Year in and year out, design elements and trends change. Sometimes the changes can be completely different from the previous years. Other times, they gradually evolve from one form to another without the awkward or abrupt transitions between styles.
The initial predictions for 2020 changed slightly, mainly because of the pandemic. While some of the forecasts did make it in 2020, other considerations sprouted to help keep homeowners safe from the disease.
After more than a year of being in a pandemic, designers have incorporated COVID-19-related considerations into their 2021 projects and boldly see these as staples that will spill over to parts of 2022.
Interior Design Considerations for 2021 and Early 2022
Here are a few things that interior designers should consider when working in home interiors for the remainder of 2021 and early 2022:
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Natural Light
One of the main design focuses of 2021 is to bring in as much natural light indoors as possible. Heavy curtains and blinds are out, while sheer fabric (or bare) and large picture windows are in.
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Air Quality
When we found out that COVID-19 has airborne qualities, there has been a greater emphasis on good indoor air quality. Thus incorporating proper ventilation and other elements that could greatly improve air movement in and around the house is a must.
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Plants all around
One of the easiest ways homeowners improve indoor air quality is by using plants to decorate indoor spaces. It also helps if a house’s exterior is also surrounded by plants and trees to serve as natural canopies that deflect heat and make the air a lot fresher.
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Functionality over Formal
When most of us started working from home, the concept of formal rooms, especially in smaller homes, went out the window. Nowadays, utilizing and maximizing every square foot of house for productivity is more important than following its initial design provisions.
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Multi-purpose Furniture
Although multi-functional furniture has been a going trend in recent years, it plays a much bigger role now that most folks are at home. Furniture for the living room, bedroom, or office with storage capacity helps keep a home organized and clean, especially for small houses and apartments.
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Natural Elements
One way to reconnect with nature while staying safely inside our homes is to incorporate many natural elements into our home’s interiors. This will help calm us down and relax our senses whenever we feel agitated, anxious, or even claustrophobic.
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Comfortable and Cozy
When governments imposed lockdowns all over the world, the goal of many homeowners back then was to make their isolation as comfortable and as cozy as possible. This is why the number of home renovation projects spiked during the pandemic. This preference is not going away anytime soon as a surprisingly large number of folks now prefer to stay and work from home as much as possible.
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Storage and Organization
Storage and organization are a constant problem in the average American home. That was before COVID-19, where all members of the household are out the whole day. Now that everyone’s home most of the time, sometimes the mess and the clutter can get on your nerves and cause friction within the household. Therefore, creative solutions for storage and organization are among the main things designers need to consider today.
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Colors and Graphics
Going into the pandemic, we’ve already seen plenty of interior designs that utilized color to make a space visually appealing. The only difference is just before the COVID-19 hit, we’ve seen designers use cooler hues and calming tones. Nowadays, the trend has shifted into more fun colors and graphics that help lift spirits and boost people’s moods.
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Zoning
We went from enclosed dedicated spaces to open-flowing floor plans over the past couple of decades. And now, it seems like the trend is about to go back to enclosed spaces due to the different functional requirements created by remote work and online schooling needs brought about by the pandemic. This will allow family members to concentrate on the things they need to do for work, business, and school. Again, function over form is the rule designers are tied to today.
While some — or most — of these may be gone in about a year or two, the impact that COVID-19 made on the design and building industry will stay with us for a long time. Health and safety will remain the top considerations when designing. These will be followed closely by comfort and functionality. And while aesthetics and appearance will still matter, it will take a backseat until years have passed since the pandemic.
