The new year is always a time to take stock of where we’ve been—and where we’re headed—and that holds true for how we approach our interiors. As we enter another year on somewhat uncertain footing, the state of the world is still influencing how we decorate and designate our rooms, and the effects are by turns bold, comforting, and energizing. To help inform our approach to interior style over the coming months, we checked in with four interior designers across the country about the top trends they see emerging in 2022. Here, they discuss the ones they’re most excited about, from an inclination toward pattern and powerful color to a whole new approach to how we utilize our spaces.
Brown furniture and antiques make a comeback. The Scandinavian look of bleached wood has reigned supreme for quite some time now, but over the past year, says Tula Summerford, interior designer of Design by Tula in Raleigh, North Carolina, more and more clients—particularly younger ones—have become increasingly interested in buying antiques than ever before. This could be partly attributed to supply chain issues, or simply the desire to warm up a house, as brown furniture in general seems to be enjoying a resurgence. To incorporate this trend, Summerford recommends creating dining rooms mixed with contemporary seating, or antique chairs outfitted with funky seat fabrics. Across the board, desks, secretaries, antique corner chairs, and end tables are making their way into more rooms, which look particularly chic mixed in with brand new upholstered pieces. As Janie Molster, interior designer and owner of Janie Molster Designs in Richmond, Virginia, notes, antiques with a weathered patina bring old world credibility to any space.
