Interior Design and Decor Trends
This yearly article is one of my top-shelf labours of love! It’s a challenge to narrow down the top interior design trends of 2022 after scrutinizing Instagram, Pinterest and pouring over articles on kitchen & bath, art world trends, furniture design, colour, texture & finishes. I end up spending fifty percent of the prep time looking at photographs for our own home and creating a master plan to elevate our personal design aesthetic. Ralph has no idea I have a mural wall (or two) on order! He’s going to love a printed mystical landscape in our dining room, right?
I am looking forward to hearing from you! What do you love? What would you be willing to introduce? Alternatively, what would you never be ready to pair with your home and style? I mean, Grand Millennial isn’t for everyone (but I can see many of you into the style hype too)! Review my top trend predictions when your time permits, and let’s get busy creating a fresh new start for 2022! We all deserve it, to say the least!
1/ Books are Back
[source: Real Simple]
Vintage books are making a big-time return interior design trends 2022 (as are throwback prints, frames, decor pieces). We’re expecting to see personal libraries, desirable collections, + stylized bookshelves everywhere this year, including home, office & shared spaces! Be sure to hunt down some of your favourite authors and titles at your local used book store, including Monkey’s Paw, Balfour Books & A Good Read. Bauman & Westsider Rare Books in New York have fantastic resources if you’re after a scarce find. Surf Pinterest for beautiful and artful ideas to stylize your first editions, classic dramas or your hardcover coffee table books! The design options are limitless!
2/ Cottagecore Aesthetic
[source: Cabot House Furniture]
It is a trend in design that asserts itself as ultra-comfy, cozy, and country. The “cottagecore” trend is all about the fantasy of giving up one’s urban space for a more simple and comfortable lifestyle. A romantic vision we have all experienced once or twice throughout the pandemic (am I right)? Visualize a high-end agricultural style of living – rustic touches, whimsical housewares, plants & gardens topped with locally produced furniture, decor, ceramics & pottery. Plus, baking your bread from scratch is an absolute must for these granny-chic splendours! If you’re baking, I’m tasting!
3/ Bathroom Furniture
[source: Pinterest. Original Unknown.]
One of my favourite design ideas for interior design trends 2022! Introducing a freestanding antique piece (or two) to your bathroom or powder room esthetic could be a game-changer. Think about it! Heirloom desks and bureaus converted to a bathroom vanity or an old wardrobe reworked as a towel and linen closet. Perhaps a tiny chair, footstool or medicine cabinet would work too? Brilliance in the making. With endless furniture delays & stock issues these days, this may be an easy way to spruce up your bathroom – sourcing something magical directly off the floor or even Facebook Marketplace. Warning – you need to be an excellent hunter with patience to score the goods!
4/ Banquette Seating
[source: Vesta Home]
We’re bringing the 5-star restaurant experience home to you! At this stage in the game, we might as well – the takeout containers are getting a little tiresome, would you say? I mean, who doesn’t love a luxe seating arrangement – especially in the comfort of your kitchen or dining room! Indulge us with upholstered opulence, including earthy velvet fabrics or warm deep-button leather options. A good thick seat cushion and a deeply upholstered back are “musts” to ensure comfort for you and your top-notch favourable guests! If you’re having a dinner party and have seats to fill (banquette to be exact), you know we’re always up for it (we’ll bring the wine, of course).
5/ Neon Art Walls
[source: Gomer Home Designs]
I would never have thought that a neon art gallery wall would be something buzz-worthy for us at Fox Marin. It looks like a bit of colour; charisma + cheer is what we’ve been craving after all! Elevate any room, hallway or small powder room with some creativity + bright pizazz. Art insiders are also predicting the return of the neon sign paired prints, statues, + abstract design. If you’re on the hunt – Drool Art carries a great selection of well-priced images if you want to take a stab at Neon this year! Go big or go home!
