I've Done My Research—6 Interior Design Trends That Are Being Phased Out
It's been an eventful year on the home décor front. The wave of pastels has quietly died down, and eccentric couches have exploded to the point that they're as commonplace as IKEA furniture. Yet more big trends have asserted their influence on home décor.
Much like fashion, the trend phase of the interior design world can be swift and diverse. Several of the main ideas within the space are derived from what's happening on other fronts such as fashion and culture. For instance, the whimsical, rustic design aesthetic feels on par with the current coastal-grandma trend currently filtering through TikTok—albeit with a more global touch. Below, I'm parsing through each of the big trends entering (and leaving) the scene in 2022. From quirky shag rugs to curvy furniture, keep scrolling for a list of the pieces everyone can't stop talking about.
Phasing Out: '60s Space-AgePhasing In: '70s Influence
It's no coincidence that shag rugs and plush velvet seem to be coming out in droves. It's due in big part to the wave of groovy '70s references. That translates to lots of warm earth tones, extreme textures, and low-profile furniture (e.g., the platform bed). The decade's definitive comeback is evident in the surging popularity of '70s design icons like the Mario Bellini Camaleonda couch and Michel Ducaroy's Togo sofa.
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Phasing Out: Pretty Florals
Phasing In: Whimsical Blooms
A vase of fresh flowers will never go out of style, but the typical "beautiful" blossoms have given way to quirky and abstract arrangments that are seemingly more than meets the eye. An ode to the art form of Japanese ikebana, groupings of twigs, branches, and eye-catching flowers with interesting textures are arranged in equally whimsical vessels. They're a statement piece all on their own.
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Phasing Out: Delicate Pastels
Phasing In: Muted Tones
A few years ago, it was hard to ignore the rise of pastels. Pretty and soft shades of pink, purple, and blue were everywhere—the Scandinavian references were strong. This year, things are a bit different. While pastels haven't completely vanished, the new general consensus is to embrace more offbeat and neutral-leaning colors. There is still an emphasis on soft hues, but the idea is to go for unexpected shades like pear green and caramel brown.
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Phasing Out: Traditional Accent Chairs
Phasing In: Eccentric Seating
In a similar vein to the explosion of '70s-inspired décor, eccentric seating has been a huge trend taking over this year. A few designs, in particular, have led the wave, such as Hem's donut-inspired Boa Pouf, designed by Sabine Marcelis, and Puffy Chair, designed by Faye Toogood. It's all about being as unconventional as possible.
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Phasing Out: Rigid Shapes
Phasing In: Loose Forms
It's time to give your boxy furniture a rest. Curvy and organic-shaped pieces are soaring in a big way this year. Curvy side tables and rounded, abstract furniture are just a few of the ways insiders have taken up the aesthetic, and if you're looking to add some personality to your domain, this is just the way to do it.
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Phasing Out: Cement Accents
Phasing In: Marble Accents
After almost a decade of everything marble, the stone died a quiet death into relative uncoolness a few years ago. Shiny metals and more understated-looking materials like cement and plaster rose in its place. However, marble is ready to reclaim its throne in 2022. But the twist? Precious types like Calcutta marble with dramatic dark veining and dimensional French pink marble. The good part is this trend is relatively easy to inject into your own space with the inclusion of decorative objects like a bowl, candle holder, or plinth. If you're working with a bigger budget, a marble table is a timeless investment.
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Up next: I Went Viral for My Home Décor—13 Luxury Housewarming Gifts I Approve Of
Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor for Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.