Home decor trends are changing faster than ever. In decades past, people would decorate their homes every 10 or 20 years. Now it seems like it’s time for a refresh every year or two. It doesn’t mean we should abandon our decorating style every time there’s a new home decorating trend. Stick to your own style and pick and choose a few small ways to update your home each year to keep things feeling fresh and current.
What trends are we seeing this year? Is the farmhouse trend going out of style? What about green walls? Read on to learn more about what’s trending in 2022.
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Home Decor Trends – Kitchen
Freestanding Cabinetry
In the British kitchen, freestanding cabinetry is common. This cabinetry stands on feet rather than being attached to the wall. Despite being timeless across the pond, the look has become increasingly popular here in the U.S. as well.
The nice thing about freestanding cabinets, is they are easy to install and easy to move. This way when you’re trying to clean up any spills or messes, you have more flexibility in cleaning around your cabinets.
No Upper Cabinets
Up until about 2018, upper cabinets in the kitchen were just a given. There were lower cabinets, and then there were upper cabinets.
Then the influencers on Instagram and Pinterest switched from upper cabinets to open shelving. And now there seems to be no shelving at all (I must say, I love this look btw.) You can hang art or windows on walls that aren’t filled with cabinets or shelves!
Dark Cabinets
Over the last few years, color has slowly crept back into kitchens. Starting with contrasting islands in all-white kitchens or gray cabinets instead of white, cabinets are now drenched in saturated colors. While moody blues have been a big hit, dark greens and even black have become the “it” color this past year.
Wood Cabinets
One of the other significant kitchen cabinet design trends is the reintroduction of wood tones. In the 2010s, wood tones were a no-no because we had PTSD from the nasty wood cabinets of the 1990s, but in the 2020s, they’re back. The glazed oak cabinets from 2005 are, in fact, still out (and will be forever, hopefully). In place of these are rough-hewn, rich, natural-looking woods. Especially beautiful are wood grain cabinets paired with white marble counters and aged brass or bronze hardware.
Black Countertops
In keeping with the moodier kitchen design trend, black stone countertops have also become very popular. You’ve probably already seen them popping up around Instagram, and I expect that trend to continue throughout the next few years.
Range Hoods in Materials Other Than Metal
Plaster or plaster-looking range hoods emerged as a major trend in 2020, part of a move toward more organic design forms throughout the home, particularly in the kitchen. Similar effects can be achieved with plastered wood or white-painted wood.
Home Decor Trends – Living Space
Second-Hand
There are many reasons why secondhand, vintage, and antique furnishings are big. First of all, there are problems with supply chains worldwide, which means that everything (especially furniture) is challenging to obtain and takes forever to ship. If you’ve tried to order a sofa, you know that lead times are generally 4-6 months. You can solve a lot of these issues by purchasing secondhand.
Aside from alleviating supply chain problems, secondhand furniture is also more eco-friendly and sustainable. There is already so much stuff in the world; why not repurpose it or give it a new lease on life instead of buying something new?
With Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, etc., it’s now easier than ever to find pre-loved and vintage pieces.
80s Decor? Yes.
It’s back to ’80s decor! (Don’t worry, it’s not tacky this time around.) As an antidote to the midcentury modernism ad nauseam of the past decade, chunky, rounded, geometric 80s furniture designs are emerging. (Which is precisely what happened in the 1980s: after the midcentury modern craze in the 1950s-1970s, the bold Memphis style took over in the 1980s and early 1990s.)
I’ve seen this new ’80s-inspired furniture paired with organic pieces like oversized pottery, primitive accent pieces, and earthy colors, and the result is very chic. Additionally, it pairs well with some of those midcentury pieces you undoubtedly have around you right now.
Cane & Rattan
Rattan and cane have been having a moment for a couple of years now, but I’m betting they will be one of the more prominent home decor trends in the next year or two. The look is both classic and versatile, as it can read traditional, coastal, bohemian, and modern all at the same time. You’ll probably find a half-dozen cane or rattan options at your favorite home decor store: chairs, beds, settees, stools, benches. It’s everywhere.
