2022 DESIGN TRENDS: OUR GUIDE TO WHAT'S IN STORE FOR HOME DECOR NEXT YEAR

It's the middle of November, and your thoughts are probably turning to putting your feet up for Christmas. But with the new year just six weeks off, it's also natural and exciting to look forward to new beginnings, so what better time to start thinking about your decor for 2022?
 

To help you make a start, and to ensure the homes of Tooting, Balham and Streatham look and feel the part, I've been scouring the media for the latest trends and comments from home decoration experts. From putting it all together, it's clear that 2022's watchword is evolution rather than revolution.

So many of us sunk our energies into improving our homes during lockdown and beyond, so instead of drastic changes, there's a focus on subtly merging vintage, natural and zen elements with a deft updating of timeless classics.

This means good news for everyone: whatever your taste, 2022 has a trend to fit.

So, whether you're getting ready to sell, planning the decor for your next home, or simply looking for a new look, read on for 2022's key design developments to be up-to-date and thoroughly on-trend.

A RETURN TO NATURE

If you struggle with being too neat, but you're not over-keen on clutter, you'll be glad that hard-line minimal and maximal style are both set for a softer tone. For 2022, instead of trying too hard, there's a move towards a gentler, easier and relaxed authenticity with a fresh and breezy colour palette of natural colours to reflect an optimistic return to normal.

Rustic vogue broke through this year with its stylish updating of cottagecore and modern farmhouse for a universal audience. Neither too country nor too urban, the look emerged from people moving out of town, but with a spark of city-style brought along for the ride.

Bringing in the zen are curves, organic shapes and floating surfaces that focus on longer sightlines and seeing more of the floor. Think shelves (instead of bookcases) with invisible fixings; tables and chairs with stem-like legs; wall-mounted sideboards; and elevated pot plants in slender stands.

2022's COLOURS OF THE YEAR

With everyone rediscovering nature and feeling blessed to get outdoors, it's little wonder that 2022's colours of the year reflect the natural world and the feeling of a fresh start.

-    At Dulux, Bright Skies is an airy light blue chosen to capture the optimism and desire for a fresh start. Instead of feeling shut inside, the colour reflects the ultimate sense of being outdoors.

-    Over at Benjamin Moore, October Mist 1945 is a gentle and soft sage green. It's a colour that feels like being wrapped in nature, and it's equally at home in traditional and contemporary rooms.

-    Never knowingly usurped, Farrow & Ball has no less than five colour predictions for next year. Among them, you'll find the vibrance of yellow mustard fields reflected in Babouche, while the warm and gentle Schoolhouse White goes anywhere with anything, or even on its own.

Where would you use them? How about a sunny yellow dining kitchen to set the tone for a vibrant centre of the home, a calming sage green for a soothing bedroom and comfy living space, or a refreshing welcome home from a pale blue hall?

And those soft whites? Well, anywhere really, but particularly great in bathrooms when paired with natural tiles and accessories.

STYLISH SUSTAINABILITY

Hot on the heels of COP26, the emphasis on sustainability continues the trend of recent years.

If you've ever moved home with a flatpack chest of drawers or wardrobe, you'll know how they're only truly happy when you leave them where they are. To escape the cycle of buying again and again, the move is toward what might be called "proper furniture" – intentional purchases that stand the test of time and bring continued enjoyment, no matter how many times you up sticks.

How might that look? Well, if you're in the market for a new sofa, think of those 1970s Danish couches with rich leather upholstery and simple, clean lines. Or, if you're buying new, picture a classic chesterfield, redressed in opulent velvet and given streamlined modernity by removing the buttons.

Could this affect our relationship with fast furniture in favour of longer-lasting and timeless pieces? And will the likes of IKEA widen their focus to include durability as well as design?

ACCESSORIES & TEXTILES

If you're simply not up for decorating or major purchases, a few chosen accessories can transform everything from the corner of a room to your entire home. (Not to mention the health benefits of a day's retail therapy!)

The return of velvet adds a sumptuous dash of tactile style, from couches, curtains and cushions, and onto headboards & throws. You need only visit the Habitat aisle at Sainsbury's to see what's in store, with the Agra collection giving a clear signal of the trend.  Wherever velvet goes, glamour follows.

Elsewhere around the home, handmade and artisan wares are more popular than ever, particularly with sites like Etsy giving rise to cottage industries around the globe. Timber trays and organisers, clay pots and vases, leather footstools and woven bedspreads all play their part in a natural, organic style.

And if you've admired loft-living from afar but found it slightly too rugged or raw, you're in luck. From John Lewis to B&Q, refined industrial lighting is very much in vogue, from polished metal fittings in brass and steel to vintage Edison bulbs shedding your home in their softly golden glow.

BETTER HOME WORKSPACES

Working from home is different for everyone, but one thing's for sure: there's a move away from temporary, makeshift solutions. It's time to give yourself space!

Multi-functional spaces are not the answer to everything, particularly when your work involves video calls, visits from clients or deep concentration. If you do need an office at home, the most important thing is to have a space that truly works for you. Consider these five elements for the right combination of functionality, practicality, and style.

Location: Your workspace should nurture a healthy business, mindset and homelife. Where can you work happily and undisturbed, then shut off when you're done? If your home is quiet during the day, that space could be in the hall or on the landing. But if your household is active while you work, find a place to hide. A lesser-used bedroom, an under-utilised loft, or perhaps a cabin in the garden?

Equipment: Think about what you need to work efficiently and comfortably. A proper, ergonomic chair is essential – you only get one back!

Storage: Organisation doesn't have to mean hidden away. Think about what inspires you to work: open shelves where everything's in reach, or everything in cupboards for a feeling of peace?

Colour: The consensus among interior designers is to go for subtle blues, greens and whites. Very conveniently, they fit perfectly into 2022's colour palette.

Styling: Welcoming and unfussy. Pictures on plain walls; a rug for a cosy acoustic; plants to freshen the air.

Final words

So, there you have it. A roundup of 2022's key design trends for a striking start to the new year at home. Are you feeling inspired?

If you'd like any advice on the best ways to style and decorate your home to get it ready for sale, why not get in touch? Call for a chat on 07940 546 190  or drop me a line at chuk@tootingestateagent.co.uk-I'm here to help you get things righ