Our Interior Designer Reveals 2021’s Interior Trends
2020 has been the year our homes have become much more than our abodes. They became our offices, our gyms, our classrooms, our beauty salons… the list goes on. As we rely more on a space that supports a sanctuary, we are turning to the new year with new values and new expectations. Bluethumb trade specialist Alexandra Stavrou has filled us in with her picks of 2021’s interior trends. Read on to find out what we’ll be seeing in the much-anticipated new year.
Despite almost a year of working from home, PR & Comms Manager Freddy Grant has kept his home a haven with warming tones and an ageless look.
Unsurprisingly, fostering wellness through comfort and flexibility will be the holy grail of 2021. The fact that organisations predict life to “resemble a sense of normality” towards the end of the year, we read as the perfect opportunity to invest further into our homes.
Both short-term adjustments we’ve had to make to life during a pandemic and long-lasting lifestyle changes will create the need for multi-functional spaces. Garages have been turned into gyms; dining room tables have become home offices. The solution is to curate our surroundings to fit these needs in a cohesive and productive way.
Who says coordination can’t be cute? Combined with this little guy by Andria Beighton, our Interior Designer Alexandra’s pegboard is organisation goals!
So what does this look like? Far and wide, the sages of the interior design world agree it’s time to simplify our spaces. “We all need a place to retreat to,” Alexandra adds. “Less clutter means less stress. It’s also a perfect time to invest in quality over quantity.”
The Colour – Or Colours – of the Year
After the year we’ve all had, colour kings Pantone have treated us to two colours for 2021: Ultimate Grey, the kind of stable concrete foundations and serene pebbled beaches, and Illuminating, a bright yellow akin to warm sunshine, cheery spirits and the refreshing bite of tart lemon. Together, they make “a marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting”.
Freddy has been vetting pops of yellow for years! Click here for more photos of his Insta-worthy home. Credit: Megan George
If Ultimate Grey and Illuminating isn’t a marriage you can get behind, Dulux and Wattyl have also released their paint trends for 2021! Similar to Pantone, both brands are focusing on colours to help us heal and relax. Our recent curation draws upon these trends and will help round off that 2021 sanctuary we’re excited to escape to.
Dulux has introduced 3 palettes: Retreat, Nourish and Reset. Retreat is a palette of warm whites, brown-based neutrals and dusty blues that conveys a sense of a soft luxury, alongside vintage-inspired tones of burgundy and deep ocean blue. Nourish features warm neutrals of buff, sage, tan and muted ochre. Reset is our dose of hope and optimism, with rich blue, coral, warm rusty pinks and terracotta hinting at 70s nostalgia.
Ellie by Katie Wyatt gives thick impasto impressions of Dulux’s Reset colour palette.
Following a similar vein, Wattyl’s Colour Antidote has forecasted four colour palettes for the upcoming year! Nourishing Earth Tones of warm browns, honey, forest green and denim blue; Uplifting Lights, a palette of rose pink, mint green, soft grey and pale mauve; Shadowy Darks in shades of charcoal, forest green, dark denim and deep red, and Humble Whites which are infused with warm, beige off-white tones.
Lisa Wisse-Robinson has been a popular favourite amongst this year’s interior designers and specialists! With muted and soft tones throughout her work, we expect much the same in 2021. Featured: Crushed Mint & Lime Mojito
The Rise of Traditional Comfort as an Interior Trend
Your Grandma’s curtains might not have been vogue in the past, but in times of uncertainty, what else gives us such a sense of comfort than the frills and old-school plaid patterns? More modern trend such as the Scandinavian Hygge have been piggy-backing this interior trend for years, so it only makes sense we’d be going back to that which feels extra comfy and homey.
These old yet ever-fashioned iron bed frames and upcycled cabinet offer a timeless traditional comfort! Bluethumb bestseller Sally Browne‘s daughters are lucky to have their own gallery wall in their shared bedroom.
“2020 has seen more interest in still life paintings than previous years, which I feel maps perfectly to the increase of traditional interiors,” Alexandra mentions. “Still lifes are becoming popular with clients and collectors because of their meditative, slow approach to art and design.”
Ah, Victorian terraces – so effortlessly on the traditional interior trend for 2021!
An Ode to Old School: Grandmillennial Style
What do you get when you cross traditional, classic and eclectic design elements? Much like the comfort of the Traditional, Grandmillennial interiors are on the up. Expect maximalism, modern ruffles and modern-day antiquities. “Choosing an earthy colour palette will keep this trend looking fresh, organic and casual,” Alexandra advises. “There’s a delicate balance at play between minimalism and maximalism with this trend.”
Year in, year out, Freddy seems to come out top of the trend! So much so, his house has been included in features from top interior platforms such as realestate.com.au and Domain.
You can implement the Grandmillennial style into your household with those small and special trinkets and pieces. Utilise your space fully with gallery walls and embellished bookshelves.
Bluethumb co-founder George Hartley embellishes his bookshelves with plants. Credit: Megan George
Interior Trends Keeping Things Light
Birch, ash, whitewashed – light wood furniture is here to stay. “This reliable hygge-inspired look gives a nod to Scandinavian-style spaces, and pairs beautifully with soft, pastel or faded colours and textures,” Alexandra explains. “Be careful when mixing with other wood tones; keep your choice to a few.”
This gorgeous still life by Sue McCutcheon coheres various light timbers together perfectly! Featured: Pooncarie Still life / Outback Found Objects
Interior Trends That Bring the Outside In
Give an extra dose of green goodness with lush landscape pieces. Featured: Bella by Marnie McKnight
If quarantining for almost seven months straight has taught the Melbourne team anything, it’s how much a dose of nature works wonders. So much so, we’ve gone the whole hog on indoor plants, even buying artworks of our favourites! Not only do they literally give us life; streams of studies show that house plants boost mental health and improve productivity (perfect if you’re living the work from home life!). No wonder it’s a highly anticipated interior trend for the upcoming year.
Dreamy combos: This Pink Penny Protea print by Marinka Parnham and trailing vines. The green fingers of Bluethumb approve!
Ready to embrace 2021? If you’re feeling inspired by these forecasted interior trends but aren’t sure where to start, Alex is here to lend a helping hand. Our art advisory service is free of charge and fuss! Click here to get started. Otherwise, get stuck into our 4-paged curation exploding with artworks chosen in the name of 2021’s interior trends.
