Art begets design begets fashion begets trends. And technology lubricates in the process. No example betters this than the Bauhaus School of Art founded in 1919 in Germany. Its influence on trends is as alive today as it ever was. The Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Miles van der Rohe exemplifies the beauty of the marriage between form and function. Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinski were on the staff; founder Walter Gropius was a celebrated architect who also created the Gropius door handle.
Bauhaus is famous for its diversification of ideas as well as its social responsibilities: it has had a lasting influence over art, architecture, graphic designs, interior designs, typography and a host of industrial designs that were mass-produced for the home. Unlike most of the institutions of the time, it recognised the equality of women many of whom left their mark on colour theory, textiles, painting, photography, theatre design, metalworking and more.
Sadly, the original Bauhaus did not survive the repressive Nazi regime but its influence on trends in fashion and design still flourishes.
The top interior designers will tell you, trends are many-paced: in the world of fashion, it is fickle and changes almost daily. The arrival of the Jumbo Jet a seismic change in holiday trends. America became affordable, a new short-haul destination. In Auckland, New Zealand America’s Cup races have started. There are unpowered, belief-defying flying machines (so-called yachts) skimming seemingly weightless above the water at 40 knots into an 8-knot breeze – this is technology feeding the greed of a trend still in its infancy. In the home, developments have proceeded at a more stately pace driven by both technology and social change. Contrast the kitchen of the fifties with the way they are now integrated into the living space: once a backroom out-of-bounds to visitors, now to be shown off and admired!
Circumstances to have played a leading role through the current period of lockdown. 2020 was a difficult, and certainly different, year for most. People confined indoors took a more critical look at their homes and, once more, trend inspired a big increase in home improvement. And, not just in light and shade but finding a better use of space.
So what are the top home decor trends on the horizon this 2021?
Functional Spaces
Have you heard of a ‘cloffice’? It is a portmanteau word combing closet and office; a place to work for the stay-at-home executive or a child prevented from attending school.
Almost 50% of the UK’s population worked from home in 2020, so in 2021, homes are being reimagined and the trend is to make rooms better adapted to working at home.
The search is on for the more efficient use of space introducing room dividers to wall desks.
Pinterest’s predicts report notes an increase in the search term ‘cloffice ideas’. Watch this space for more DIY home decor ideas like this.
The highs and glows of colour
Here’s another word that has invaded our conscience: Japandi. It is a cross-breed between Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian chic. It has been traced back to the fifties but the trend is rampant now due to its relevance in our new confined style of living. Check the BBC article.
Fresh and colourful though Japandi is, there is another trend competing for our attention but a lot less subtle, more adolescent, or iridescent, if you like. Neon signs that add a pop of colour. They help shift day to night and easily change the ambience of a multi-purpose room. Pinterest predicts Generation Z will focus on this trend. Bold prints and paint colours are a part of this. Plus, they make an excellent backdrop for a work video call (unless you have successfully worked out the virtual Zoom backgrounds!)
Environmentally friendly paint?
Who would have thought paint could be environmentally friendly. Well, Phil Robinson, a musician who had toured the world, came up with the idea in 2007 and turned it into a very successful reality. As a home decorator, he is inspirational as you will agree. His painters in London has many bold colours to browse through, and all his interior colours are eco-friendly.
Etsy also reports a 134% increase in searches for light and sky-blue products. It’s a back to nature where we invite Nature to come indoors. There are countless homes where the back of the house has had the brickwork removed in favour of fold-away glass doors to let the light and the garden in.
Taking the Floor
Another trend towards Nature has been the growth of natural wood flooring at the expense of carpeting. Go back 100 years and most floors in domestic housing were of Pinewood planks. Pine is a softwood that was cheap to buy and install. It was taken for granted the floors would be covered in carpets and rugs.
Along comes technology and a new trend is born and Tim Hobern, founder and director of HS Wood Flooring reports:
“We have been in business for eight years and seen great changes: a greater choice of hardwood types; engineered patterns provided more robust forms of parquet; processing and colourants offer unlimited colour and texture variants.”
Wood flooring is the perfect place to plan your next makeover. You can work with colour and texture. Comfort can come with a lighter shade for a Japandi look or choose the vibrance of neon! It’s all possible. The pattern of wood flooring also can completely shift the focus of the room. And, these days, new floors use environmentally sustainable timber and old floors can be revived to look like new thus saving a tree. We owe so much to the Forest Stewardship Council.
Home Decor for 2021
The home decor trends for 2021 are about feeling comfortable and more connected to your space. Whether you want to renovate or add some DIY home decor, there are many home decor ideas for you to try!
Not sure where to begin? Start from the ground up! If you are interested in learning more about our wood floor fitting services, get in touch.
