Three months into 2021 we're seeing new interior design trends emerge as well as classic styles sticking around. We’ve been loving watching new trends grow and change this year – and we’re excited to see what comes next.
Whether you’re looking to build a new prefab modular home, or refurbishing your existing home interiors, getting a pulse check on new interior trends can provide ideas and inspiration for your own home's interior style.
So we reached out to the experts to give us the lowdown on the best interior design trends for 2021. From the colour trends of the year to sustainable design trends you’ll want to keep an eye out for: we’ve covered all interior design bases.
Interior design trends the experts are loving
2021 has brought with it a number of new interior design trends: like new styles of furniture and ways of making ‘work from home’ work for you. Let’s take a look at the interior design trends that matter this year.
Beaumont Tiles design specialist Christie Wood says, ‘2021 is celebrated as the year of wellness, emphasising clean indoor environments and the well-being that comes from being connected to nature outside.’
1. Go bold with statement furniture
It’s out with cookie-cutter furniture and in with statement furniture that reflects your individual design preferences. Interior stylist and product designer Sarah Ellison says, ‘with their sculptural and architectural references, ‘statement’ furniture is becoming the starting point for every interior designer's mood board.’
Express yourself with statement pieces. Sarah Ellison 'Earth' dining table and 'Arch' dining chairs.
‘We will be seeing a lot more of them in 2021 as consumers try and tell their unique story through the use of bold and progressive design.’
So don’t be afraid to find furniture that expresses you. Sarah says we’ll be seeing statement furniture ‘with a strong focus on form, in materials such as carved stone, timber, glass and marble.’
Ecoliv pro tip: Consider the materials and manufacturing process of furniture you purchase in an effort to make a more sustainable choice. Some sustainable materials include timber sourced from responsibly managed forests, recycled plastic and glass, or bamboo. Ensure you look at where the materials were sourced from, and what paints or finishes have been used to create the final product.
Reflecting nature with organic, curved shapes. Wareeny Display located at The Cape, Cape Paterson Victoria.
2. Reflect nature with organic, curved shapes
‘Found in everything from coffee tables to upholstery we are seeing the come-back of fluid forms and shapes in furniture’, Sarah says. Think furniture of all kinds, ‘inspired by the natural world, curvy formed sofas and lounge chairs in tactile fabrics.’
This is a break away from the linear, structured furniture style we’ve seen for a long time. Sarah adds that these new forms ‘help to evoke feelings of relaxation and create conversation.’
Want a practical way to implement this trend in your living room? Ellison suggests ‘the trend is popping up in kidney shaped coffee and side tables in raw timber and marble.’
Ecoliv pro tip: Echo natural origins in your interiors with choices such as raked timber ceilings or abundant natural light in large-profile picture windows.
3. Work from home in style
While it may have seemed temporary last year, working from home is well and truly here to stay in 2021. Ellison argues that ‘we need to move on from working at the dining table’ – and we wholeheartedly agree.
So how can you create an ergonomic work setup that also fits with your unique interior design desires? Sarah suggests, ‘investing in a beautiful desk or piece of furniture that doubles as a desk is more important than ever.’
She continues, ‘whether it be a vintage piece or a console table, the trend is less about traditional task furniture and more about finding the balance between something practical that you can work from that also works well in a modern interior without feeling too ‘officey’.’
4. Chill out at home with earthy colours
Less is more in 2021, with the inside reflecting the outside – as we all seek to get closer to nature and embrace the outdoors. Christie from Beaumont Tiles suggests that ‘earthy blues and greens’ are the colour palette to look for in 2021.
‘Maybe it’s because we’re all dreaming of oceans and lush forests at faraway holiday destinations right now, or it could also be the soothing ambience of these healing colours we’re all drawn to’, Christie suggests.
Either way, you should look to create a calming oasis at home through ‘soft blue and rich nautical navy to sage, olive, and mossy greens’, Christie says.
This also extends to neutrals – ’creamy whites are gaining momentum with the desire to calm, cleanse and purify our homes. Mid-tones of cool and warm grey provide the perfect foundation and decorative freedom to build upon and make colours pop or set the mood with deep charcoals for a cocooning effect.’
5. The new Stone Age
Leaning into nature can be seen when we look to tiling trends, too. Christie suggests that we’re seeing more and more of a ‘cave aesthetic’, with natural stone being a prime example of this: ‘It’s easy to see why Natural Stone look tiles are among the strongest growth trends with their mesmerising patterns.’
And what’s more: you don’t have to commit to real stone to achieve this look. ‘Thanks to advanced print technology, these perfectly emulate the real thing yet boast all the durability [and] hard-wearing appeal of ceramic tiles’, Christie says.
6. Using tiles to connect indoor and outdoor living spaces
In 2021, Christie says you should look for tiles that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor living to seamlessly blend the two spaces. She suggests, ‘the interior becomes a continuation of the garden, and the patio an extension of the living room.’
‘With the boundaries blurred, you will be likely to spend more time with the doors open, enjoying an abundance of fresh air and daylight, and feeling more deeply connected to the environment.’ Wondering what a good tiling option for this is? Christie recommends Beaumont’s Microtec finish tiles, which ‘ensure better consistency across appearance and a harmonious link’ between interior and exterior.
Sustainable interior design trends
At Ecoliv, sustainable living is at the heart of what we do. All of our homes meet a 7-star energy efficiency minimum, and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to improve the resource and energy efficiency of our homes.
Which is why looking at sustainability in design will always be a priority for us. What’s coming this year? Let’s take a look.
7. Countertops, splashbacks, and shelving made from renewable materials
Sustainable interiors start with eco-conscious materials. Paperock, one of our favourite products to use in our sustainable homes, creates benchtops made from layers of renewable sources and bonded with phenolic resin. This material can be used for a variety of purposes: benchtops, tables, kitchen splashbacks, or shelving, to name a few.
8. Interiors made from post-consumer waste
With 6.7 metric tonnes of construction waste going to landfill between 2016 and 2017 in Australia alone, using recycled materials in construction and interior design has never been more important.
Repurposing materials to create unique and beautiful interior features is a fantastic way to create a more sustainable home. An example of this? Benchtops made from recycled glass.
Betta Stone is one of our favourite brands doing this – with approximately 800 bottles rescued from landfill per average kitchen/pantry/laundry. The end result is a unique benchtop (much like traditional stone) that can be recycled at the end of its life.
9. Sustainable timber flooring
Using sustainable timber will always be on-trend, if you ask us. But in 2021 it’s never been more important to choose products sourced from sustainably managed forests. At Ecoliv, we use Parmate flooring – engineered hardwood floors that look great, are durable, and don’t cost the earth.
Sustainable forest management ensures that workers are paid fairly while forests are conserved and biodiversity is protected. Choosing timber products from brands that source timber from sustainably managed forests ensures you’re causing no harm to the earth and ensuring the welfare of the people harvesting the timber.
Working interior trends into your home in 2021
Remember: following trends can be a useful way of getting inspiration for your home design. But the most important factor is finding design elements that you truly love and that will stand the test of time in your home (and that don’t harm the earth in the process).
If you’re looking to build a sustainable new home with timeless interior design, contact us today so we can help you Live the Dream Naturally.
