Design Trends For 2021

BY SHWETASHETTY | March 2021

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Thought of the year: “Due to the events of 2020, I think that cottage core, nostalgia and the need for comfort are all here to stay,” says Instagram influencer and blogger Paula Sutton of Hill House Vintage.

As an architect and interior designer, at the beginning of every year, I introspect on some trends that will dominate the year. Like for others, the heavy impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will influence my choices. Staying indoors for the better part of 2020 has redefined our perceptions. One of the more desirable perceptions created is “less is more”. In home interiors, this manifests itself in sustainable and eco-friendly design. Use of more natural materials and having a minimum possible carbon footprint with the choices we make have, been the major deciding factors in designing homes and corporate spaces for me.

Every year, the most awaited prediction is the “colour of the year”. For the year 2021, Pantone has named not one but two colours. Pantone releases a colour every year that is supposed to dominate fields like fashion and home interiors. For 2021, it is a combination of Grey, that stands for endurance and maturity, alongside a Sunny Yellow hue that stands for hope. These two colours are supposed to form a complementary pair.

This past year has been all about reinventing oneself. Scrummaging through memories, reliving them, and evolving as more spiritual and happy souls. My input to the client has revolved around ‘collecting’ things from the past and ‘layering’ their home with these collections to express themselves. In other words, this new year is all about creating well-being and multi-functional spaces to enhance our living standards.

With families spending more time at home, one can elevate the comfort zone using soft fabrics, light wood, and pastel tones. Minimal décor accents, using materials like brass, copper and glass, will be in vogue. Bringing nature indoors will provide a sense of a serene tropical getaway, making the home a safe and inviting place to recharge. Combining the art of interior and product design into the concept of nature-inspired environments is a refreshing perspective.

One major design factor that I would like to add to all spaces I design this year, would be to add meaning and weight through community art. This would be my way of engaging in some beautiful, endearing art forms from across Indian cultures. Some inspirations can be taken from temple architecture, Madhubani art, Thikri, to name a few. This can be created by using coloured glass, ceramics, floral illustrations; the keyword being aesthetics with balance .

Moving forward to new designs and inspirations in 2021, I quote the famous French Designer Andre Putman “For a house to be successful, the objects in it must communicate with one another, respond to and balance one another”.