It can be hard to keep up with all the interior design changes. Styles and trends change regularly, it’s no longer a once-a-year thing. You can finish decorating your room today and discover next week that you’re already unfashionable and need to update your space again.
This is the reason so many people opt for neutral colours when decorating. It allows you to change soft furnishings and acknowledge trends without having to constantly purchase new items. In fact, it is one of the reasons that the large jute rug has become a popular, stylish, and practical choice. Of course, if you are keen on keeping up with all the latest trends then you’ll want to know what interior design trends are making a comeback in 2022.
1. Biophilic Design
Biophilic design encourages you to connect with the natural world. The trend centres on creating environments that are calming with plenty of natural light and fresh air. Naturally, you’ll want to add plants to help provide the connection to the world around you. Just make sure they are easy to maintain unless you have green fingers.
"This is what I prayed for. A piece of land – not so very big, with a garden and, near the house, a spring that never fails, and a bit of wood to round it off". Horace, Roman Poet, 30 BC
Biophilic design is not a new phenomenon. People have always sought to bring nature into their homes and public places and we can find the inspiration from the natural world making its way into design often throughout history.
Biophilia also helps stimulate our senses. Whether with the presence of water, live walls or through clever play of light and shadows that change through the day to emulate what happens in nature.
Above and below: Designed by architecture practice Melbourne Design Studios, interior studio The Stylesmiths, and the clients themselves, the Maxwell House is a high-tech eco-friendly home in Melbourne, Australia that has won awards for its biophilic design, including the Best Sustainable Design in Australia (a Design Matters Award) and a National Alliance of Building Designers (NABD) award. Photos by Fiona Susanto.
2. Traditional Touches
If you like the traditional look then you’re in luck in 2022. Interiors that incorporate traditional elements has probably become popular again as it is comfortable and offers security in an increasingly tumultuous world.
Choose your favourite flanged furniture or add a few antique pieces to your existing style. You can even mix patterns to help recreate yesteryear, a scene that is currently increasingly appealing.
Above and below: interiors designed by KIT KEMP
3. 3D Art
3D art adds a touch of fun to any space. It can be in a wide variety of forms, from a traditional image to a random collection of objects attached to a wall. In essence, the trend focuses on bringing the wall to life.
3D art leaps off the wall at you, encouraging you to focus on it and even lose yourself in it. You’ll be surprised at how impressive this effect looks. However, it is best to keep this to one wall of your room or you may find it overpowering.
4. Sustainable Items
It’s not surprising that sustainability is making a comeback. In fact, it is likely to feature highly in interior design for many years to come.
This is potentially one of the easiest items to add to any space. You simply need to think about the origins of each item in your home and make sure that any additions are made sustainably. That means they have been made without negatively impacting the planet. Antique items, recycled things, and those made with reclaimed materials are a great place to start.
5. Multifunction
Rooms are increasingly being used for several different things, such as the dining room that is also the study or the living room that is also a gym. The reality is most people have limited space and plenty of things they want to achieve.
The comeback trend for 2022 is to reinvent each space in your home so that it serves more than one purpose. When properly designed this is a practical and logical use of the space available. Incorporate it with the above interior design suggestions and you’ll have a home you love. The fact that it is sustainable and on-trend for 2022 is a bonus!
Final Thoughts
As mentioned, it can be hard to keep up with all the latest trends. The good news is that you don’t have to. Neutral walls coupled with the right furniture and rug will allow you to change your room effortlessly simply by concentrating on the soft furnishings.
Embracing the trends in the process should be seen as a bonus. After all, the most important thing when decorating your home is that you are comfortable.
Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014 and the luxury interior design blog All The Pretty Homes in 2024. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.