If you are making plans for a new kitchen or other changes to your home next year, taking a look at the latest interior design trends will inspire. Whether you are planning for a new kitchen, updating your living space, adding an extension or sprucing up your office, the hottest looks for 2022 in terms of colours, materials and even layout will ensure the finished room is on point.
Let the Drew Forsyth & Co expert design team guide you through the trends for 2022, with ideas of how to make them work in your home.
Colour your world
Introducing colour into your kitchen or other areas of your home is a sure-fire way of adding personality and character. So, what colours will be popular in kitchen design in 2022? We think the hottest colour palettes will include:
- Smokey blue colourways create a classic, calming kitchen, adding character without being too imposing. Blue’s soothing tones and general softness mirror nature's finest natural assets – with oceanic hues and summer sky shades bringing a sense of tranquillity to the kitchen.
- Green is staking a claim to the trendiest kitchen colour for 2022, with Instagram awash with nature-inspired green spaces. This is a shade that embodies renewal, rejuvenation, and energy, so it isn’t surprising that homeowners can’t get enough of it right now.
- Bold and brave colour schemes are winning out. With the shift towards maximalism in interior design, the kitchen is no exception. Although it has a way to go before it can be described as anti-minimalist, adding colour for a sense of drama is being embraced. If you’re still keen to play it safe, consider a two-tone effect, with a bold colour balanced out with a neutral shade to prevent the overwhelm.
- According to paint specialists Farrow & Ball, 2022 will see a shift towards an eclectic mix of the pure and humble. It’s new collection features five hues, all quite nostalgic, suggesting how colour can be a meeting ground between the past and the present.
Identifying the popular colours and picking out those you like and would feel comfortable living with is one thing. But we would always recommend talking through your likes (and dislikes!) with your designer before making any firm decisions.
Flexible and functional layouts
Away from colour, the layout of our homes is also changing to suit our modern way of living and working. 2022 could see a big rise in broken-plan living, as more of us seek to create multi-functional spaces with added privacy as a result of spending more time at home together.
The good news is that it’s possible to have the best that open-plan living offers while also creating some privacy. Here is some advice from our designers on making this happen:
- By being clever with the use of space and zoning areas, you can allow for a greater sense of privacy, while retaining the best elements of open-plan, including light, space and flow.
- Use freestanding shelving units or seating areas to act as a natural division between cooking and dining, make use of glass to create a partition without blocking sightlines and perhaps incorporate varying floor and ceiling heights to create a split-level layout.
- It is also possible to use an island or peninsula as a multi-functional way to zone while creating extra storage and worktop space for work, rest and play, while if floor space allows including a dedicated seating area that can be used for mealtimes, as well as working from home and the kids’ homework is an ideal.
As whole families spend more time at home, dining spaces may also become the norm again. Storage, too, is another key consideration in the post-pandemic kitchen. Unnecessary clutter needs to be stored neatly away, to create a sense of harmony, even when family life gets hectic. Follow these storage top tips:
- From deep wide drawers and pull-out shelving replacing standard cupboard interiors to cleaning cupboards becoming pantries for tinned goods, open shelving for jars bottles and spices, the kitchen will be organised like never before.
- With small appliances such as mixing aids and coffee machines much more commonplace since before the pandemic, clever design features such as bi-folding breakfast cupboards keep these hidden yet easy to get to.
For more design ideas and help with planning your dream kitchen or living space, why not download our FREE Buyer’s Guide, or give us a call on 01422 842206.