Interior Design: 3 Enduring Design Trends

  Post pandemic life at home has changed dramatically for most people around the world both inside and outside with work/life balance issues and the ability to destress becoming even more important.  Read on for what this interior designer believes is here to stay.  

1. EMPHASIS ON OUTDOOR ROOMS – Having the ability to go outside and just relax is key to our mental and physical well-being.  Not only does nature have the ability to create a calming effect on us emotionally, but it’s good for our physical health to get a little sunshine and Vitamin D every day, if only for a few minutes.  So why not create an amazing outdoor room like this screened in porch shown here with a heated floor and fans to enjoy almost year-round or even just a small space outside your home with a chair or two and table to just relax.
2. ADAPTABLE INTERIORS – Making the most of each space is crucial now that we find ourselves often living and working in the same space.   When I was in the thriving metropolis of Istanbul years ago, the biggest difference I noticed about the interiors was what I call “Transformer Furniture”.   Sofas had hidden storage under the cushions and transformed into beds when needed as did chairs.  Everything had a functional purpose including screened in porches where clothes were hung to dry besides providing a space to enjoy the outdoors. Here in the United States, we need to shift our thinking to create more adaptable spaces or rooms also.  Using French or barn doors to close off part of the living room for an office, home theatre, or library gives you more options as situations change in your household.  Other ways to make your space adaptable could be hiding a desk area inside kitchen cabinetry, adding a murphy bed to a guest room you now need for an office, or enclosing a niche with barn doors in the basement to hide bunk beds for the grandkids.

3. MORE CONTEMPORY MODERN DESIGN STYLE AESTHETIC – Furnishings and finishes in a lighter airer feel help create a more modern look that can be achieved by layering in more furniture with legs instead of visually heavier pieces.  Layering in more furniture with simple lines and more textural tone on tone finishes instead of busy patterns also help give a room a more modern vibe.  Of course, nature inspired patterns and real plants indoors continue to be popular with the emphasis on outdoors. Here the homeowners wanted to keep their beloved family heirlooms, but also wanted to bring a more modern updated look to their new house with an open floor plan.  That’s why we integrated more modern furniture into the room to give the space a more timeless appeal.

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