Interior & Furniture Trends 2021

Hello people, hope the new year is treating you better. All of us wished for a kinder year and I truly believe that there is power in collective thinking. 2021 heard us!

Since a lot of us are still working from home, we are trying our best to make our work spaces more comfortable and our home interiors more interesting and inspiring. We are creating cozy nooks and corners to snuggle and read, prettier kitchens and loungy living rooms. There is a definite shift towards easy and fuss free interiors, focused on practicality and personal expression rather than sticking to the conventional norms of space design. 

Though I am not a fan of following trends blindly, I have rounded up some really beautiful, easy to incorporate furniture and interior design trends of this year, below. Now, I think the phrase “out” in terms of trends is pretty wasteful and useless. I am not going to throw out my couch because the color is out. Right? So, I have come up with some subtle ways to update your “outdated” pieces or interiors. Plus, at this time our prime concern should be to ask ourselves, at every step, is this conducive to creating a sustainable environment? No? Yes? Maybe? Please aim for a may be at least.

• Earthy Colors : Since we haven’t been able to go out a lot the past year, we realised the importance of nature (not like we didn’t earlier) but, last year was different. Earthy and muted tones, bring a sense of peace and tranquility, just like being in nature does. These colors are soothing and hence, the perfect color palette for interior decoration. With these colors, natural fabrics and textures are also in trend this year which is great because they go very well together. Ecru, beige, off white, cream, basically unbleached fabrics in their raw form, look breathtaking against earthy colors such as sand, taupe, salmon, sage, rust, pale ochre, terracotta and subdued sienna. These rich, warm colors when used together, magically create an easy on the eyes, relaxed environment. A much needed haven, since 2020 was quite harsh on our mental health and well being. 

• Corner Chairs : An easy trend that most of you would love to add to your homes! Corner chairs are these cute, plush chairs that help you convert any corner in your house into a snuggery. Patios and balconies are romantic, breezy places where we can sit and dream or relax with a cup of coffee, but not all of us have homes that have so much space. This small piece of furniture can help you create the same environment. All you have to do is order a custom piece that goes with your walls, curtains, etc, add a matching pouffe (same color but lighter or darker shade), a chic chandelier, plop a few cushions and voila, you’re done! For fresh air add a few potted plants on an end table. This table would also be useful to keep your coffee mug! 

Note: Fresh air would be useful for a (much needed) fresh perspective. 

• Wicker and Rattan : These beauties from last year are here to stay. Those who got rattan chairs last year, no need to throw them away, and those who are planning to buy, go ahead they are pieces of art and will surely look elegant in your café/ bar/ apartment. If these words are Greek to you then please read about wicker and rattan, here. 

• Inlay :  My favourite trend of 2021. Intarsia is an age old technique that is so exquisite and unique that you must have a piece of furniture or a décor item of it in your house. If you have a hotel or a resort you can do an entire room dedicated to this glorious, ancient craft in which pieces of mother-of-pearl or bone (ethically sourced, made from pieces taken from camels who died of natural causes) are fixed on the surface and filled with coloured resin. 

Mother-of-pearl is another great option, it has an irresistible iridescent sheen that looks very elegant. The real beauty of this technique is the finish that is achieved by the artisans, no two handcrafted products are the same and slight variation in color and shape is celebrated, not frowned upon. A coffee table, end table, mirror, tray, cake stand or a credenza adorned with bone inlay is like a piece of history in your home. A craft that was only accessible to the royals and wealthy is now easily available to you. These statement pieces are becoming really popular this year, especially in monochromatic tones of black and white. A monochromatic palette keeps the emphasis on the design making it the pièce de résistance of any room! 

• Eclectic interiors : This year is all about individuality, in terms of space design and interior decoration. Your place should be you. Makes sense? No? A mix of past and present, old and new, vintage and custom-made. Eclectic interiors are created with products that belong to different styles yet look beautiful when put together. Buying vintage also means doing your bit for the environment by using the old, and custom made is an extremely strong expression of yourself. 

So, the trick here is to make sure that they have something in common, otherwise your place will end up looking like a zoo. A color palette, with an accent color (gold, black, pink depending on your taste) will bring cohesion to you home interiors. Eclectic decoration style is also great for cafés, bars, bistros and boutique hotels. Though hiring an architect is always advisable but if you are planning to do this on your own then a simple thing you can do is to put the images of your selected products on a single page. This would give you an idea if they will look good together to not. Handwoven textured ecru curtains, a monochromatic bone inlay coffee table, forest green velvet sofa, a pale ochre accent chair, bright, printed cushions, a vintage gold chandelier and a simple wooden etagere filled with treasures from your vacations! This sums up an eclectic styled living room that is an aesthetically pleasing amalgamation of textures, colors and decoration styles. Catch the drift?

• Multipurpose furniture : A sensible and practical trend for all of us. Take the example of this C shaped end table, you can use it to create a provisional working space, slide it over your sofa or bed for tea & snacks or keep it next to your comfy corner chair to enjoy a mug of hot cocoa. If made of gold and wood, it can also turn into an eye catching accent piece. Ask your architect or interior designer to incorporate more such pieces in your house. Alternatively, you can look for them online. 

• Asymmetric furniture : A trend that is still brewing, a micro trend you can say. Sofas and chairs, with asymmetric details are slowly becoming popular. Arm only on one side, asymmetric backs, L shaped sofas, curved back sofas all come under this category.

• Wallpaper : This trend has slithered into 2021 from 2020. Wallpapers are an easy-peasy way to spruce up a dull space. There are so many options available that you will surely find something you like. Floral and geometric prints are classics but animal and tropical patterns are also very in. Abstract patterns, brush strokes and celestial designs look contemporary & chic. Metallic tones add a luxurious touch to the ambience. The best part is that you can change it if you get bored of it! 

Some trends like all white and all grey rooms are out. No need to panic if you have one of those and like to keep things up to date. Just add coloured accessories in complementing shades and you’re good to go. Refer to the earthy color palette above for muted tones and for bright colors choose an accent color like yellow for grey and pale pink/ black/ gold for white. A bone inlay tray or box, a mirror frame, cushions, even art could be used as accent accessories. Another trend on its way out is matching furniture sets. Like I said, the emphasis is on individual taste and personal expression. Enjoy the process of creating your space, filling it with unique objects that you love to use and look at and you will end up with a café/ house that will love you back.