A Comprehensive Guide to Trending Design Features Throughout the Home & Garden
After so much time spent at home in the recent past, more and more people of all ages, backgrounds, and living situations are turning their attention, as well as their time and money, to the design, decor, and core layout of their home with a view to changing it.
As there is a seemingly endless array of different color palettes to embrace and themes and schemes to experiment with, you may be struggling for the right place to start.
With that being said, read on for a detailed and comprehensive guide to trending design features throughout the home and garden.
Furniture in the New Victorian Style
Firstly, if you have not previously heard of the New Victorian garden trend, then you are in for a treat, as this trending garden theme encompasses not only an array of pastel-colored flowers and bushes but also beautiful garden furniture.
Not only does the New Victorian style work so perfectly in the garden, but it can also be a fantastic way of creating a flow from the outdoor area of your property to the inside, with certain key pieces of wall art and even smaller items of furniture in the conservatory (should you have one).
The key features of the New Victorian style of interior design include, amongst a host of others, the following:
- Dark and rich jewel tone
- Deep reds in throws, cushions, and blankets
- Marble countertops and coffee table
- Fringed fabrics
- Damasks and florals in curtain prints
Art Gallery Chic
Whether you are the proud owner of a degree in fine art from a leading university or an amateur interior designer who enjoys introducing unique pieces of eye-catching artwork by local artists into your own home, either way, art gallery chic will certainly be something you are interested in.
A perfect example of an outstanding design feature for your living room is the striking ploum sofa, which is the result of many months of research by leading furniture designers into how to merge comfort with style.
Imagine wandering around MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and taking in the sensory experience deliberately cultivated by the exact and considered placement of everything from the help desk in the reception to the main event in the gallery rooms.
Art gallery chic takes inspiration from such a creative and inspirational setting and, on a smaller scale, seeks to recreate this polished yet highly experimental aesthetic.
Eco-Friendly Interiors
Fortunately, although certainly not before time, the world at large is finally waking up to the fact that, should human beings continue to use natural resources at the rate they currently do without doing anything to replenish them, the planet will simply not survive in the long-term future.
From local governments encouraging people to use public transport and supermarkets encouraging people to bring their own bags rather than buying plastic carriers to interior designers and landscape gardeners, everyone is doing their bit to stop the negative impact of human existence.
This is just one of the reasons why eco-friendly design, both inside the home and in the garden, too, is not only popular but also one of the trending design frameworks, alongside the simple fact that an environmentally friendly decor set-up is considerably more affordable than others.
Some of the simplest ways to lean towards an eco-friendlier interior include:
- Using recycled and upcycled furniture
- Sourcing items from charity and antique shops
- Incorporating energy efficient lighting throughout the home
- Using reclaimed wood
- Installing sustainable flooring
- Using water conservation tools
In the garden, be sure to control your water usage, build your own compost heap instead of purchasing large bags of pre-made compost soil, and also consider building a haven for wildlife in the corner.
Hollywood Regency
Another trending design feature and one that is certainly aimed towards homeowners who enjoy a sense of grandeur and a luxurious ambiance in their homes is the Hollywood Regency style.
Essentially, the Hollywood Regency style is, as you would expect, a design theme originating from the United States that emerged in California in the latter part of the 1930s. Inspired by the golden age of Hollywood, many similarities can be drawn with the nineteenth century when the Regency Era was in full swing.
There are several unique features of Hollywood Regency that are rarely found in other interior design frameworks, namely the overuse of metallic and mirrored details to create a sparkly and affluent aesthetic. In addition, high-gloss lacquers are used to create a shiny finish everywhere, from the walls to pieces of furniture, and there is also a thick layer of eclecticism to the style.
For inspiration, take the time to watch a documentary on old Hollywood, and instead of watching the actors, inspect the sets behind them, with many famous shows no doubt having inspired considerably more affordable copies of items that are possibly available to buy today.
Japanese Gardens
The mysticism and general wonder of Asian culture and color have always been a draw for professional and amateur interior designers alike and have long since been a staple element of a home decorated with grandeur and luxury in mind.
Now, however, there has been a transition from the Japanese style from inside the home into the garden, and if you are looking for a way to transform your outside space entirely, the Japanese Garden trend could well be the one for you.
Essentially, everything should be geared towards a spiritual experience in the garden, and no Japanese garden would be complete without at least a couple of beautifully ornate water features either as a central focal point or more of a hidden detail within the flower beds.
At the heart of a Japanese garden are three core elements: plants, water, and rocks, with each feature representing a different part of the soul and reflecting a different area of life. Flowing, rushing water depicts the continuing nature of life, whereas still water is more of a reflection of what has come before.
Hygge
Hygge, otherwise known as Scandinavian Chic, takes its inspiration from the most luxurious and high-end après ski chalet you could imagine and is perfect for those wanting to cultivate an atmosphere of warmth and Zen-like calm in their home.
Now, even though this sounds like a wholly wintery-type vibe, there are many ways to include Hygge elements for the summer months, too, although this does mean having the storage space to swap out, for example, thick and furry throws for dark brown, thinner alternatives when the weather changes.
What is more, Hygge offers a more flexible way of decorating a room and encourages you to source smaller and more unique pieces from second-hand shops to create a finished aesthetic that can never look the same as another room.
Less is more with this Scandinavian framework for interior design, not necessarily when it comes to the number of ornaments, lights, candles, or blankets, but more in terms of the colors you use. As a general rule, stick to soft furnishings, floor coverings, and wall art that stays within a neutral color palette, namely whites, creams, beige, tan, dark browns, and light and dark grey.
