2022 Interior Design Trends

Miles and Kirk Design LLC | Ryan Kirk Kopet

Good design can actually help you live better. The current push to create warm, livable, and worry-free spaces is very much in line with our design theory. While beautiful for guests, designs should withstand the test of time, both stylistically and in performance. Design should make you feel good! Softer lines in sofas and chairs were huge at this spring’s High Point market, adding a warm femininity. Current popular fabric trends reinforce what we are seeing from our clients – performance is king! Being able to clean your fabrics, or in some cases, even bleach them, has opened up the ability to use velvets and linens without worry. In the dining room, we are seeing great opportunities for cozy conversation with many new selections in gorgeous round dining tables.  

Kimberly Varner Interior Design | Kimberly Varner, ASID

As many current factors have increased the amount of time spent at home, client design renovation interests have also shifted to focus accordingly – my clients are looking to expand their living spaces and incorporate bright, light-filled kitchens that will connect them with the outdoors. One way to design a brighter kitchen space is to add plenty of windows that stream in long banks of natural light. Adding comfort, maximizing storage, and improving overall home efficiency are musts moving into the future. A casual, layered look is also gaining popularity. Layered design keeps the eye moving and creates visual texture, pulling spaces together in a fresh, relaxed way.

Henson-Hinck Designs | Garrett Henson-Hinck

In the third consecutive year of a global pandemic, it is no surprise that trends in interior design are again focused on making us feel emotionally at ease. Open-concept floor plans are giving way to more traditional, divided, and cozy spaces that are multipurpose. We are also seeing the use of colors that are bright, joyful, and give people a smile. Finishes, furnishings, and fixtures that are highly durable and timeless lead in our final selections. A common thread among our clients is the goal to create interiors that are welcoming, tailored, and can stand the test of time, both stylistically and functionally.

Gretchen Ruvo Designs | Gretchen Ruvo

A design trend that I consider to be current and timeless is adding a pop of green to a space. Live plants are always preferred, but some spaces don’t have enough natural light for them to survive. A great way to bypass that is using preserved greenery. In the past, boxwood was the go-to in preserved greenery. Today, other options are preserved moss and magnolia leaves. They are all a great way to experience the beauty of nature and a live, green appearance. The only maintenance that preserved greenery requires is to be misted with water once a month and kept out of direct sunlight to maintain its beautiful, lush green appearance.

Frost Designs, Inc. | Lindsey Frost

Over the past two years, many people had to convert their master bedrooms into hard-working home offices during the pandemic. This year, we are seeing people longing to update their master bedrooms by creating a retreat that is decluttered, calming, and comfortable. Soothing color palettes, layered fabrics of varied textures, and moody lighting are priorities in creating one’s retreat. Tufted headboards, thick, woven wool rugs and throws, and plush luxury bedding are investments that are worth making. Create calm by clearing your nightstand off and moving charging stations to the closet where distractions are limited. Finally, let all the light in! Natural light is good for the soul, evoking a sense of serenity. Just don’t forget the blackout lining, which will ensure a solid night’s sleep!

Yessick’s Design Center | Marsha Yessick, ASID, NCIDQ

Our homes are the background of our lives in the new normal that now exists. This shift in lifestyle has influenced the desire for new trends! There is now a balance of practical and pretty. Textiles are not only colorful again, but durable and often stain-resistant. I recently attended many markets across the country and saw bursts of color, from nature’s greens and yellows to earthy browns and sky blues. There is also a trend toward fresh and feminized design with scallops on fabrics, drapery trims and tapes, and lampshades. Simple pleated panels installed on thin French rods, attached to rings, create stylish and unfussy treatments. Upholstered headboards remain popular, often wood-trimmed, in various and unique finishes. Sectional sofas with colorful pillows and swivel chairs, with a hint of midcentury, gain in popularity. Wallcovering is not to be missed! It captivates us with geometric designs and global scenes.

Southern Lighting | Beth Benson

Black and brass are the most popular finishes in 2022 – mixing these finishes throughout your home creates a beautiful design and adds flow. The timeless look of geometric and symmetrical lines is still very popular. These clean lines create an open, spacious look without distraction. Since geometric and symmetrical designs balance each other out, a fixture can become the focal point of a room or complement the design. Modern, clean lines can be used in any room, whether it is a kitchen, family room, or bedroom. They can create a wonderful statement piece when used overhead, providing a simple yet bold look. Even the addition of a reading lamp or accent piece can refresh the look of a room, as clean lines blend well with most décor.

Dwell Designed Construction | Julie Bledsoe

New trends seem to be emerging faster than ever. One trend that I have been incorporating in my work is the use of curved edges. Adding curvature to a space can add a sense of formality and softness, whether it be through furnishings, décor, arched doorways, decorative tile, or rounded trim work. I have also seen a push for the incorporation of more organic materials and earthy tones by utilizing natural textures and warm color palettes. I have found myself mixing in greens, creams, beiges, and even browns, as they have slowly made their way back into style. A trend that I expect to become popular soon is the use of bold colors and patterns. We will start to see a move away from minimalism, white walls, and airy spaces, and a move toward layering more colors and patterns into a space.

