How often do rooms change? Once every ten years? Five? Or even every month? Interior design trends reflect the personalities and styles of millions of people around the world. Decorating a living space allows people to individualize their homes to reflect their personal taste, and while trends do exist, more often than not, people add their own flair to their decorations. However, individual people aren’t the only deciding factor for different trends. World events, and more importantly their effect on people, have a say too.

In the year 2020, COVID-19 emerged, forcing people to shelter in their homes for months on end, forced to stare at the same four walls for what seemed like eternity. This certainly had an impact on their mental health, and as an outlet, many turned to interior decorating. Due to this, certain trends emerged, such as maximalism, bright paint colors, and “unhung artwork”.

While these trends differed in the application, they were similar in the thought behind it: the necessity for the room to be… more. Bright paint colors added a splash of color to the room, attracting more light and making the room seem bigger. Maximalism, or “the art of excess”, allowed people to put as much as they possibly could into a single room, therefore bringing as much of the outside as possible. Oversized couches, tables that leave little room to walk around, and innumerable seating options all bring as much oomph into a room as possible. “Unhung artwork” is simply the art of being “careless” with how art is hung on a wall and allowing art to be tilted or lopsided. In fact, it is encouraged and gives people permission to be relaxed with how their room is set up. 

While all of these trends are aesthetically pleasing, they also have a psychological impact. The main cause for all of these trends to emerge is the sheer sense of isolation the pandemic brought. When quarantine became more permanent, it left many people feeling cut off from their surroundings. To combat this, people tried to make their small corner of the world into something much bigger. And for the most part, they succeeded. Maximalism stuck around, and mental health was improved. Quarantine was now bearable, albeit still unpleasant. However, this improvement was enough for the next couple years to go by. 

Now in 2022, some trends have stuck around. According to Vogue, bold colors and patterns have still remained at the forefront of people’s homes. However, new trends have also emerged. For example, shades of brown, rather than bright colors such as yellow or orange, are now more popular as wall colors. They invoke a sense of calm, while also portraying the room as rich and elegant. Another emerging trend is nature inspired decor and objects inside the house. With this, the outdoors are brought in, which seems to be a necessary cure for the aftereffects of the pandemic. In fact, most of these new trends can be attributed to the problems created by the pandemic. 

Interior decor is extremely important for the continued well-being of a person’s mind and body, especially through trying times. A person’s house is an extension of their mind, and therefore, designs change with the times. In 2020, when mankind was at the peak of isolation, the various homes across the world chose to combat that isolation, through trends that would lead to more open spaces and an increased feeling of “connected-ness”. As time progressed and people started to grow back into a semblance of normal, homes also reflected that, through professional rooms and neutral paint colors to calm the mind. However, as the world continues to face the various peaks and plateaus of COVID-19, it will be interesting to observe how these trends persist and new ones emerge, as the people change.

 

written by Srinidhi Raghavan

edited by Saanvi Gutta and Tryphena Pilli

 

References:

Taylor, E. (2022, January 3). Interior Design Trends to know in 2022-and what’s on its Way out. Vogue. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.vogue.com/article/interior-design-trends-2022 

Biggs, C. (2020, October 1). 16 home decor trends that are going to rule the rest of 2020, according to Designers. Apartment Therapy. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/biggest-2020-home-design-trends-36818195 

Williams, M. (2016). Interior Design. Curbed. Retrieved 2022, from https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/teCEQIxlj9RbCj6P_vlwMopAptQ=/1400×1400/filters:format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11545893/House_Calls_Brooklyn_Zames_Williams_living_room_2_Matthew_Williams.jpg