When it comes to home design, 2021 is the year for turning a new leaf. Favored design trends from the last decade are fading fast, being replaced by a bold sense of adventure in color, texture and style. Read on to find out what’s “in” and “out” in 2021:
#1: Goodbye Shiplap, Hello Plaster
Nearly every home improvement TV show over the last decade has used shiplap to create a cozy, rustic look somewhere in the home. While these seaside-cottage-inspired planks have served us well, we are pleased to see designers turning to the myriad of other ways to create texture in a room.
One of the upcoming trends that makes our creative cup runneth over, is old-world plaster walls. We’re not talking drywall and mud – we mean authentic, lime-based plaster, applied with a burnishing trowel to bring out a texture reminiscent of the great halls of the Italian Renaissance. Want to take it a step further and really bring on the “wow” factor? Try Venetian Plaster, an old technique using glistening plaster from the mountains of Venice. You may pay a pretty price, but consider it a work of art for your walls – and, as an added bonus, it is completely mold-resistant.
#2: Stark Winter Colors Are Out; All Hail the Greens and Blues of Nature
The minimalist look of all-white and gray interiors is rapidly becoming dated; instead, home designers are craving colors that pay homage to nature. Case in point, Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year is the soft, soothing Aegean Teal, and their Color Trends palette includes the earthy Potters Clay and sunshiny Chestertown Buff.
Rather than all-white or all-gray cabinets, why not try a rich green with brass accents? Nostalgic metals lead us to our next point…
#3: Granny Chic is Definitely a Thing
Also known as Grandmillenial style, this trend takes vintage to a new level. You know it well – think patterned wallpapers, floral patterns, and other design elements taken from yesteryear. You don’t have to do it to quite the extent that granny did it, however. At Nelson Construction and Renovations, we like a light touch of vintage – a splash of floral print behind open shelving in the laundry room; a brass light fixture here; a glass knob there. Certainly when it comes to metals, we recommend opting for aged brass over shiny gold, or a bit of patina to your silver, for a softer, more authentic design. Even that touch alone would make granny proud.
#4: Bring Trees Inside
One of our all-time FAVORITE design trends is the recent fancy with foliage. I’m not just talking houseplants – I mean full-fledged TREES. Do you have high ceilings? Fill all that head space with branches. And if you don’t have the space for a tree, just fill a vase with long, leggy branches clipped from your yard (for inspiration on this gorgeous design technique, check out one of our favorite designers on Instagram, Athena Calderone at @eyeswoon).
Here are a few of our favorite trees to grow inside:
- European Olive Tree
- Fiddle leaf fig
- Weeping fig (especially in low-light conditions)
- Umbrella Tree
- Birds of Paradise
- Madagascar Dragon Tree (especially if you like low-maintenance)
- Parlor Palm
So there you have it. Some inspiration for you to play with in 2021. With more and more people working from home, we expect to see a lot more indoor creativity and outdoor activity, with a merging of the two in home design.
Nelson Construction and Renovations, a family business founded in 2006, is a design-build company that specializes in high-end remodels, home additions, and custom homes. With our headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, we serve homeowners all over Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. We are an award-winning member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
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