Juliet Braly Interior Design | Juliet Braly

White kitchens are still a top-seller, but we’re seeing softer tones of white that drift toward gray, taupe, and mushroom. Greens are becoming more desirable as well … from emerald to bay leaf and everywhere in between. We’re also seeing more natural wood tones in soft, warm browns and the gray tones of driftwood and sand. Nearly every island that incorporates seating is a one-level island, and the overhang is cantilevered without any visible side supports. Mixed metals are still making strong appearances. Lighting, pulls and knobs, appliances, and plumbing fixtures do not necessarily need to match each other, nor the architectural hardware in the space. Customers tend to favor classic painted cabinet finishes rather than glazed finishes. Stained finishes are a single tone, which highlights the character of the wood. Rather than opting for a quiet grained wood, some are going for more figured woods like hickory, cherry, or quarter-sawn oak.

Nell’s Home, Gifts, & Interior Design | Alli Snider

Wallpaper has become a staple trend in our designs. Our clients want to be bolder and showcase their personalities through different spaces in their homes. From an elegant dining room to a playful laundry or powder room, wallpaper allows us to create a completely unique space for each of our clients. Adding dimension with a neutral grasscloth or creating a focal point with a botanical pattern, we are incorporating wallpaper in almost every room!

Mango’s Décor & Co. | Kristy Steele

Many homes are being transformed to create pockets of privacy within open-concept architecture. By filling these areas with warm comfort, through lighting, textiles, and colors, they may also serve as wonderful gathering spots for friends and family. Moreover, the new trend to design with warm, natural tones will bring a peaceful sense of coziness to any room. Inspiration for a 2022 color palette can be found just outside your door. Earthy browns, deep greens, wood tones, and soft golds are perfect for a fresh look and feel in any home. For those who want to ease into a new look, adding accessories in earth tones to your existing décor is a great start.

Fowler Brothers Co. | Carter Fowler

One of the most important trends today is the use of fun colors and different textiles in upholstery as accents. We continue to use many neutral tones of white, gray, and natural colors as the primary fabrics in a room, but accented with greens, blues, and blush tones of coral and pink. Mixing textures and velvets is also an important part of this trend. Performance fabrics such as Crypton, Revolution, and Sunbrella continue to be important to our clients as homes today must be both beautiful and livable for busy families. The designs are an updated traditional, with many modern pieces becoming more important. Due to increased demand in the home furniture and design industry, many factories are taking longer to make custom furniture. This has retrained the consumer to realize that it is a luxury to get exactly what you want, and well worth the wait.

Total Concepts Furniture/Dimension Designs, Inc. | Chris Stephens, ASID, NCIDQ

Open-concept spaces are being separated by large spans of glass, cased in French doors and double barn doors. This creates quiet rooms where you can be apart from other family members, but still feel together! They also allow natural light to flow throughout a space. The kitchen island has become the hub of the home. It’s now where we prep meals, do homework, make crafts, and more. Islands are outsizing formal dining room tables, and quartz has been a leading countertop material thanks to its virtual indestructibility. People are also craving comfort and are looking to make their homes their own personal sanctuaries. To help this happen, colors of nature are coming inside. Curved and organic shapes are coming to the forefront, and pops of colors are being added with textiles and artwork.

Projekt Design | Tamara Simonsen

Let there be color in 2022, in both fashion and décor. These industries tend to parallel one another. If you look on the fashion runway, you see colorful prints, tartan-style plaids, and jewel tones making a resurgence. This same vision is portrayed through upholstery and wallpaper in the design industry. Though large great rooms and kitchens continue to be common gathering spaces, cozy nooks, such as a library or meditation room, seem to be musts for clients building new homes. These small spaces trend toward décor with whimsical patterns and vintage accessories to create interest. For the do-it-yourself enthusiast, when trying to update your favorite little corner in your home, consider taking a visit to the local antique mall. Enjoy treasure hunting to find that unique accessory or piece of furniture. Update your quirky piece in a fun, more unpredictable upholstery, and enjoy some “you time” in your new, welcoming space.

Buckingham Drive Interior Designs | Nancy Waddell

I’m seeing four major trends in interior design right now: 1) A vintage-traditional look is gaining strength but is lighter and brighter than in the past and includes mixing old and new pieces. Nostalgia is very much alive and well in interior design. 2) Global and tropical themes are very popular and are using elements such as wicker, pottery, tropical plants, and decorative objects we’ve collected on our travels. White walls and trim are the standard backdrop here. 3) Deep, rich, saturated colors – in vibrant and unusual color combinations such as red, orange, and magenta or peacock and citron – are showing up in fabrics, paint, furniture, and wallpaper. 4) Finally, people are looking to simplify their lives and make them more convenient and are seeking out organization to make that happen. I see more homeowners dedicated to editing out clutter, only keeping the most important furnishings and possessions.

Wheeler Lewis Designs | Wheeler Lewis

In 2022, people are finally getting back to entertaining. While we were staying home over the last couple of years, we’ve all started ongoing projects to update and improve the functionality and look of our spaces. Now, we’re ready to share it with friends and family. Warm neutrals have officially replaced cool grays, a transformation from a cold, sterile feeling to calm and cozy creams and khakis. The trend that I hope everyone latches onto is buying what you love. Never mind what other people are doing – when we invest in what we really want, we invest in ourselves. In the words of William Morris: “Have nothing in your house for which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

featherlane design co. llc | Cassie Courtney

Trending in 2022 is a new appreciation of unique architectural details. Especially in new construction, people are looking to add character and interest without leaning on décor and furniture. Instead, they are getting more and more creative with architectural interest in their spaces. Trim is transitioning from simpler styles to something more ornate, and it’s also being used to create the look of panels. Thresholds from one room to another are seeing arched doorways and more ornamental door frames, while chair rails are being used to break up expansive walls. This move from simple finishes to more complex details allows homeowners more freedom in creating a style that is unique to them.