5 Lessons We’ve All Learned From 2022’s Interior Decor Trends

Okay, so, 2022 happened. 

Regardless of whether or not you considered it a great year (we sincerely hope you do), it brought a lot of changes to the home decor industry. As we’ve discussed in our last article ‘ The Best Upcoming Trends for Interior Design 2023’, the nature of home decor has changed, becoming more centred on self-expression and accessibility. This is, of course, a good thing, but it’s also scary, a new frontier for Home Decor, one we’re all exploring together. 

So as 2022 ends, and 2023 approaches, we thought now would be a good time to look back at the last year of trends and developments. Like any good interior decorator, we’re going to ask ourselves, a la Marie Condo: ‘Does this trend spark joy?’

Curves and Arches -

Now, if there’s one thing we can say for certain design-wise, it’s that 2022 was the year of curves and arches! Now, it may seem like a small thing, but the fundamental design principle that round objects appear “soft” and straight lines appear “hard” really made an impact in 2022 in very interesting ways. Lending itself to the more nature-inspired decor of the last twelve months (which we’ll talk about later), curves and arches can add a gentle, natural touch to your living space. This makes sense to us, for those of us in the Aufora office who get to work from home, we tend to alternate our decoration between hard, geometric shapes in the home-office, to softer shapes in communal areas used for relaxing. It’s an easy and quick way to put your mind a little more at ease. 

Now, going into 2023 it’s important to bear in mind that curves and arches are relatively easy to introduce without home renovation. Regardless of whether you have curved shapes built into your house, displays that give off a curved shape, disguise harsh lines, or draw the eye to rounded ornaments all can do the trick. This development, again, goes hand-in-hand with the new resurgence of houseplants and natural imagery in design, so if you’re looking to make something modern, bear in mind that context! Of course, interior design hinges more on taste than strict rules, so if you’re looking to explore how your home can feature soft shapes, but don’t feel like looking to nature, consider vases, geometric curved patterns, or ornaments that inspire arch shapes.

Natural Materials and Colours -

This is quite a broad category, but as we’ve mentioned earlier, 2022 saw a huge move towards softer, more natural-looking homes. Resultantly, green colours, wood, oak and cork board textures, and nature-inspired decor items have all become massively popular. Natural environments can have a powerful calming effect, so is there any wonder people have begun transforming their homes into warm eco-sanctuaries?

Now, this trend is easy enough to replicate in the home without totally renovating your interior. As always, pillows, display items, and wall ornaments should be more than enough to create a natural space. But when utilising this trend, it’s important not to neglect space or light. An integral part of creating a neat, positive nature-inspired space is that it be well-lit and largely uncluttered. Unlike the actual natural world, you, as the home decorator, are just creating a space that inspires the positive aspects of nature, so you can take creative liberties with how you do this in the interests of keeping things neat and aesthetically pleasing.

Statement Lighting -

Simply put, statement lighting is when your lighting fixture itself is the statement. This was considered somewhat unusual at first, with good lighting often being considered complementary to displays and centrepieces, rather than being centrestage itself. However, stunning statement lighting pieces have been quietly in the background of interior design for decades, with chandeliers, candelabras, fireplaces all being examples of statement lighting in their own respective ways.

Statement Lighting is relatively simple to introduce to any home, simply invest in a nice lamp, lampshade, or coloured bulb if you’re so inclined. Any of the prior items described can add a pop of vibrancy to your home, and make your lighting fixture stand out, just be sure that your statement lighting provides enough light for you to comfortably see by, and comfortably fits in with the rest of the decor you’ll have within your home. 

Libraries & Book Displays -

Whether you’re a bibliophile, you’ve always needed an excuse to start collecting books, or you have an especially large collection of old books from your university or college days, book displays came back in a huge way in 2022, and can bring a lot to your home. Book ends, bookshelf ornaments, even fairly lights, can all make a book display look like a vibrant centrepiece, not to mention the various patterns, textures and colours of your books.

We recommend starting book displays simply. First your books, don’t over-stack them unless you want to lean into a cluttered, vibrant look. Then ornaments or dressing, this can be a textured cloth draped over the lower shelves, or it can be bookends. Finally, finish it off with lighting, something to tastefully draw attention to your book display and compliment how it appears. Then, after these elements are in place, the book display can be altered to your liking, but sticking as closely to that simple, original design as much as possible. This is for two reasons, firstly, book displays are functional, over-cluttering your books may risk your display appearing messy, or make drawing books out to read difficult. Decor is important but so is function! Practicality and comfort were the considerations for 2022, so don’t be afraid to forgo fancy decor in favour of a bookshelf that works for you

Mixed Textures, Fabrics & Patterns -

Now, this one is a strong trend that’s showing no signs of stopping. A staple of wildly popular styles such as Cottagecore and Boho, a varied and layered set of textures, patterns and fabrics are a fantastic way to bring life, taste and comfort to your home. The variety of all three of these factors is a great way of highlighting objects of importance, is your centrepiece a beautiful, modern coffee table? Have it be a dramatically different texture and material than its surroundings. Think of it as creating a collage with your home materials, learning to construct around and include centrepieces is a huge part of learning to utilise this mixed-texture freedom.