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Interior Design Trends for 2021

litsajackson1
May 31, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Feb 25


The design trends for this year are all about creating spaces that are calm and soothing. The colours are warm and earthy, and taking inspiration from nature.

After a challenging year that has seen most of us spending more time at home than usual, there is a real movement towards making our spaces more relaxing places to be. The textures, colours and patterns that we’re seeing this year evoke this feeling and are simply stunning.


Read on to be inspired by the interior design looks that are trending this year.


Colours

Colours with a nod to nature are being used to create calm and restful spaces. This is seen in the warmer shades of white and grey, and soft brown earthy tones. These warm base colours are being paired with shades such as sage green, terracotta and olive green, as well as the stronger colours of deep teal, slate blue, rich burgundy, tan and gold.


For warm neutrals I recommend the Ash palette from Resene which is a smokey soft grey with a hint of green; as well as their quarter Akaroa shade that is a grey with a hint of taupe. For an alternative to white, I favour Rice Cake by Resene for a softer, warmer feel to a space.

Texture

Texture with natural hues is playing a big role in trends this year. We’re seeing a move away from flat polished block colours, in favour of a more organic look. It’s a trend that is being inspired by nature, with organic fibers like rattan and bamboo used for furniture and home accessories.


The texture trend also extends to walls in wallpaper and in feature tiles for splashbacks in kitchens and bathrooms. Even the size and shape of tiles are being used to create texture and variety, such as modern finger tiles and mosaics in warm neutral tones. The impact is striking with the varying shades of colour and pattern.




Wallpaper

Here at Inside Storey we love wallpaper and we’re loving the trend of soft textured paper.


Choosing patterned wallpapers for feature walls and combining them with textured wallpapers on adjacent walls is an exciting new approach to decorating, creating the “Wow!” factor.


We’ve seen more people embracing wallpaper recently with a preference to wallpaper over paint. As lovers of wallpaper we’re very happy about that!


Feature walls with a gorgeous wallpaper are a popular way to add some style and interest to a room. This year we’re seeing feature walls extend to more than one wall and being used to accentuate corners. People often shy away from wallpaper in small spaces such as toilet rooms however the trend for this year is to embrace these spaces with statement wallpapers.


For those of you who are keen for something more dramatic and adventurous, we’re seeing traditional patterns like the Jacobean, Chinoiserie and Damask given a modern twist. These classic floral and leafy styles have been given a 2021 makeover with an ombre or metallic finish, resulting in an elegant and bold look. Whether you want a bold leafy design or a small scale pattern, there is plenty of choice if you want to embrace this floral look.


Interesting fact - the Japanese inspired wallpaper and fabrics is a nod to Japan as the intended host of the 2020 Olympic Games. The event was postponed but thankfully this trend wasn’t.


Elevated accents

Choosing features that add something showstopping to a space is really popular. For example we are seeing stone benchtops being used for waterfall islands or splashbacks. This creates a seamless finish with the benchtop continuing up the wall, or down the sides for kitchen islands.


For kitchens we promote the use of stone bench tops over laminate options. The stone provides a beautiful smooth surface and there are so many affordable composite varieties available for colour and pattern. When investing in your new kitchen, talking to your designer about different choices for stones and porcelains is an absolute must.


Another trend that we are setting a lot of in kitchens and bathrooms this year is the use of coloured finishes for tapware, handles and accessories. Gone are the days of being limited to chrome, you can now choose from a variety of colours to complement your tiles and colour scheme. The oxidised metal look is big for tapware, or you can choose from gold, rose gold, matt white, gunmetal and brushed nickel and brushed brass. These statement colours are also available for, hinges, mirrors, shower heads and hoses - even toilet seat clips!


Soft furnishings

We’re big on using soft furnishings to complete a look and we’re seeing styles that evoke comfort and warmth. For example wool loop pile carpets are on trend, favoured for being cosy as well as durable, chunkier knit weaves for throws and cushions and softer shapes for accessories.


The twist on the traditional pattern that we’re seeing in wallpaper has also translated to cushions, upholstery and curtains. Giving you plenty of options for how you can add some 2021 style to our decor. We especially love the Japanese inspired patterns that we’re seeing for soft furnishings.


