_Make your home a happy place with the 2021 interior design trends that bust the blues

As we spend more time in our home - how we interact with our immediate surroundings along with the ability for our built environment to adapt with changing needs has been thrown into sharp relief.

Good home design - from smart lighting, the use of natural materials and colour balancing - has the power to calm, lower stress and allows us to work and play in non-traditional settings - all important factors contributing to wellbeing in challenging times. 

Authentic materials such as raw wood, stone, ceramics and porcelain are big in 2021

Artful tech

Aside from allowing us to improve efficiency, sustainability and lower running costs, home technology, subtly or outwardly woven into the fabric of the state-of-the-art home, can too be considered part of what we constitute as interior design as the boundaries between art and tech become increasingly blurred. Speakers-as-statement pieces, for example, can be as impactful as more traditional forms of interior design such as fixtures and furnishings.

Going further, Knight Frank's latest report sheds light on how developers will redesign homes of the future as a result of Covid-19, using smart tech to help residents work flexibly, stay safe, better connected and live well.

What next?

As previously unloved nooks become home offices and the home becomes a primary place of work, exercise, learning and interaction with friends and family, interior design along with the creation of multi-functional, safe spaces that are fit for purpose will be a big priority for many of us as we head into 2021.

Knight Frank Interiors looks at which Covid-19 and non Covid-19 inspired future design trends promise to  make our homes happier places in months and years to come.

Raw, authentic materials - connecting to nature

The time we spend indoors will be more closely connected to the outdoors as nature comes into focus in 2021. Organic materials that are rich in texture will feature heavily - from raw, untreated woods to marble, stone tiles, linens and ceramics. The more organic and less treated, the higher the authenticity credentials. 

A shift away from mass-produced plastic items will see us investing in unique, handmade and artisan pieces which have authenticity and sustainability at their core.

Bringing the outdoors in - plants

As the boundaries between indoors and outdoors continue to blur through clever design, house plants as a trend is still going strong as we lean on greenery to help us better connect to nature.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society, studies have shown that those living with house plants benefit from an improved mood, productivity, concentration and creativity. Plants also help to reduce stress and potentially improve air quality in the home.

Larger plants such as tropical palm trees and plants with large foliage can also be used to separate spaces, reduce noise levels and give privacy.

Bringing the outdoors in - dried flowers

Already a big trend in 2020, dried flowers add colour and texture to the table. Eco-friendly, low-maintenance and plastic-free, go bold with vibrant spring colours or opt for faded palettes such as pastels and muted greys. Dried foliage and pampas grass in eco-friendly ceramic pots will bring your home up to date in 2021.

Bringing the indoor out - blurring lines between outdoors and indoors

Making the most of outdoor space through the colder months will see us bringing the indoors outside through the use of rugs and mismatched cushions. Heaters help extend our living room alongside furniture traditionally found indoors such as tables, chairs and even sofas. As we make more meaningful connections with nature, vegetable patches are on the rise even in small spaces such as patios and balconies.

Sustainability in the home

With a heightened awareness of sustainability in the home we will see furniture pieces made of reused materials and with a low impact on the environment as we move away from mass-produced plastics - think wicker, rattan or bamboo chairs, knitted blankets and jute rugs.

Items made of recycled plastics or bioplastics - plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources will become the norm as we head in the direction of zero waste in the home. 

Scandi-style inspiration

An already popular look which can arguably be labeled as a way of life, 2021 will bring Scandi-style neutral colour schemes with natural accents.

Examples of this trend include raw, blonde wood, clean lines and minimalist graphic prints. Wood will be used not only for flooring but also for covering walls and ceilings.

Calming, peacemaking tones

Neutral colour palettes lend themselves all too well to long days working from home with pared-down beiges, creams and whites contributing to a calming home environment where the balance is tipped towards the less is more school of thought.

Cheery optimism

For those that need to a blast of cheering colour to perk their mood, shades of yellow are making a beeline for your walls, floors and accessories. Play around with ochres, mustard and sunshine tones to inject a slice of optimism into your home as we head into a new year. 

Quality furniture, one-off pieces made locally, multi-functional items and good storage

To effectively remove clutter and ensure everything has place requires smart storage solutions. As we spend more time indoors, de-cluttering and putting things in order will be a big task for us 2021 with less emphasis on storage solutions which are cheap and cheerful but big on built to last.

Look for one-off pieces that are multi-functional or that can separate rooms - an example of this could be a desk that folds away or that can be used as a side table. Many will hope to support struggling businesses by buying one-off pieces made locally and from sustainable sources.

Luxury items

2021 will see us reaching for life's little luxuries to make us feel good. Luxurious blankets, scented candles and artisan soaps add a touch of luxe in the home. Think 'Hygge' - the Danish concept of cosiness and comfort that offers a welcoming hug in a time of worry. 

Knight Frank Interior Services is a world-class design service delivering award-winning furnishing services. See what we do.