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After more than a year of pandemic life, it's clear that the idea of "staying home" is forever changed. As we shift into cocooning mode for fall and winter, 2021's favourite interior design trends are only becoming more nostalgic — and more cozy. As trend cycles go, there's never been a better time to be a classic devotee; it's our time to shine, baby!
Just when we were sure the grandmillennial trend must be nearing its peak, it's taken on an even more maximalist bent. Think of pretty much any pattern (stripes, florals, block prints, ikat, checks...) and you're sure to spot it in stylish homes on Instagram or Pinterest daily — along with furniture, pillows and other accents adorned with pleats, skirts, tassels and scalloped edging galore. Many a decor lover's favourite post-pandemic pastime? Shopping online estate sales for antiques and scouring Facebook Marketplace for vintage finds. (It's the next best thing to raiding grandma's china cabinet.)
It's not just the aesthetics of this throwback style that keep it humming along; it's the feel. Comfort, nostalgia, and function are top of mind for every room. One shift we're especially into: Designers and homeowners alike are choosing sofas and chairs with soft, pillowy cushions and plush rolled arms over boxy, contemporary styles. (Hint, hint: Watch this space in the new year for Rainsford Company's very own collection of upholstered goods!)
So, what's out? Designers and magazines are proclaiming that the modern farmhouse look is officially dead. But fret not, fellow shiplap lovers! There's a new trend budding that will fill the relaxed, rustic void it leaves behind — one that marries perfectly with all that grandmillennial pattern. Read on to learn what five nostalgic, regret-proof trends are taking over now.
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What do you get when you take grandmillennial style, biophilic design (hello, houseplant addiction!), and the English eclectic trend, and hand them over to Gen Z to TikTok at will? The answer: "Cottagecore."
Before your mind wanders off the dock, take pause: the "cottage" in this case is a rural country house somewhere in a rolling, grassy field, not a cabin at the lake. Think less Muskoka, more quaint Tudor home in The Cotswolds... or maybe a once-ramshackle farmhouse in New York's Hudson Valley, restored à la Jersey Ice Cream Co.'s iconic style.
The hallmarks of the cottagecore look: Beadboard panelling, plaster walls, checkered gingham and plaid, a mix of rustic woods, and a faded colour palette punctuated with warm neutrals, pastels and earthy jewel tones.
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Meshing nicely with both the cottagecore and grandmillennial aesthetics is this furniture trend: A revival of turned wood, spindle-style pieces.
Popular for everything from table legs and chairs backs to bed frames and table lamps, this historical, colonial style is also known as spool- or bobbin-style, or — maybe more commonly — Jenny Lind style. (Lind was a renowned Swedish opera singer who was famously said to have slept in a spool-turned bed throughout her 1850s performance tour of America.) Traditionally, the detailed wood pieces are carved in a lathe, giving them a decorative, beaded look.
Wanting to add a more subtle nod to the trend? For 2021's take on the comeback, the spindle-style look is recreated in wood, metal or even plaster. Opt for a side-table with a turned pedestal base, or a table or floor lamp that mimics the look.
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It should be no surprise we're fully smitten with this next trend. Rattan and wicker furniture have been (re)gaining popularity for a few seasons now, and we love how bold it's becoming. Our fave take: Sculptural, fully woven trompe-l'œil pieces, such as "ghost" tables made to look like they're covered with a draped tablecloth (softly rippled silhouette and all), curvaceous urns, and skirted chairs.
A little OTT for your taste? Also in the mix are scalloped-edged placemats or woven table lamps and pendant shades, for quick hits of the trend. Or, go classic with clean-lined casegoods (that's designer-speak for storage furniture such as dressers and free-standing cabinets) with cane-fronted doors.
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Say goodbye to grey. Brown is the new neutral in everyone's homes, and its easy to see why. The warm shade delivers instant coziness, especially when layered in a monochrome palette ranging from beige to taupe to rich chocolate. We love it as a complement to creamy whites and soft black — or, for added interest, mix in "colourful" earthtones like sage green, stone blue, dusty clay and golden ochre. Layer in bronze or brass lighting and jute floor coverings, and you've got a foolproof formula for moody comfort.
Nervous to pick up a paintbrush? Start easy with wood furniture and tonal textiles, like a mix of patterned and solid throw pillows, a rug, or an upholstered accent chair.
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Fact: Polished white marble will never, ever go out of style. But having a moment now are its more saturated siblings — beige, pink, grey, brown, and black marbles. These statement stones have been making a splash on the pages of decor mags as fully marble clad bathrooms or kitchen islands, but they make just as effective of an impact (and are way more liveable) when used for countertops, tables or small decor accents.
Another trending stone to look for: Alabaster. Traditionally used for sculpture and other carved items like vase or decorative boxes, this natural material really shines for lighting; the creamy, semi-translucent stone glows when lit from within.
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