Top 5 Design Trends for Your Home in the New Decade

Originally Posted on 3/12/2020

Whether you are thinking about a complete renovation or just refreshing your home, it is essential to stay up-to-date on the most recent trends in home design. Sellers who have made current and tasteful improvements will generate more interest from buyers and often sell at a higher price. As a buyer, you should consider if any features of a home you are contemplating would need updating now or in the immediate future. If there are, these renovation costs should be included in your budget.

Even if you don't have any plans to sell in the immediate future, always be careful when selecting materials, colors, and finishes when decorating or remodeling. Unpopular or highly personal choices can quickly reduce your home's value or make it harder to sell. Overly trendy or out of date elements can feel dated.

To help, we've taken a look at five of the hottest design trends for your home. These trends will not all work well in every home. If you are planning to list or renovate your home, call us. We can help maximize the value of your investment and realize your vision. Likewise, if you're thinking about buying a home, give us a call. We can also help you maximize your investment while realizing your vision when purchasing a home.

Sustainability is HOT - Fast and Cheap, not so much!

As consumers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious, many move away from mass-produced, cheap furniture, moving toward higher quality furniture that is built to last. The availability of eco-friendly and non-toxic furniture and decor items is expected to increase in the next decade.

Similarly, there is a noticeable shift to a higher degree of individuality in interior design. Rather than tagging along with the latest fad, many homeowners embrace their personal taste and use items that will "spark joy" (like Marie Kondo) for a very long time.

Are you interested in learning more about Marie Kondo and her world-famous organization method? Contact us for a free copy of the report "Top 6 Home Organization Upgrades That 'Spark Joy' for Buyers." The report shows you how applying her methods may increase the value of your home.

When incorporating this trend, it is recommended to layer old and new pieces for a more curated look that you can develop over time. Rather than purchasing matching sets, you should buy one or two individual and sustainable (and sustainably sourced) pieces that will complement and enhance what you already have. Good sources for well-built furniture and decor items are estate sales and Craigslist. Look for vintage classics or well-built furniture that can be refinished. When accessorizing a room, mixing sentimental items and newer finds can create a truly personalized space.

"Hygge" is IN- Cold OUT!

The cool gray tones, industrial rough, and modern design is out. In the new decade, designers are using texture, color, and shape to create warm and cozy living spaces.

For more than a decade, gray has been a dominating color. In 2020 and beyond, be prepared for warmer neutral, earthy tones combined with shades of green and blue inspired by nature. The friendly metals, such as warm brass and gold, will also continue to dominate. Your hardwood floors will even heat up. Cool gray and whitewashed shades fade away. Instead, you'll see an increase in classic richer and darker tones, like walnut, mahogany, and oak.

The furniture you find in stores in 2020 will also change, it will be cozier and most likely curvier. From oval dining tables with curvy-backed chairs to rounder sofas, softer angles are dominating furniture design. Designers are also expecting velvet, mohair, and other soft-textured fabrics to dominate, as we all try to add a touch of "hygge" to our homes. "Hygge" is the Danish concept of calming comfort that is spreading throughout the western world.

Add a touch of warmth and hygge with some of these top paint colors. Benjamin Moore's First Light (soft pink), Sherwin Williams's Naval (vibrant blue), or Behr's Back to Nature (light green).

Be Bold - Kick out Boring

I've got news for you: You can be bold again! Vivid prints and colors are back in 2020 after many years of bland overload. Color blocking, floral and botanical patterns as well geometric designs will appear on everything from rugs to pillows to your wallpaper. Yes, the wallpaper will be back to allow for boldness to appear on your walls.

Bold trims and ceilings are hot trends in interior paint. High-contrasts painting work, such as white walls with black trim as well as entirely monochromatic rooms (walls, ceilings, and trim painted the same color), will be big this decade. Your kitchen is moving out of blandness, too. Two-toned color schemes will increasingly dominate kitchen design. Last year, 2019, few remodelers chose a contrasting color for their kitchen island.1 The top choice for kitchen cabinets was still white, but gray and blue tones are becoming increasingly more popular alternatives.

