2022 Interior Design Trends to Follow

Interior design evolves over time. What once was popular eventually goes out of fashion — and then might be picked up again in current trends. As such, you should expect interior design trends to change every couple of years. 2022 interior design trends are branching out from the norm for the past few years. As people start to settle down to a post-pandemic lifestyle, they will want to bring things in from the outside world.

What 2022 Interior Design Trends Learned from the Past

Most rooms have focused on white, sterile-looking spaces in the past few years. White rooms give a feeling of cleanliness and simplicity, so as minimalism became more popular, white walls were used to further communicate that lifestyle. 2022 interior design trends have started to focus away from the bright white rooms and on a splash of color.

In 2022, rooms will be brighter as people aim to bring a little color indoors. Since people spend more time inside than ever before, they want to have a space that reflects them and their preferences. Neutrals are on their way out in favor of more diverse color palettes with complementary shades.

More people are spending time at home than ever before. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, people became more accustomed to entertaining and working from home. Home became less of a display piece and more of a functional space that accommodates several activities throughout the day. The house is once more becoming a significant part of a family’s life — the most valued place they can always return to.

2022 Interior Design Trends for Floors

The most popular flooring calls to mind natural elements. Natural wood is the hottest of the 2022 interior design trends right now. Stone and marble looks are also popular, especially for bathrooms or countertops. Carpet is often seen as an unpopular option, but it’s still a great alternative to natural hardwood floors, mainly because it’s easy to clean and pet-friendly.

Wood flooring tends to be either light or high in contrast. For example, if your home has light-colored walls, you might see a high variation of flooring or wood in lighter shades of white, gray or blonde. While different, these options each bring out another facet of your home and keep it shining and neat-looking while offering a splash of color.

2022 Interior Design Trends for Walls

Walls will be adjusted according to 2022 interior design trends. What used to be white walls will now be painted in color or at least have an undertone of some sort. Earthy tones are in. Since the pandemic caused more people to stay inside than ever before, homeowners want to bring nature inside their homes for the mental health benefits they feel just being outside.

You might be able to expect more accent walls, bold splashes of color in an otherwise neutral space. Wallpaper may be used as a statement piece as well, from anything from subtle florals to bold, stark designs. How you use wallpaper in your home is up to you, whether as an accent or all over a room. 

To complement their walls, people have also started to hang more original artwork by up-and-coming artists rather than going for the most expensive and well-known pieces. This trend can help homeowners find the variety they like while supporting small-time artists who follow their passion for a living.

2022 Interior Design Trends by Room

As each room in your home serves a different purpose, 2022 interior design trends lean toward giving them a life of their own. Rather than one cohesive look, rooms may look vastly different from one another but still flow together seamlessly. Though trends are bound to change as time goes on, you can expect some of these rooms to follow the current interior design trends for a while.

1. Living Room

Expect to see things with more texture. Clay or terracotta pots will find homes in 2022, thanks to the earthy feel that seems to bring nature indoors. Curved furniture will also be more popular than its boxy counterparts due to its comforting feel that welcomes people and eases their stress. In industrial-styled homes, you might see more leather furniture. Leather ages well and tells a story, and it offsets metal accents nicely.

2. Bedroom

The main trends bedrooms will follow are adding texture and depth. Bedrooms will no longer be flat — now, it’s all about duvets and fluffy blankets that can make a bed appear taller rather than simply flat. People might also experiment with rugs and clashing patterns. Layering rugs may continue to be on-trend as people determine what looks best in their coziest space.

3. Bathroom

Bathrooms will lean into a more natural feel as people bring nature into their homes. You may see more light floral patterns or plants in the bathroom to bring in some green. Many people have been hanging eucalyptus from their showerheads for both aesthetic properties and health benefits. Further, bathrooms, alongside other spaces, might lean more into a minimalistic design. People have begun to value decor that has a function rather than just sits there, so plants and decorative, practical items remain king.

4. Kitchen

With the push for sustainability becoming greater and greater, more kitchens will lean toward sustainable options. Sustainable organization is the best way to avoid food waste while keeping everything neat and decorative at the same time. Use glass in your kitchen instead of plastic to add a timeless, classy feel to the room for the benefit of design and the environment. 

Since sustainable objects and decorations are increasing in popularity, people may rely on hand-me-down or antique objects. Vintage items would look excellent with many interior design styles, and since they have a story, incorporating them into your regular kitchen use could make them even more meaningful. 

Whether they’re secondhand or completely new, people will be bringing in items from their travels. Post-pandemic, people will travel again and implement things from other cultures into their daily lives.

Stay on Trend or Follow Your Heart

Just because something is a trend doesn’t mean it’s the only way to do things. If you enjoy something against the 2022 interior design trends, you can still make it work. Above all, people will be valuing bolder colors and things that make them happy more than the sterile aesthetics of the past few years. As long as you follow your heart, there’s no wrong way to decorate your home to make you feel a spark of joy.