Like great love stories, great interiors can stand the test of time. However, out in the big world, full of tempting new influences, technology, and culture, we risk being swept off our feet by the next new trend to come along. Sometimes we adopt them as they seem exciting, but they can quickly give you the ick. Here are our hot takes on which interior design fads you may need to break up with this year.
The All-White Kitchen
Although the all-white kitchen has proven to be a popular choice for many years, it is slowly starting to lose its appeal. Instead, designers are opting for more colourful and diverse kitchens that embrace high textures and materials. Gone are the days when homeowners looked for that modern kitchen that could sometimes lack personality and warmth. Instead, we’re seeing a rise in softer modern kitchens where contrast is key, and layers and textures are being used to warm up spaces. Cream, taupe, and warmer woods are replacing the all-white interior to balance the kitchen and create a cosier space.
Matchy-Matchy Interiors
The era of meticulously coordinated furniture is a thing of the past; today, individuals seek to express their individuality through their interior design decisions. A perfectly matched interior can become mundane and uninteresting over time, while mixing and matching various elements can cultivate a more vibrant and visually appealing scheme. People now yearn for greater diversity in their living spaces, giving rise to the increasing popularity of eclectic and mixed styles.
Exaggerated Minimalism
While minimalism is still very much a trend, the extreme form that strips spaces of all personality and comfort is falling out of favour. People are seeking to balance both simplicity and warmth in their interiors. In some cases, exaggerated minimalism can prioritise aesthetics over functionality, and since practicality and comfort are important considerations in interior design, overly minimalistic spaces may not serve clients effectively.
Vintage Decorative Signs
“Live, Laugh, Love” is on its way out as we enter the new year. Word art became a popular and inexpensive way to make a house a home. The wooden cut-out words like ‘Dream,’ ‘Blessed,’ and ‘Family’ conveyed positive and uplifting statements that served as daily reminders to focus on the joyful and meaningful aspects of life, which many people found appealing. However, there has been a shift away from these decorative signs. Instead, there is an increasing popularity in the use of nature and natural elements in interior design art that aligns with sustainability and biophilia trends that are constantly gaining popularity.
Open Concept Living
The open floor plan, which involves combining multiple rooms into one large living space, has recently been declining in popularity, while partition walls and room dividers are now making a comeback. Although having an open-plan living space can give us the illusion of added space and occasionally a more visually pleasing entertaining area, having defined or separate rooms within the home can, on the other hand, provide a sense of cosiness and differentiation of various functions. As our homes have become more versatile in function (due to the increasing popularity of remote working and the desire for multifunctional spaces), it is proving to be quite challenging to create distinct zones within an open concept layout.
Throughout 2024, we will see a departure from clichéd word art and a move towards more sustainable and nature-inspired elements. This shift underscores the enduring appeal of balancing simplicity and warmth, aesthetics, and functionality, enabling people to create spaces that authentically resonate with their values and personalities.
What interior trends are you excited to dump this year?
