After being home for more than a year, most of us have learned a bit about the way we live and the environment we find most comfortable. We’ve learned what we need with this new lifestyle, what our kids need, and how we most easily relax. These realizations have brought shifting trends from the minimalistic chic or 2020 into a warmer, more natural kind of cozy.
With so much time spent connecting with others through technology, we’re ready to step away from it all when work and school is done. People crave natural, peaceful settings in their home and want to be surrounded by an environment that inspires.
Dedicated Spaces
Gone are the days of open spaces and multi-use rooms. During COVID, we’ve made home into everything: it’s the office, school, gym, recreation center, and relaxation destination.
Instead of making one space have multiple functions, the 2021 trend is to create dedicated spaces for dedicated activities. Acknowledging each person’s need for their own space and privacy is at an all-time high, so we want to be able to shut doors from time to time. There are tv rooms for relaxing, dedicated school work areas in the kids’ space, exercise rooms for staying in shape, and bathrooms that feel more like a spa than the average tub, shower, and sink.
With summer months approaching, we’re seeing an increased enthusiasm for outdoor living spaces, like this Portland Reimagined Craftsman. Extending where we live to include fresh air, good food, and outdoor fun with friends and family is exactly the mental and emotional boost we could all use about now. Outdoor dining areas, outdoor cooking options, and comfy places to cosy up for an evening beverage make all the difference and keep us home while getting us outside its four walls. Gardening space is a must for most as well, and not only provides nutritious, natural food, it also provides a mental health boost.
Natural Materials
Gone are the days of cool colors and sleek, hard lines. We’re still embracing minimalism and clearing out more than ever from our spaces (thank you Marie Kondo!), but we’re doing it in a more natural, organic fashion, just like in this naturally contemporary Lake Oswego home.
Wood and wicker can be paired with felted wool and recycled glass. Organic shapes replace hard edges. Natural textures help ground us and keep us calm.
The maker movement is back in full swing, and talented artisans are in demand. Their creativity and one-of-a-kind creations influence our own creativity. And they make us feel great for supporting an individual we know rather than a corporation we don’t.
People are also opting for pieces that have more staying power. They want items that stand up to increased use as we all work, school, and play at home more than ever before.
Warmer Colors
Cool gray might just be gone for good. While we’re still using gray, it has warmer undertones now. Many are opting for warm, calm, neutral colors to create a tranquil space that helps counter what feels like an uncertain world outside the home. These warmer, neutral colors tie all areas of the home together in a soothing flow.
They invite us to shift areas seamlessly, changing our focus as we move. Family dinner has no visual line that ties it to the work day. Homework space disappears as well. When it’s time to relax, that cozy spot in the bedroom in front of the fireplace is eons away from everything else.
Easier Cleanliness
Home owners are casting a watchful eye towards the materials in their home and how easy they are to keep clean. Shifting trends make us pursue antibacterial fabrics like bamboo and wool for curtains, upholstery, and accent pieces. Engineered quartz and granite, because of their non-porous and scratch resistant surfaces, are far easier to sanitize in the kitchen and bath areas. The antimicrobial nature of copper fixtures makes them a new go-to for faucets and knobs. Bamboo, cork, and porcelain tiles for floors are becoming more popular as well.
It’s true that the pandemic has brought us difficulty on multiple levels. But we’re also learning to embrace our homes and families with a more intentional eye. We’re learning to create spaces we want to enjoy, lean into, and relax into. Our homes have become our safe haven from a chaotic world. Today’s home buyers are looking for these very same shifting trends as they shop.