Trends come and go, but luckily those for the home tend to stick around a little bit longer. And with the year we’ve had of staying home ALL THE TIME, and it most likely sticking around for 2021, getting your home in the best shape possible is a goal many of us are looking to have in the year ahead.

By Lynn Norusis

We spoke with a few local interior designers to explain the home design trends that are happening in Northern Virginia, and we’re taking a broader look at what is happening in the design world as a whole.

HOME TRENDS WE’RE GOING TO BE SEEING THIS YEAR

Clean and uncluttered: “Customers were decluttering and streamlining their spaces with new designs to help them feel lighter and make their spaces feel more fresh,” says Ann O’Shields of The Nest Egg. “Removing heavy draperies in favor of clean panels and shades, moving from oversized cabinetry to slimmer scaled media pieces and sideboards, etc.”

Light-colored cabinets: June Shea of Shea Studio Interiors says lighter-colored cabinets are still going strong in the area and suggests complimenting them “with pops of color and white marble granite or quartz surfaces.”

Traditional style: The tried and true Traditional style is set to come back. Maybe it is the nostalgia for comfort. And what is more comforting than traditional?

Navy: “Navy blue is still a big accent color and you are seeing it in kitchens and baths on cabinets,” says Shea. O’Shields concurs saying, “It took awhile for the blue trends to reach our area but we incorporated blue into many design plans in 2020 as customers chose to add more color into their spaces through rugs, window fabrics, bedding and pillows.”

Performance Fabrics: “Performance fabrics continue to be in with consumers looking to incorporate stain, fade and odor resistant fabrics for “real” living with families and pets,” says O’Shields.

Mixing bold with neutral: Neutral colors will always have a space in home design, but this year people are moving away from monochrome white and neutrals by adding in bold pops of color to liven the space.

Outdoor living: So is this really a new trend? No. But, people who have always been thinking about DOING their outdoor space are now making sure it is a top priority. Think pergolas, fire pits, entertainment areas, even standalone heaters during the colder months.

Touch-free appliances: Who wants to touch anything these days? Hence, the trend of people looking for touch-free faucets, trash cans and nonporous materials like quartz.

HOME TRENDS THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT

Modern farmhouse style: People are tired of seeing it everywhere. Think shiplap, barn doors, everything painted white with neutral hued and wood accents.

Mid-Century Modern: The Mad Men era had its time in this century, and it has now come to an end. 

Stark white kitchens: Looking for more organic, natural elements; the Carrara marble countertops, however, aren’t going anywhere

Open floor plans: If you’ve been working from home with others in your household going to virtual school and a partner also working alongside you, do we really need to explain why people want designated spaces back?

Single-purpose spaces: Your home is now a school, a workplace, an entertainment area and as much of a tranquil space as you can make it. The need to make it all of the above calls for creative, interchangeable spaces.

Fast furniture: Just like fast fashion, people want pieces that are going to last and are sustainable. “With a focus on sustainability, customers are opting for pieces with more longevity and better construction rather than “disposable” furniture that is inexpensive, needs to replace more frequently and is consuming our landfills,” says O’Shields.

Minimalism: This trend may have worked when you were only in your home, awake, for a few hours, but now that we are there more often than anywhere else, people are looking to make their spaces comfortable and welcoming.

Faux pieces: If we can’t get out, safely, and take in nature, people want to bring it into their homes, even if that means it is one more thing to take care of.

Want more advice on getting your home in tip-top shape? Check out our home design and maintenance stories.