Ready to be bold? An excellent place to start is your laundry or powder rooms. These rooms are separated from the rest of your home, so when you try a bright wall color or a "busy" wallpaper, it doesn't need to flow with the rest of your decor.

Naturally, sellers want to know how the value of their homes is affected by their design choices. Your safest bet when it comes to resale is still to stick with more neutral finishes. So when preparing your home for sale, try to stick with artwork, accessories, and other non-permanent items when brightening your space.

In with Nature - Out with Industrial Design

"Biophilic design" has been relatively big during the past few seasons, and it is definitely not disappearing in 2020. Biophilic design is promoting the health and wellness benefits of connecting with nature, even while indoors, and it's impacted the latest trends in color, prints, and materials.

As previously mentioned, nature-inspired color tones, such as blue, green, and earth tones, are hot right now, as well as botanical and floral shapes. Organic shapes in sustainable materials like wood, wicker, jute, rattan, and other durable materials are gaining pace in furniture design. As we are moving toward nature-infused design ideas, we will see a decline in the popularity of urban-industrial fixtures. Concrete floors and Edison lights may soon be a thing of the past, according to designers.

Do you want to introduce biophilic design in your home on a budget? Bringing in houseplants is an excellent place to start. Removing heavy curtains and blinds will bring in more natural light and create a direct line of sight to the outdoors. Open your windows when the weather is beautiful, so you can enjoy the sounds and smells of nature and get a refreshing breeze in your home. Most of these things will cost you next to nothing and are scientifically proven to help reduce stress, boost cognitive performance, and enhance your mood!²

Functional Homes - Not Fuzzy Homes

In the new decade, homeowners are looking for a liveable and beautiful design. As more people are working remotely, shopping online, and attending virtual classes, more time is spent at home than ever before. Hence the growing need for multi-functional rooms, like a kitchen/office or gym/playroom. Rising house prices and real-life call for creative use of limited space.

Low maintenance and durability are other things that are high on the homeowner's wishlist. Engineered quartz, a more heat, stain, and chip-resistant material than natural stone, is now the no 1 choice for kitchen countertops.1 Wood-look luxury vinyl, which is waterproof and easy to maintain, is the fastest-growing segment in the flooring industry.3 Improvements to stain-resistant and waterproof fabrics have made it a preferred option for both indoor and outdoor upholstery.

So what is out? According to designers, mirrored furniture, open shelving, and all-white kitchens have all been deemed too impractical for the busy families of today.

Do you want to implement the time and energy-saving benefits of these design trends? If so, begin by rearranging each room so that they best suit your needs. Look for durable materials and easy-to-clean surfaces when buying new furniture and fixtures. At the end of the day, design trends come and go. A home that is comfortable and relaxed, and one that you don't have to spend every waking hour maintaining, can create memories that'll last a lifetime.

DESIGN TO SELL

Are you thinking about remodeling in 2020 and wanting to find out which upgrades could best impact the value of your home? Buyer preferences vary significantly by neighborhood as well as price range. Call us so we can share our insights and provide tips on how to maximize your return on the investment. And if you're in the market to sell, we can run a Comparative Market Analysis on your home to find out how it compares to other homes in your area. Contact us to schedule a free consultation!

Sources:

• Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/magazine/2020-u-s-houzz-kitchen-trends-study-stsetivw-vs~129594531
• Terrapin Bright Green - https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/
• Remodeling Magazine - https://www.remodeling.hw.net/products/vinyl-ceramic-and-hardwood-oh-my-todays-popular-flooring-trends_o
• Elle Decor - https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/g29859422/design-trends-2020/?slide=1
• Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/sites/amandalauren/2019/12/23/twelve-interior-design-trends-well-see-in-2020/#43f81f044a5f
• Wall Street Journal - https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-top-6-interior-design-trends-for-2020-11577460357
• Good Housekeeping - https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/decorating-ideas/g29849170/home-decor-trends-2020/
• Architectural Digest - https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/top-design-trends-of-2020
• Los Angeles Times - https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-01-11/2020-home-design-trends