11 key decorating looks for the year, from materials to moods

Functionality, bold colors and fabulous kitchens will carry us through 2022…

A new year, by its very nature, usually brims with optimism and the promise of fresh starts. During Covid, we had to make changes to our lifestyles as well as the interior areas we live in. The past two years have been a period of realignment and adjusting to a new normal in the face of pandemics, but 2022 will hopefully bring in a return to familiarity as well as a flurry of new ideas.

1- Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is back, and it's better than ever. Forget those 1970s implications of orange cork tiles, cork flooring is actually one of the primary flooring trends for 2022, available in a range of tints, because of its eco credentials and simplicity of procuring it sustainably.

Cork's natural thermal qualities make it an excellent heat insulator and a considerably less expensive option to underfloor heating. As a result, its environmental points don't stop being gathered just because of how it's created. It means less energy use and lower electricity bills.

2- Boho Wanderlust

In recent years, Bohemian Luxe (boho luxe) or Wanderlust has risen to prominence as an interior design style. Perhaps in response to the puritan white-on-white minimalist designs that have been so trendy in recent years. True Bohemianism is given a modern twist with the Wanderlust style: diverse, eccentric, global, original, free-spirited, colorful, and rich.

Tactile textiles, playful accents, and spicy chalky colors are used to explore a wandering spirit that is full of creative warmth. Create a soul-satisfying area by incorporating artisan artefacts from all over the world that pay homage to traditional craftsmanship. The real, sensuous appeal of woven and dried fabrics creates an appealing concept that begs to be relaxed in. Warmly welcome bright, folky additions for a burst of personality.

3- Blue Is the New Black

Bright Skies is the Dulux Color of the Year for 2022; a light and airy blue, a shade promoting tranquility and restfulness, making it the perfect choice for a bedroom, as well as offering a fresh and airy base palette in a kitchen or bathroom.

Blues can also be employed as the great backdrop for items in other rooms of the house. Blue will continue to remain popular in our houses due to its boldness and warmth. Art galleries and museums have learned that darker hues make a far better background for paintings and artworks than white.

4- A Return to Retro

Over the years, fashion trends have been consequently going back and forth. We see old trends coming back to life while modern ones quickly have gone obsolete. Mid-century furniture for example was popular between the years of 1933 to 1965. Nowadays, the retro style is getting a lot of hype among designers. Designers now are all inspired by the clear lines and perfect curves from the mid-century interior design. Culture, according to experts, will drive this year's trends. In popular TV shows, there are nostalgic elements of the interior design of the 1970s and 1980s that will start to make a comeback this year. This will manifest itself in the acquisition of bold accessories. Consider velvety, comfortable velvet sofas with rounded corners - objects that nourish the soul.

In practice, this will entail a revival of retro design elements like boucle, metallics, and colorful glass.

We should expect to see nostalgic seventies and eighties design aspects in lighting as well.

5- Mixed Greens

Warmer greens like olive won slots in recent trend reports, but the palette has expanded to include emerald, eucalyptus, jade and teal. Rich mid-spectrum shades of green bring the outdoors inside.

How to further intertwine nature and design? Not just more indoor plants but larger windows and plant-inspired prints.

“We know that seeing green, leafy plants can bring down your stress levels, improve your mood, enhance your cognitive performance, and allow you to think more creatively,” says Dr. Augustin, whose work involves helping interior designers make choices based on their psychological and neuro-scientific implications (aka how certain designs and decor make a person feel within a space). Separately, several studies have also shown that the color green itself may have a positive effect on the psyche, whether by boosting levels of optimism in memory recall, increasing feelings of comfort and calm, or enhancing performance on creative tasks.

6- Wavy Wood

Look for the modern interpretation of the most basic of materials, kinked and curvy, as a unique yet charming interior design trend for 2022. It's the start of a new wave. It's time to say goodbye to straight-edged wooden furniture and embrace the more fluid curvalicious form.