6/ Paint the Town Green
[source: Viva Decora]
You don’t have to take my word for it! There is plenty of proof that greens of every shade are trending up, up, up – take a peek at the “Colours of the Year” from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams & Behr if you’re questioning my style’s sophisticated sources. Green is seen as a colour of renewal, new beginnings & hope – something many of us are longing for after two years of isolation and boredom. Plus, green often symbolizes money, good luck, + health – something we could all use a little extra of these days! If a green living room gets us where we want to go faster, let’s do it up in style. Paint the town green!
7/ Mural Mural on the Wall
[source: Cote Maison]
Probably my must-have style trend for 2022! Unfortunately, there are only so many mural walls a house can home! I am not confident this is everyone’s jam but palm trees in the kitchen jive with yours truly! Knowing that most fashion & interior trends don’t “die” – they go on a mini-holiday, it’s not surprising to see these 18th century painted scenic landscapes in residential homes – what goes around comes around! And if these stunning murals are more accessible due to contemporary printing & application methods, we’re all for it! Many fresh designs are now printed on removable wallpaper, making your decision to go big, bold, + beautiful even more accessible than ever! And if you hate it? Guess what? You can take it down.
8/ Grand Millennial
[source: Habitually Chic]
What is a Grand Millennial, you ask? In a nutshell, we’re talking about design enthusiasts between their mid-20’s to late-30’s that have an affinity for the “stuffy” and the “elegant”. Think traditional styling with a modern twist (and no apologies for it). We’re talking floral wallpaper, blue & white china, skirted tables, embroidered linens, lace, slipcovers and ornate chandeliers. Modsy VP of Style Alessandra Wood describes style devotees as “millennials who love design and décor that we might culturally view as old lady or grandma-ish, hinging on classical design forms and patterns.” I can’t say I’m a millennial, but I think I could buy into the Grand part of this design equation. How about you?
9/ Homework Rooms
[source: Monika Hibbs]
My dream room as a kid. Full-stop. Only my sister & I would say this and a few select people we know perhaps. But imagine your very own kid’s room equipped with high-speed internet, interactive displays, smart boards and charging stations! Even when school returns to “business as usual,” there will always be homework, exams and projects to complete. And we all know that parents do most of the work anyway – so might as well make a splendid space (maybe a hidden wine bar too). Kids of all ages could always use a quiet area to create, write, study, and thrive! And, a “homework room” could always be repurposed down the road – so, it’s not forever!
10/ Period Mashup
[source: John Derian, Architectural Digest]
Style enthusiasts, both young and old, are mixing & matching different genres of design to create a personalized and unique aesthetic. Attic finds, antiques, vintage decor, and family heirlooms are being utilized in new and creative ways. People are craving comfort, connection and creativity. And, gawd knows, no one wants to wait 12+ weeks for a shipment to arrive due to supply chain issues & inventory delays. We’re tired, and our patience is at an all-time low! By repurposing the old and the unwanted, users are reducing their environmental footprint while simultaneously achieving a rich sense of history, nostalgia and sentiment into a space. What is old is new again – so expect to see eclectic spaces evolve over the years to come! If you’re looking to start developing your vintage chops, peruse the used furniture section of chairish.com for some all-star ideas!
We want to know what you think of our predictions for top interior design and decor trends in 2022.
So, this concludes my predictions! What are you thinking? Are you ready to start hunting for your first antique or source your first neon sign (or both)? Talk to me – I would love to hear from you.
Of course, if you have additional questions, feedback or comments about this list or anything Toronto Real Estate, feel free to reach out. Contact Us (We’re Nice)!
—
This article is written by Kori Marin, Managing Partner here at Fox Marin Associates. For high-energy real estate aficionado Kori Marin, a well-lived life is achieved by maintaining an “all-in” attitude that realizes every last ounce of one’s full potential. This mindset has driven successful results in every aspect of her life – from her corporate sales and account management experience to her international travels, to her years of fitness training and leadership – and is the hallmark of the exceptional work that she does on behalf of her clients in the residential real estate sector in downtown Toronto.
