From organic to abstract

All eras leave an impression on the multitude of creative fields and processes they are witnesses to, including interior design, which regards the everyday lives and activities of people. Even the slightest societal changes can affect the ruling ideas of design - whereas fundamental shifts such as those brought on by the year 2020 lead to the re-evaluation of social definitions and perspectives. It’s wise in these times to pay close attention to the intuitive changes we make to overcome the challenges of this newfound life, and to see how these barriers set before us shape the face of home design. Read on to discover six of the defining trends of interior design in 2021!

Products seen in the images: GUBI Epic Coffee Table, Pacha Lounge Chair, Gravity Floor Lamp, Stemlite Table Lamp. Designers: Louise Hjorth Design, Arthur Casas.

Organic minimalism

The origins of minimalism can be traced back to Bauhaus, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that this simple and clean style became one of the most fashionable choices for interiors, even if it was seen by many as bleak or impersonal. 2021 sees the arrival of a warmer and much more appropriate alternative to the same trend: organic minimalism. Here, rustic and natural elements make the clean-cut look of the early noughties more personal. Shapes and forms of the interior and furniture pieces soften up, lines become curves, and preference grows for the use of quality natural materials.

Products seen in the images: Sibast Furniture, Alhambra fabrics, Epoca Ceramic, Vertigo chandelier. Designers: Lorna de Santos, Pella Hedeby.

Color use in spaces will stay as low-key as before. White, beige and grey will be complemented with the earthy colors and brown shades of natural wood and stone surfaces, or organic fabrics such as hemp, flax, jute, wool, and even sisal or coconut. Environmental awareness meets the aesthetics of Minimal Art here, resulting in airy interiors bathing in plenty of natural sunlight, ornamented with carefully selected accessories and real materials harking back to the everlasting values of Nature.

Designers: Studio Gathe, Emmanuelle Sawko, Rupert Landendinger

Sophisticated and eclectic

An eclectic interior combines the most diverse styles and design eras. It is a favorite choice of creative individuals, as the tenets of eclectic design provide the freedom to bring your own personality into the space. Creating an elegant, eclectic interior that mixes different visual concepts is a challenging aspect of interior design, as it demands shrewd and strong artistic decisions from designers. What is the secret of the eclectic home?

Products seen in the images: Camaleonda sofa, B&B Italia table, Beau marché decoration, Ingo Maurer Zettel’z pendant, Cappelen Dimyr carpet. Designers: Emmannuelle Sawko, Gisbert Pöppler.

As a rule of designing an eclectic space, always embrace the given qualities of your interior. This style can be all about contrasts - try and play around with all the contradictions arising between the space and the objects. Place modern furniture in classic interiors, or vice versa, fill a subtle, minimalist environment with outstanding items and decoration. Build your visual concept around one strong color choice, which, in turn, will bridge the gap between the contrasting points of your space and furniture.

Designers: Simon James Design, ninkipen!

The beauty of wood

It’s hard to make a case against versatile and diverse wood when designing natural and inspiring interiors. The most ancient building material in the history of humanity is having its renaissance in interior design where the one of the most important aspirations of the 2020s has become the creation of sustainable homes. Artificial materials mimicking wood are going out of style, and are quickly replaced by natural wood both in home and furniture design. And this, in turn, leads to the booming popularity of everything that is wood, including flooring solutions, walls and ceiling coverings.

Products seen in the images: Charlotte Perriand table, Directeur chairs, Stilnovo chandelier. Designers: Bryce Ehreke.

The organic vein networks and soft lines of wood evoke an unmistakable atmosphere in any interior, working greatly in spaces without the need for further decoration. And besides the interiors of homes, more and more sheds and outdoor buildings, mobile homes and accommodation are made entirely of wood. This is not the least surprising: our mental health and overall well-being is greatly affected by the positive vibe radiated by one of Nature’s greatest gifts: wood.

Tervezők: Ingvild Flesland, Olaf Rademacher

Romantic countryside

For many people in cities, the countryside is merely a place for vacation, whereas these idyllic areas might hold the key for a sustainable life. It’s by no means an accident that many are leaving those busy concrete jungles behind for a much more inspiring and personal environment, in close proximity of nature, where consumerism is replaced by self-sustainability, and traditional values are once again taking the place of modern fads.

Designer: Henrick Eriksson

Rustic furniture pieces decorated with folk motifs, combined with aged and worn accessories and ornamentation, evoke a sense of bucolic peace. It’s almost like maximalism moved to the countryside, where busy areas are filled with items and furnitures, all having their own distinct story. Lush gardens on the outside and the dominance of organic materials on the inside reforge the long-lost connection between humans and their environment. This way, rural romanticism connects the respect for past values with the need for a sustainable future.

Designers: Glen Proebstel, Gisbert Pöppler, Kennedy Nolan

Colorful trends

The more dominant colors of 2021 are characterized by a sense of calming trust and radiating warmth, but it doesn’t mean that fans of strong and dynamic shades have to give up on their design ideas. On the contrary: neutral beige and vanilla colors provide the perfect backdrop for much more energetic colors such as olive green, orange, rust, burgundy, pastel lilac, teal and sky blue. The best approach is to think of your modern home aesthetics as the ideal harmony of the subtle and the bold.

Designers: Angela Chrusciaki Blehm, Michael Dansk, Marc Costa

Applying vivid colors to small spaces requires caution, as, instead of outright painting the walls, you might want to focus on your windows and doors instead. Also, you might introduce said colors in the form of furniture and decoration. Lofts and apartments with considerable ceiling height, on the other hand, are perfectly suitable for stronger shades, so don’t be afraid to go all out with the color of your choice, transforming your home into the most exciting interior in the process. If you’re unsure about the most appropriate color for your home, just ask stylists for their advice!

Products seen in the images: Vintage Djinn Chaise by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne chairs, Angela Chrusciaki Blehm for Chairish pillow, curtains and decoration

Personal space

There’s never been a more outstanding demand for extreme and artistic looking furniture pieces and accessories than in the past couple of years. These custom-made design furnitures offer way more than their basic function: just like a piece of art, a beautiful statue or a spectacular painting, they, too, have their own aesthetic value and character that is able to dominate the ruling atmosphere of the interior.

Products seen in the images: Matthew Morgan credenza, Terra Cognita installation, Roly-Poly chair

Enthusiasts of contemporary art will be delighted to find out that modern designers are keen to work with abstract shapes, unusual patterns and interesting colors, in order to evoke memories of the most exceptional, post-modern interiors. Following the doctrines of maximalism, space is coordinated by the healthy balance of carefully selected artworks - such as paintings, photographs and ceramics - and distinctive furnitures, bringing design and art ever so closer to each other.

Design: Rozbrat by Colombe

Six important design trends for 2021, but this is only a small fraction of the perspectives, ideas and innovation designers will see this coming year. If you are excited to know more about the present and future of home and furniture design, be sure to follow our blog and our official Facebook and Instagram pages, and come to S/ALON BUDAPEST, Hungary’s most outstanding design expo, between September 24-26! Let’s meet in the Budapest Arena!

Products seen in the cover image: Vertigo chandelier, Oskar Zieta metal artwork, Pierre Frey curtain, Santa Cole lamps. Designer: Colombe Design.

Our professional assistant for the article was Kata Hortobágyi.