Out with the old, in with the new! If you find interior design trends and changes move faster than you update your login password, it might leave you feeling like it’s not worth the effort. We’d like to challenge that by saying there is a method to the madness, and understanding how home design trends work can really boost your selling power and reach as a property owner.

 

A big part of home design shifts comes down to a response to older trends or surrounding circumstances. What’s popular is always changing, every year brings new design trends to suit developing moods and purposefully create an atmosphere of calm, openness or warmth. 

 

Growing tired of the same colour palette can inspire a big change in decor, just as big as a life-changing event like a new family member or work promotion. These trends don’t emerge out of nowhere, they’re a product of change in taste and necessity. 

 

It’s impossible to ignore the design trends emerging as a direct result of current external factors brought about by COVID-19 and how people have adjusted to life with it as well as after it. There is a purposeful shift towards sustainable, biophilic design and dual-purpose spaces, as well as a desire for bolder and brighter colours. 

 

If you are selling your property, it’s important to adapt not just to stay relevant, but to keep your space fresh and attractive to a wider audience. 

 

There is a myth that in a hot market every property sells and sells well, the reality is not so clean cut. Some properties sell well over the reserve, some make what was expected and some sit on the market for months. In many cases, one of the reasons why some properties don’t sell is because they didn’t make adjustments with appropriate renovations or updated designs.

 

In property, we see the situation all the time where an owner of an outdated property makes an effort to get in line with emerging trends and is able to sell for much better profits and much more quickly than if they hadn’t.

 

Design trends are an asset to pay attention to because of their ability to make a home look and feel more appealing to a wider audience, which can increase profits for both homeowners and investors.

Home design trends after COVID-19

 

COVID-19 has changed the way people view their home function and value. This has had a knock-on effect in the post COVID world of interior design and pushed homeowners to experiment with different ways to decorate and arrange their home space to suit changing desires and needs.

 

As people were forced to lockdown, homes became much bigger worlds than just eating, sleeping and watching TV. The pandemic proved to different businesses that hybrid work arrangements and working from home can be just as productive as traditional office setups, encouraging employers to provide their staff with more autonomy with their time. 

 

This led to people seeking out open areas that could double as workspaces to successfully delineate their professional and personal lives, including recreation, rest and entertainment which now had to operate in one space. 

 

This means there are new spaces to consider as property features in current property sales including:

 

• Home office
• Indoor gym
• Hobby room/man cave
• Home theatre
• Study space
• Garden space
• Outdoor entertainment area

5 popular home design trends that you should consider

We’ve identified five popular design trends that have come about as a direct response to the effects of COVID-19 and lockdowns that we estimate are only going to grow in popularity as time goes on. Highlighting these areas of your property fills a need in prospective buyers of giving back what they missed out on and promoting balance in terms of nature, work and colour. 

1. Nature-centred/biophilic 

Bringing nature indoors with potted plants or beautiful garden views adds a pop of colour to any room, they also lift the room, bring more life and make the inside of your home more attuned to the outside as well.

 

Because people were forced to spend so much time indoors, integrating nature into their homes with gardens and indoor plants is an attractive option that can be simple to implement. 

 

Bright rooms and natural sunlight have also become popular instead of rooms with fewer windows. 

1. Dual-purpose rooms that can be divided

Rooms that serve more than one purpose are in high demand. There might not be a natural divide within your current space but you can include one with dividers, curtains or even just well-placed furniture. Rooms that can be used for multiple purposes and show flexibility are more efficient and can easily turn into office, recreation or entertainment space as needed. 

 

This is a great way to make more space out of a smaller home, interchanging functionality depending on the time of day or day of the week.

1. A sustainability focus

Going green became a big focus during and after COVID-19 due to a number of factors including fear of scarcity of resources as well as the desire for fresher water and cleaner air to promote better hygiene.

 

The pandemic reminded everyone of how interlocked our actions are and how they compound on the environment, especially as we saw more of our waste first-hand, rather than being at school, work and restaurants, where the mess was taken care of for us.

 

A popular and hopefully lasting trend has been set for sustainable materials, recycling and minimising our carbon footprint. Sustainability in a post-COVID world is rising as we become more acutely aware of how vital health and vitality are to our future.

1. Bold colours and murals

Dull spaces, muted colours and plain neutrals are no longer en vogue. Buyers want brighter and more exciting spaces with bold, eye-catching colours or murals to liven up the home environment.

 

Working from home doesn’t have to be dull. A lively, colourful space to uplift you while you work as well as provide an engaging background for conference calls and meetings helps to create a motivating and uplifting mood to get you through a workday.

 

Lively shades are also popular as new trends break away from traditionally safer palettes, leaning into feature colours that pop, colour blocking and graphic shapes on walls that become artworks in themselves. The 2022 interior design trend of bold choices, paired with brightly lit rooms, brings about a heightened sense of energy and invigoration.

1. Polished maximalism

Just as we’re breaking away from muted colours, we’re also leaving a lot of minimalist designs behind. Interesting prints and a growing more-is-more mindset are making a comeback–but in a polished way. 

 

Clutter is still clutter–but there’s a way to mix and match signature pieces of furniture, wallpaper and flooring to look bright and eye-catching without making a mess. People are back to wanting more exciting designs and interiors, highlighted with splashes of colour and interesting textures.

 

Popular post-pandemic design trends are focused on comfort, flexibility and energy. No longer the place just to unwind after a busy day, homes are in need of an injection of colour and vibrancy for motivation and liveliness to make it possible to sustain a full day of multiple activities across their professional, leisure and entertainment needs.

 

Taking note of current design trends will keep property owners and investors on top of what buyers and renters are seeking, giving their space more desirability and triggering a high demand. That gives you a wider choice of buyers and tenants all competing to make your space their own for the highest price.

If you want to learn more about popular trends we’ve witnessed and how they impact property sales and tenancies, give the professionals at Nicholas Scott a call.