The decoration trends they were always a living universe. One that proposed novelties every year, but where consumers adapted at a slower pace than the market. Since the pandemic, however, this changed. Spending so much time in our homes made us start to pay more attention to them, and those innovations proposed by the industry began to be tested with greater speed and enthusiasm. We dedicate time, effort and money to our homes, because they stopped being the space where we only returned at night after work. They became our base and our temple.
At the same time, a virtuous circle occurred: the market took note of how we use our shelters in those times of confinement and the subsequent new reality, and tested products and customs more in line with those needs instead of just proposing different ideas. The result? very marked trends, which go through styles and are reinterpreted under different perspectives, but are on display all over the world. Next, five that stomp.
Green love
“Vogue” defines it as “biophilia”. The need to reconnect with nature, so clear in quarantine, made us go out in search of inside plants with which to live all year round. And so, interior design found a way to embrace this green presence and take advantage of the benefits that the connection with natural environments brings, which expands the visual space while improving people’s mental attitude.
It is achieved both in shapes, materials and colors (neutrals, earth tones, green accents), as well as in real plants inserted in the decorative proposal. In this last point, the most chosen are the succulents, the ficus (especially the ficus Pandurata), the Strelitzia, the Monstera and the Sansevieria, among others. Ferns, meanwhile, are widely used as hanging plants, to place on shelves or libraries. They are even used in bathrooms, where they behave especially well due to the generosity of humidity.
“Plants were a trend before the pandemic, but the need for green boosted them. The interesting thing is that it applies both to real plants and to design objects that emulate them. There are jungle-style lamps, coral decorations, artificial scented sticks, botanical wallpaper, cushions with palm trees, golden cactus as decoration…”, illustrates Agustina Cerato, designer in charge of the homonymous brand, in which she assures that these types of products are of the most chosen. In fact, she recommends them for those who want to add some fresh air but don’t have a knack for real plants. When making vases, this trick also works if you use branches instead of flowers, which last longer and also add more volume. “They can even get together on a walk down the street or discard neighboring gardens during pruning season,” Cerato proposes.
Other elements used in this line of love for nature are stone, wood and natural fibers, both in architectural finishes and in objects. In all cases, they also add a component of sustainability and even craftsmanship, valuing traditions and what is done by hand.
create universes
The next trend has to do with the return of wallpaper and murals, once seen as old-fashioned and today a perfect way to give personality and a lot of magic to a space. Although for Sofía Willemöes, one of the great references in this area and with premises on Arenales street, we are not so much facing a return as an evolution. “What is offered now is a different proposal. Before we did not have these great landscapes that are almost an experience. Today you can feel your dining room surrounded by Patagonia or a child’s room in the middle of the forest”, she points out. Among the most requested today, those inspired by nature and scenic murals stand out, which make one feel that one has entered a new universe.
And how is a wallpaper different from a mural? In that the first is an illustration and a pattern that is repeated, while the second is a single scene that begins and ends in space, generating a kind of very impressive set design.
In the case of wallpaper, in this new round they are also offered with textures, in representations of certain materials such as linen, raffia or wood, among others, with enormous fidelity and realism in the design.
Back to the 50s and 60s
Curved furniture jumped into the shop windows for the first time in the 1950s. Series such as “Mad Men”, “Velvet” or “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” have reflected it very well, with their deep velvet environments, sinuous sofas and arched details. They also continued their reign well into their 60s.
Today that style, so applauded on streaming platforms, has its revenge to decorate our homes. And it reaches far beyond sofas or chairs: it can be seen in mirrors, side tables, consoles, cocktail carts (another compliment to the 50s that has been making a triumphant comeback for some years), coffee tables, rugs, hanging or standing lamps, little armchairs individual -just to name a few pieces-. When used in upholstered furniture, its focus returns to that of the vintage era, with pastel colors and some stronger accents, such as mustard or intense violet.
Called “bold”, the specialized magazine AD attributes the birth of this style to the need for a friendlier decoration after the times of the pandemic and the confinement. “Closer to the natural than to the technological”, he describes. Again, the search for nature is the trigger, and its imperfect forms the best inspiration. This is demonstrated by the soft edges without sharp edges that these pieces propose. The Spanish interior designer Miriam Alía is a great promoter of this look, who assures that this type of furniture brings dynamism and creates very welcoming environments. Its pastel-colored spaces (with some more shocking accents) in which the curved armchairs hug the perimeter and make you want to lie down immediately to rest are a true reflection of this.
A suitable space
While pre-pandemic decoration proposed open and highly shared environments, the world that emerged later made clear the need to be able to compartmentalize the uses of a house. Especially if it is inhabited by several members with different requirements throughout the day.
The most essential was the home office space, with a comfortable and functional desk, good internet connection and a background as neutral as possible to be able to make calls and meetings. But that section was not the only one necessary. People discovered the pleasure of also having “well-being corners”, such as one for reading, one for yoga or meditation, one to work on crafts, one to play an instrument, one to simply sit down and have a cup of tea and not think In nothing…
The trend could be encompassed under the Dutch term “niksen”, which defines a simple and stress-free lifestyle -and which was born post-pandemic-. The premise is to create spaces that promote relaxation from design, encouraging us to find calm in our own home. The important thing is not only to find the ideal place to settle this small refuge without interruptions, but also to provide it with noble, warm and reassuring materials. In line with the previous trend, curved furniture is a big yes for these corners, as well as natural fibres, plants and warmer and softer fabrics.
And where to find the space? Where we feel best, because it can be one or several in different parts of the house. Even a hallway or a bathroom can be reinvented under this look. Of course, technology must be completely removed from these oases of well-being, it is the great “not allowed” at the risk of ruining its entire essence.
claim the black
Generally relegated to a few details or only to certain pieces of furniture, for some time now the color black has begun to make a strong presence in entire environments. Dining rooms, living rooms, bathrooms or even main rooms are wallpapered or painted in this tone, gaining both depth and impact. “I especially like to think of a dining room”, encourages Agustina Cerato, “it is a super elegant way of giving personality to a space in the house that is usually more formal, and that perhaps is not used for every day, but rather when we are more to eat”.
Be it for this or another space, it recommends some keys to be encouraged to its application. In principle, it is vital to locate contrast points, so that the black is not absolute and therefore overwhelming. Pictures, ornaments, vases or some other piece of furniture should add white and other colors. The sparkles in gold or silver are a great success in this regard. Then, it is important to add warmth with materials such as wood or some textile, such as chairs with some upholstery. And natural fibers are another ally, which can be applied with a centerpiece or a foot rug. Finally, lighting in dark environments is a very relevant point. “The lamp that hangs over the table should be large and provide good light. And if it is not enough, you can resort to appliques. I like to think of them in gold or natural textures”, synthesizes the designer.
In communion with nature, trying to find spaces of well-being and with small nods of daring, this is how the decoration trends for this 2022 are glimpsed. A lifestyle that changes with each step in this new reality, and that found in design one of its best allies.
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