Embracing these trends in your own home

Here at Inside Storey we make it easy to embrace the current trends whilst staying true to your personal style and functionality of a space. Book in a consultation today to learn more about the difference we can make to how your home looks and feels. Call Litsa on 021 610 752 or email litsa@insidestorey.co,nz


Photos featured in this blog are courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles and Pinterest. The flat lay photos are by Inside Storey.

 
 
 

Comments

I contacted Litsa to help with refreshing our living room. She had great ideas on furniture placement, pieces to buy and accessories. The living room looks fantastic and we’ve received many compliments. I would have no hesitation in recommending Litsa to anyone looking for a great interior designer. She’s done a fabulous job.​​

Anna

Litsa has a creative eye for detail and can visualize opportunities in a room instantaneously. Having a beautiful new bathroom along with a new open plan dining / living room area, certain creates a new flow and energizing atmosphere in the house. We are so grateful that we have contracted Litsa to this project, as we would not have been able to create the same result had we done it ourselves.​​​​

Paula

Working with Litsa Jackson from Inside Storey was a pleasure. Her knowledge of interior design was of significant help when choosing colours and curtains for our house in Wadestown. Her easy going nature made things stress-free, which was reflected in the choices that we made. We recommend Litsa highly, which is a reflection of her industry knowledge and professionalism.​​​

Gwyn

Litsa listened carefully to what I liked and disliked and came up with good solutions. She offered guidance and suggestions along the way in keeping with what I wanted to achieve. I found her at all times very professional, reliable and knowledgeable about the products she recommended. I am very happy with the end result and feel I have a house that now feels like a home. I would recommend Litsa without hesitation.​

Denise

Inside Storey was just what I needed! Litsa was fantastic to work with, she listened to what I wanted and understood the end result I wanted to achieve. I trusted Litsa from Inside Storey and would highly recommend her.​​​

Sarah

Litsa has a friendly down to earth approach which instantly put us at ease. Whilst decorating and accessorising our formal lounge/dining room, powder room and master bedroom with ensuite, Litsa encouraged and guided us to explore different wallpapers, furniture and curtain/blind fabric and we are delighted with the results.​​

Sandra

We had a really great experience with Litsa. Her design was beautiful, and she really listened and was patient to us when we were deciding what to do. Once it was all set she handled all the communications with the electricians and painters, as well as all the purchases that were required. Overall a great experience!

P Worcel

I hired Litsa to help with the interior design of our master bedroom. I absolutely loved working with Litsa. The process of choosing the wallpaper, curtains and wallpaper colour was fun. Litsa really listened to what we wanted and was very patient through the process. She has excellent contacts so all the work done from the painting to wallpapering and Curtain making was at a high standard. We are delighted with the finished product and would use Litsa again.​​

Sarah Y

An expert Wellington interior designer. Fabulous creativity, class and flair. If you are looking to renovate your home or building a new home Litsa is excellent in giving advice on colour schemes, window treatments, flooring, lighting, furniture and accessories. She is very approachable so I recommend contacting her for a friendly chat.​​​

Anna M

Litsa has opened my eyes to so many possibilities with the result that I have been more adventurous than ever redecorating our home. She has given me the confidence to try new ideas. So very happy with the results so far, more to come. Thanks.​​

Lynette

Litsa Jackson was amazing to work with. She gave me lots of ideas and great advice on the right fabrics to use and great colour options as well. I found her very professional and she has high standards.
She strives to make her clients happy.

Penelope

Litsa was fantastic to work with. She listens and genuinely wants to find the right colours, fabrics etc to suit you, your home and style. I highly recommend her and look forward to work with her again.​​​

N McCarty

Litsa helped me with my soft furnishings in our new build in Blenheim. She provided a personal service in a professional and engaging manner that went over and above the scope of her brief - highly recommended!​​

Kirsty

My husband and I couldn't be more happier with the help and guidance that we have got from Litsa. She listened to what we liked, took our ideas and with her flair made it even better than what we could ever imagine.

A Brown

Litsa from Inside Storey helped us to choose paint colours for our girls rooms and we loved the colour so much we decided to paint the rest of the house in the same colour! She has so much knowledge and expertise in interior design and I would highly recommend her to anyone.​​

T Allen

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