The design trends for 2022 are very much a product of the new lifestyle so many of us have been facing as of late. If you’ve been here on Planet Earth for the past two years, you will have noticed that the ambiance in your home is now very much a part of your everyday life and all of a sudden, matters more than it did. With so many of us working from our living spaces, the home has had to become everything. Office, living space, recreational space.
Before Covid, folks left the home in the morning, spent most of the time in their cubicles or offices, and did not have time to consider their surroundings. Covid turned normal working routines on their heads and 2022’s design trends reflect that. They are geared to creating a comfortable ease in your home, an environment you want to be in all the time because, well, you’re in it most of the time!
The first trend I want to talk about is warm minimalism. Gone are the days of the cold version when we had chrome and gray and lots of steel. Instead, as we did a little in 2021, we’ve moved into warm, wood tones paired with cream colors. White is out and cream is in. Sorry, folks. (If you want to get an idea of what warm white looks like my favorite, Simply White by Benjamin Moore, is a perfect example.)
Take a look at this photo. We were ahead of the times when I designed this serpentine couch for a client of mine on the California coast and then we did a round white oak and white lacquer table along with swivel chairs. Everything is warm and cozy and comfortable.
Part of the warm minimalism trend includes structural lighting in earth tones. Take a look at this rattan pendant. It’s soft, it’s warm, and looks great juxtaposed with the linear sofa.
Warm minimalism also incorporates textures, as you can see in this photo. The oak in the panels and in the ceiling of this room along with the enlarged plaster fireplace gives you an idea of what I mean by earth tones and earthy materials. Nothing is slick, nothing is shiny, nothing is glitzy. The room itself is not minimal in size but its design is, including materials that feel very earthy.
The next ultra-hot 2022 design trend which you must incorporate is gigantic, impactful displays of greenery. I have these giant magnolia branches in my foyer and that’s why I plant a lot of magnolias because I love the branches for design. Greenery is trending everywhere.
If you look at this photo you’ll see a tree that was literally planted in the house. This was happening in the Seventies when people had actual gardens in their homes, and this is what’s happening now. Living walls and plants in the house that are prominent, large and focal points, are all on trend for this year.
In a further attempt to bring the outdoors in, another trend for 2022 is the move towards minimal steel or wood windows. Steel is expensive but there are lots of companies now like Marvin making minimally-framed windows with black steel grids that look great. If you’re building a house or any other space, you should think about maximum windows with minimal framing.
A third trend of 2022 is the use of natural materials, and by natural materials I mean terrazzo, terracotta, warm-toned woods and marble that is not shiny but honed in natural colors. You will also see a lot of arches in natural materials this year. In fact, I’m putting arches in my current flip project.
Natural woods with no finish are the way to go, not only on floors, which we’ve seen for a while now, but also on the walls.
In 2022 you’re going to see walls like the one in this photo, a feature wall that has a cubic vibe to and almost a trompe l’oeil effect. You’ll also see walls that are entirely paneled in wood with a door made from a rustic wood. This is not to be confused with rustic décor. This is an elevated form which looks expensive and is high style.
The absolute hottest 2022 trend is the all-over use of marble. I spotted this trend in 2018 and this year marble is being used on all surfaces. But it’s not any marble. It’s honed in warm colors, not cold and glossy.
Look at this bathroom. It’s done entirely in marble yet you don’t get a sense of being somewhere cold and inhospitable. In fact you feel a sense of warmth and comfort. Why? Because you have a pretty wooden stool in the bathroom and because of the warm tones in the marble.
If you look at this kitchen, which is probably the most liked on my Instagram page, the drawer fronts are made of marble. If your project has the budget this is one of the best things you can do in terms of design. It just makes you want to scream with happiness, it looks so good. So if you can do it, please do it and send me a photo.
The fourth greatest trend for this year is something I’ve been pushing for a while: the no-kitchen kitchen. I love the look so much. Look at this kitchen which doesn’t look like a kitchen and at the rustic oversized pendant light and the mix of these mid-century stools.
This rustic look is high end. It’s not about old and weathered and beat up. The look here is rustic next to thoughtfully chosen mid-century pieces to give it that high-style look.
The no-kitchen kitchen has also evolved into what I call island blocks . Islands are no longer boring, rectangular pieces that float in the room, they are now marble masterpieces done by artisans who are great fabricators.
Here, you can have a dining table that protrudes from an island which not only looks great but is useful. Look at the stools underneath this block island. They are very artistic and useful because you can sit on them and eat.
Talking of kitchens, do not install three pendant lights over your counter at all, or least for the foreseeable future. They are out, gone, finished. Now I’ve got them myself and if you do too, that’s fine but if you’re building a home, incorporate the single linear pendant like the one in this kitchen. Because not only are you looking at the pendant but you’re also seeing the lighting in the kitchen which is surface mounted. Recessed lighting is out. if you look at this kitchen’s ceiling, you’re going to notice the spotlights that are surface mounted. That is a hot look for 2022.
The next important trend is sculptural furniture. If your furniture isn’t sculptural, it’s not the end of the world but you’ll want to trickle in pieces that are interesting to the eye.
These Mario Bellini sofas are very popular and they’re also being used in different finishes and colors.
Bring in elements of sculptural design into your living space like the ones you see in these photographs.
They are interesting conversation pieces. And are literally, candy for the eye.
Another trend for this year is black and white photography. Against the warm and cozy furnishings it makes for an elevated look. If you don’t have enough money to buy gallery pieces, you can take your own photos, blow them up as big as you can, print them, frame them and display them. I think that is much more special than buying prints from a gallery.
The last and most interesting trend for this year is the new maximalism. Don’t get me wrong. We love minimalism but if you don’t like minimalism but like maximalism, let me tell you how that’s going to show itself in 2022. It’s about incorporating a lot of color, colors that lean toward the pastels.
In this photo, you’ve got this gorgeous room with a multitude of pinks and greens and somehow it works because it’s curated and done in a fanciful way.
And look at this bedroom with the paneled wood walls. It is to die for. It has the minimalism of this year’s trend, but is maximalist in its slew of objets d’art, fun decorative items that are spread whimsically throughout the room.
Who puts an object at the foot of the bed? You do and you shall.
And if you’re in tune with the color trends this year, indulge in some wallpaper, something pink maybe, like this bathroom has. With its gorgeous vista of cranes, it’s pretty, fun and done in a way that is super chic.