Max Depret, director of homeware at Mauvais Garcon, says, “The 1970's influence we've seen in fashion runways lately has clearly translated into the interior world, and we are very much inclined to see curves and colors coming back into our homes imminently. From trinket trays, vases, pillow cases, or our wavy mirror, look out for these extra pieces to bring out some je ne sais quoi to your home!”.

7- Natural Textures and Materials

With honest materials and tactile textures in an easy palette of tranquil neutrals, embrace leisurely living and bring the raw simplicity and sensory serenity of nature into your home. This conscious home trend is well-balanced, thoughtful, and stimulating to the senses.

Dried flowers and colored and dried grasses, as well as fresh and imitation house plants, continue to be popular decorative additions, blurring the lines between outside and inside living.

Top designers predict that natural materials will be used more frequently in 2022, from ornamental components to furniture. Colors and textures inspired by nature will also grow increasingly popular, especially in common areas like the living room. Earthy textures, organic natural shapes, raw materials, and plants will all serve as design anchors for the home.

8- Japandi Minimalism

Japandi combines the simplicity of Japanese style and the functionality of Scandinavian design. This style embraces the Japanese concept of Wabi sabi which, in simple terms, means to find beauty in imperfection, and the Scandinavian concept of hygge which can be defined as any place that embodies comfort, coziness and a general sense of wellbeing.

Look out for oriental designs featuring Japanese inspired florals, cranes or interlocking geometrics to transform your space with an escapist sense of serenity.

9- Artful Tablescaping

Dressing the table to impress will remain a trending topic for social media savvy interiors enthusiasts in 2022. With expressive, designed table coverings showcasing a riot of handcrafted serve ware, patterned linens, and frivolous blooms, delectable accents will get the table discussion flowing. Mixing plates, table linens, and glasses from various labels while sticking to a complementary color palette is the key to creating a rustic yet elegant tablespace.

10- Colored Concrete

Concrete comes into play in today's bathroom ideas, which are all about adding personality while maintaining a monastic sense of spa-like tranquility. It's the ideal material for this room because of the vibrant colors it now offers, as well as the texture and depth it brings.

Colored concrete, in general, is having a renaissance. It's become the design world's favorite material, appearing in kitchens, on the exteriors of expansions, and on flooring.

11- Contemporary Trompe L'oeil 

Trompe l'oeil — the use of paint to create an illusionary scene, landscape or architectural features in an interior or exterior scheme — which literally means "deceive the eye," is a centuries-old artistic method or conceit that is part demonstration of an artist's skill and half delight for the observer. It adds a touch of unexpected amusement to the home, a talking point that will delight both you and your visitors, and it fits in beautifully with contemporary living room trends.

Trompe l’oeil can be applied to furniture, paintings, walls, ceilings, decorative items, set designs, or building facades and other effects such as marbling or faux wood patterns can also add to the overall scene. You would most commonly come across the effect with wallpapers that look like wood paneling, traditional moldings and other architectural features

What Is the Best Decorating Trend For 2022?

As interiors become more tactile, sustainable sourced materials and production methods make strides toward a more attentive, considerate, and conscientious home, texture discussions are on the rise.

In 2022, texture will be popular in all aspects of the home, from walls to furniture to décor. As people explore new methods to add dimension, we'll see a comeback of plaster and venetian walls, as well as a shift away from the velvet trend in favor of more dynamic textiles like boucle and corduroy. Due to the increase in neutrals, this will also be a popular trend. Interesting textures can bring flair to a space in an unexpected way when there are fewer colors to deal with.

What Is the Main Color Trend For 2022?

Homeowners are getting confident with color as interiors embrace vibrant tones inspired by natural goodness.

2022 is about bold and bright hues, and burnt-orange is one of them. This terracotta-inspired color scheme will bring warmth and elegance to any room. To bring this hue into the area, use a variety of room decorations.