We Asked the Experts—These Are the Defining Interior Trends Right Now

There are many things we're looking to leave behind us after the pandemic, but our obsession with interiors isn't one of them. For many of us, our homes became our places of work as well as our havens of rest. As such, it's understandable that elevating our spaces was a huge priority. Still, that doesn't mean that your quest to achieve interior nirvana needs to be over. With each passing season, fresh interior trends emerge, and that's certainly the case right now. With our interest piqued, we decided to ask those in the know what they think the best big 2021 interior trends will be. 

We consulted Charmaine White, founder and interior designer at The White House Interiors; Matthew Tranter, founder of architectural and interior visualisation studio Pillar Visuals; and Sophie Elliott and Cloe Bueso, co-founders of The Sette, to find out how we should be decorating our homes at the moment. Here's what they said.

1. GREEN TONES

"Blue has been a default colour in interiors for some time, but recently, I've noticed a resurge in true green. Think along the lines of grass and olive as opposed to the more muted tones of, say, sage. This is largely an attempt to bring the feeling of the outdoors inside our homes." — Matthew Tranter, founder, Pillar Visuals

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2. FOOD AS DÉCOR

"In our experience, our best-selling items are inspired by foodstuff; highlights in our range include our croissant-shaped butter dish and our vegetable cutlery rests, both of which we've had to restock. This trend might seem niche, but we're starting to see it all over." — Cloe Bueso, co-founder, The Sette 

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3. OLD-WORLD INFLUENCES

"I believe design should be timeless. An old oil painting that you picked up at an antique market mixed with a modern light fixture so as not to place what era a room is from. That is how to achieve timelessness—mix and match your eras." — Charmaine White, founder and interior designer, The White House Interiors

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4. CONSCIOUS FINDS

"Something I'm seeing more and more of is homeowners wanting to incorporate sustainability into their design schemes. Because of this, antique, repurposed, and salvaged pieces are all finding their place in modern interiors. There are some new and exciting antique dealers doing very well on social media as a result." — White

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5. PORTABLE LIGHTING

"An emerging trend that I really like is portable lighting. It's practical, as you aren't hamstrung by where your sockets are. And with people using their homes more in the winter months, it's a nice, effective way to bring light to an area of the home you may have previously ignored before. They're such a nice alternative to candles and are less dangerous, too, should that be a concern." — Tranter

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6. NOSTALGIC ITEMS

"People are looking for a product that will stand the test of time but that has an element of nostalgia in its design and sometimes even function. Whenever we source and buy items, we make sure that they have an element of familiarity and also a slight quirk." — Sophie Elliott, co-founder, The Sette 

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7. EARTHY HUES

"Warmer tones are now being favoured over cooler greys. Dulux's Colour of the Year for 2021 was Brave Ground, and it has made for a beautiful backdrop to the wooden, woven, rattan and bouclé textures that were popular in 2020. Polished plaster, travertines, camels and deep, neutralised hues like olive green and burnt orange are firmly taking hold of the interior landscape." — White

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8. LAYERING RUGS

"Rugs have been on-trend for a few seasons, but the look has evolved by way of layering. People are using not just one but two thinner rugs overlaid to create a more bespoke look. Choose different patterns, textures or colours to make them even more unique." — Tranter

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Opening Image: @sabinasocol

This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated. Next Up: 9 Affordable Homeware Pieces I've Seen on Instagram This Month