product is as valuable as its marketing suggests is tricky. An experienced design professional can be an invaluable resource here, helping you make the most of your investment.
From luscious green velvet to bamboo and sisal, texture contrasts and natural elements reign for 2020 and beyond.
Technology Enhanced Design
LED lighting continues to evolve improving the options for color temperatures available so that some are quite close to incandescents (see THIS post for a quick guide to getting lighting right). And it offers many innovative lighting solutions like positionable parts…this abacus fixture is one example with lamps that can be easily repositioned anywhere along the wires at a touch.
LED lights are infinitely positionable at a touch anywhere along the wires of this floor to ceiling fixture - available in several widths and finishes
Even light switches and outlets can be “smart” now with programmable dimmers and voice activation. Pretty soon we’ll be quipping “Are you smarter than a light switch?” instead of “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?”!
Smart appliances mean you can now buy an oven that is smarter than you (well, at least at cooking), and a refrigerator that lets you look inside from your phone so you can tell if you are out of milk while you are at the grocery store. Technology is changing rapidly, and this decade will see more time, safety, and energy saving advances become the norm in the kitchen appliance industry.
Samsung hub smart refrigerator with touch screen panel and interior cameras
Smart home features can extend to temperature control, alarm systems, doorbells with cameras, window covering operation…and even showers and toilets?! I personally don’t want a toilet that smart…but THIS post tells you a bit about the worlds smartest toilet that debuted earlier this year…
In the end, design trends are just trends. Some will stay and become new classics and some will come and go. The key to creating a home you love is to choose what brings you joy, makes your life easier and more comfortable, and surrounds you with a feeling of well-being.
If you would like the luxury of living in a home you LOVE in 2020, we offer several levels of service, from local or long-distance consults, to full service design. Please contact us to schedule your free discovery call to start the conversation!
Happy New Decade!
Other posts you might like:
Decorating with shades of Gray …yes, of course you still can!
Choosing the Right Light Bulbs …the easiest, cheapest way to change the whole mood of your room!
*Please note that this page contains affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission at no extra charge to you.