Above: More is more? We’ve heard talk recently of “minimalism fatigue”, and we’ve found ourselves swayed by color and pattern. Call it an after-effect of being cooped up indoors the past few years, or just the design pendulum swinging to the opposite extreme, but maximalism—or shades of it—is making a comeback. Photograph by Simon Brown from A Masterful Mix-and-Match Apartment in London by Beata Heuman.
2. Color All Over
Above: Color is back in a big way. Of particular note: all-over color, in which rooms are saturated—walls to ceiling—in a single hue. Photograph by Sophie Wilson (@1690works) from A Ceramicist/Shopkeeper’s Gently Cared-For 1500s House in England.
3. Cool Composting
Above: “Composting is an essential kitchen task,” writes Alexa—and companies have caught up with a slew of attractive compost buckets that stash away kitchen scraps until you can get them to the garden (or community drop-off spot). This one’s from Zara Home; see more in 10 Easy Pieces: Kitchen Compost Bins.
4. All-Over Wood Paneling
Above: We noted the first inklings of the return of retro wood paneling way back in 2021—but the resurgence is now in full swing. For evidence, just see Trincomalee: A Landscape Designer’s ‘Gentle Restoration’ of a Historic House. Photograph by Anson Smart, courtesy of Richard Unsworth.
5. Hand-Drawn Details
Above: Last year, hand-painted details were everywhere. This year, the trend is getting even more freehand, with hand-drawn murals taking over, like these scribbled room numbers and mini frescoes by artist Franck Lebraly at Hotel Le Sud in France. Photograph from Let There Be Light: Hotel Le Sud in the South of France, a Guesthouse Inspired by Picasso.
6. Wonky Whiskey Glasses
Above: Old fashioneds get a modern twist thanks to the quirky lowball glasses we’ve been noting everywhere. This one is the Handblown Whiskey Glass by California-based Jerry Lin-Hsien Kung in California, “glass blower by training, tool maker by profession.”
7. Cohesive Baths
Above: The latest in the bath? Walls, sinks, counters, and surrounds all in the same finish, hue, or tile. Photograph by French + Tye, courtesy of Studio Ben Allen, from A London Victorian Terrace House Recast in Living Color.
8. Cold-Water Washing
Above: In the name of sustainability, saving money on energy bills, and preserving the life of linens, we switched, this year, to cold-water washing. Read more about this shift in Why It’s Better to Wash Your Clothes in Cold Water, Eco Edition (and listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History episode on the matter here). Photograph by Andres Gonzalez for Remodelista from House Call: An Exercise in Order with Architect Barbara Chambers.
9. Shaker Obsession, Beyond the Peg Rail
Above: Shaker style goes full tilt: We’re noting faithful reproductions of Shaker furnishings, design details, and entire rooms, like the dining room of the recently opened Commerce Inn in NYC. Photographs by Matthew Williams for Remodelista from 8 Ideas to Borrow from the Shaker-Inspired Commerce Inn in NYC.
10. Interior Windows
Above: Interior windows are all over, bringing with them natural light and there-but-not-there architectural divides. Photograph courtesy of Russell Loughlan from The House on Dolphin Street: A Remodeling Tale of Tenacity and High Style.
11. Appealing Pet Accessories
Above: Pets deserve a considered home, too. Expect more design-forward, eco-minded, and artisan-made accessories, like these Woven Pet Huts from Ghana, West Africa.
12. Sometimes Statement Bedspreads
Above: If last year was all about The Return of the Simple Bedspread, this year the bed is a low-commitment way to make a statement. Photography courtesy of Studio Krokalia from Color and Quiet: An 1700s House in Patmos, Greece, Restored by Studio Krokalia.
13. Sculpted Heads
Above: Behold, the odd design detail appearing on mantels and pedestals all over: busts and sculptures of heads, by turns romantic and a little eerie. Photograph from 10 Ideas to Steal from a Hotel and Artists’ Atelier in Paris.
14. Handmade Glass Lighting
Above: On our radar: intricately made glass lighting—complete with embellishment—starting with this collection of Venetian Glass Lights from In Common With and Sophie Lou Jacobsen. Photograph by William Jess Laird.
15. Prioritizing Pantries
Above: No longer catch-alls or unattractive afterthoughts, pantries, larders, and even root cellars are finally getting their due this year. Photography courtesy of Martina Casonato from A Graphic Designer’s Redone Victorian, Where the Pantry Takes Center Stage.
16. High-Style Accoutrements
Above: Dispensaries are the new design destinations (sometimes gallery-like, sometimes architect-designed)—and cannabis accoutrements are getting the design treatment, too. These are glass Half Circle Pipes, $55, from Yew Yew, as seen in this year’s Gifts for the Design-Forward Dad.
17. Stained Glass
Above: Stained glass vitrines are in, as seen in California in Cambridge: A Boston House Remodel By Barbara Bestor and Carter Design. Photograph by and courtesy of Laure Joliet.
18. The Statement Daybed
Above: Daybeds continue to have a moment, with a maximalist makeover: This year’s are wrapped in quilts and paired with pleasantly clashing patterns. Photograph by Eric Petschek from Off the Grid: A Stylish, Low-Impact Retreat in Sonoma by Charles de Lisle.
19. Ruffled Accents
Above: Ruffles–and scalloping—are everywhere we look these days, from In Casa By Paboy x Block Shop’s bright pillows to architectural trim.
20. Embracing Induction
Above: Our prediction: 2022 will go down as the year we said farewell to the gas range in favor of lower-energy (and safer) induction models. Photograph from Reighton Road in London: A Calm, Contemporary Revival of a Victorian Apartment.
21. Food as Decor
Above: In our new book Remodelista in Maine, designer and event planner Molly O’Rourke fashioned ad-hoc candle holders out of rustic hunks of bread—and since then, we’ve noted consumables as decor all over the place, from bread hung on the walls and displayed on tabletops in a Vancouver cafe to an homage to the humble potato in Paris (shown).
22. Cork, Hemp, and Other Eco Materials
Above: In researching our newest book, Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home, we learned much about the rise of building materials with renewable roots that take less of a toll on the environment. Here’s hoping building with hemp and other eco-minded materials becomes the new norm. Photograph by Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Common Knowledge, from The DIY Tiny House Made from Hemp: A Community-Built Mobile Home from Common Knowledge in Ireland.
