The end of the year is behind the curve, and with it the most important summaries and forecasts for the following months – also in design. The interior design trends 2021 revolve around zen-like relaxing spaces and natural, pleasant and calming colours. However, there is no shortage of bold solutions, references to distant cultures or luxurious materials. Let’s take a ride through some of the hottest interior design trends 2021!

YELLOW – A COLOR THAT BRINGS A SENSE OF JOY

“Illuminating Yellow” paired with “Ultimate Grey” are the colors that are taking the stage in 2021. This combination, chosen by Pantone for the 2021 ruling color duo is meant to represent a combination of strength and resilience with sunshine and brightness. Although grey can seem a little gloomy, paired with yellow is meant to bring hope for the upcoming year. 

Hottest interior design trends 2021
Hottest interior design trends 2021

Yellow represent joy that we all need in life after the troublesome 2020. So, if you want to brighten up the house, the first option could be one this hottest interior design trends 2021. When a color means positivity, joy and hope, it is always a good choice. 

COZY AND RELAXING SEATING AREAS

When the Covid-19 situation locked most of us at home, people started thriving for more relaxing and cozy furniture, especially when it comes to living room area. 2020 also made us meet with family and friends at home, so the seating space became more important than before. 

“I think people want a living room that is comfortable, approachable, usable and functional” says the designer Mark Cunningham. For the upcoming year, we can expect big, soft armchairs and large, comfy sofas that could fit a lot of people at once. 

A NEW, MORE LUXURIOUS FACE OF MINIMALISM

Less is more, the trend initiated in design in the 1960s comes back to us like a boomerang. Minimalism in interiors is based on a style that avoids excessive decor, striving for a clear and orderly space without “distractions”.

But when we don’t have so-called distractions, what really matters are details and quality of materials. This is a distinctive feature of Luxe Minimalism: high-quality, luxury furniture and décor pieces, that make a statement in the interior. This face of minimalism introduces natural materials like marble, wood, brass etc, that create a sense of calmness in our personal space. 

HOME OFFICE ASYLUM

2020 can definitely be called a ‘working from home’ revolution. Those praying for some home office time could finally enjoy this type of work. But with a start of home office period, the problem of space emerged, as people realized they don’t have a proper place at home dedicated just for working. 

JOURNEYS TO FARAWAY LANDS

Another trend that is a consequence of 2020 experiences is the longing for travels. Most travel plans got cancelled, some of us were scared of traveling, other got fed up with changing restrictions and traveling rules. But the longing for faraway lands goes bigger and bigger. As we long for some adventures, we will be seeing tropical and animal prints with bold color combinations in interior design. 

‘There are many people who have missed the freedom to go aboard in 2020,’ says Paula Sutton of Hill House Vintage. ‘So I predict a return to a global inspiration within interiors, where our spaces reflect our travels, the sea and distant shores.’  Apart from furniture pieces, the houses will be adorned with accessories, paintings and photos of distant locations, such as African Safari or beautiful beaches of New Zealand.

JAPANDI – A NEW FACE OF ZEN-LIKE SPACES

The combination of Japanese and Scandinavian style gives rise to Japandi: a harmonious blend of minimalism, simplicity and functional modern design. Japandi takes the best from both styles and combines them into a beautiful whole. So here we have clean, bright spaces with the necessary amount of furniture and accessories. Japandi uses objects with straight lines and a range of subdued colours. This makes interiors “breathable” and light, while calming and not overwhelming.

BOLD COLOR COMBINATIONS MIXED WITH NEUTRALS

While the neutral colors are always a safe bet when it comes to interior design, one may easily get bored with them. Now there comes the age of bold choices. Color accents are a fantastic way of enhancing the decoration of an apartment, placed in an appropriate and thoughtful way they can turn a seemingly simple and boring interior into a unique space.

You can mix neutral beiges, whites and greys with green, yellow and orange hues. The same applies when it comes to mixing modern with vintage furnitures, which is still very trendy. Add some unusual patterns and textures to add some vibrancy to your interiors. And when you feel the need of change again, you can leave the neutral background and just change the bold additions. 

PERSONAL JUNGLE AT HOME

As 2020 made us stay indoors, people started turning their interiors into personal jungles, so as to feel more connected to nature. This year made us realise the importance of outdoors and nature, which is crucial to our mental and physical health. 

Turning a house into a little botanical garden is one of our favourite interior design trends 2021. It feels fresh and looks very instagramable. Although plants require some love and care and they can be time and focus consuming, it is worth a try, as they can work wonders when it comes to turning any interior into a wonderland. 

ENTERTAINMENT AND DEDICATED SPACES

Apart from home office spaces, which will be one of the most important interior design trends 2021, people will also turn their heads towards dedicated spaces, such as home cinemas, entertainment rooms, house libraries, game rooms etc. As the outside world experiences lockdown, we all strive to recreate some of our favourite places at home. 

ECOLOGICAL AND SUSTAINABLE DÉCOR

New design solutions are definitely changing the direction towards sustainability. This is one of the most important trends that will strongly draw the design path for years to come: the furnishings of our homes, materials and products are to be made in a spirit of ecology.

In 2021, products made of so-called bio-plastic – a biological plastic produced from plants and easily decomposable – will become popular. Recycled and self-made furniture, such as wooden pallets, will still be on top.

Modern Mirror