New Year, New Design Trends
Updated: Oct 6, 2022
If you haven't noticed, home design trends change and morph much like fashion does, but on a much slower timeline. So investing in "trends" tends to have a longer investment than last year's sweater that seems a little passe this year. What drives these trends? Well, what’s happening outside of the home, during any given time period, has a direct impact on how we live and what we prioritize within.
For what it's worth, here are some trends to keep an eye out for this year!
Symmetry!
Symmetry, in the past few years has been and continues to be a popular choice for homeowners. One theory I have is the power of Instagram. Many homes featured have palatial floor plans with soaring ceilings and enough square footage to symmetrically layout any applicable rooms. The amount of square footage featured in these pictures are often a far cry from our existing “city sized” context, but it doesn’t stop us from mimicking what we can, where we can, to achieve a similar balance.
Symmetry is grand and luxurious. Whether designing kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms or living rooms, symmetrically placed furniture as well as wall décor or permanent fixtures seem to be what people are gravitating towards this year.
Open Floor Plans!
This is nothing new but is still very much in!
Fifteen years ago, a turn of interest went from living in houses with very distinctly laid out rooms, to living in an open concept. House shopping for many consumers involved conversations revolving around, which walls to take down to create more space. Lindsay's husband used to make fun of her when they were house hunting 3 years ago, as all she would do is walk around the prospective house knocking on walls to see if it was structural or not (note: this is not a scientific way of knowing if a wall is structural.... :) it was more how Lindsay would indicate which ones she wanted to get rid of... and there were a lot!). Anyways, kitchens went from being a closed off room where we could hide the mess and the smell of cooking, to being a show stopping focal feature of a home. In fact, if you trace back home design in England where the upper class families lived, the kitchen was 100% in the rhelm of the servants and was hidden away in the basement. Times have changed.
Most century homes have smaller footprints than the newer builds going up today. One feasible way to get that “dream Island” seen on Instagram, is by taking out walls. Creating an open concept also helps keep an eye on little ones. The downfall is the mess you can see, which is why we are always maximizing hidden storage in our kitchens.
Home Entertainment has changed
For centuries, people have cooked and prepared food for more than just sustenance. Kitchens nowadays, also tend to be a hub where people congregate and socialize.
Food and drink are popular ways to commune with each other and now that we’ve taken down all the walls to fit the “dream Island,” we now have something to display our food on, and a piece of furniture to congregate around.
Arched Openings!
Arched openings historically are associated with Mediterranean style homes. The arched doorway has several other wonderful qualities as well though which make it a popular choice today.
It's shape adds an element of grandeur and can make a smaller footprint appear larger. Arched doorways also make a statement visually in a classic setting. With all the straight lines that typically structure a room, such as Fireplaces, Pillars and walls, an arched walkway is a welcome counterbalance.
Home Offices!
This trend is more of a necessity because of our current circumstance!
Our image of a "regular job" where you have to physically go to a building to work, is a thing of the past. Many people are working from home and people have realized the efficiency of doing so. If you can accomplish more, without the hassle of rush hour traffic, home offices may be a trend that’s here to stay.
Staycation!
People have been spending more time at home than any of us ever planned. As a result, people are making changes to their homes to make it a place that’s not only comfortable to live in, but a fun place to be. Popular modifications we’ve seen as of late, have been basement underpinning and renovating, additions and backyard renovations. From basement theatre rooms to pools and/or a garden oasis’, it's common that families are spending their yearly vacation dollars on making their homes a perfect place for a staycation.
Are you or someone you know looking to spruce up their space this year? If so feel free to reach out anytime, we're a full service design and build agency out of the Oakville, ON area!
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