The emerging new trends for living room ideas in 2022 have something for everyone. You can choose the tranquil, relaxing back-to-nature looks that see you incorporating earthy colours and succulents or get creative with the maximalist vibe, from multicoloured rugs to mix-and-match soft.
1. Zoning areas for work, rest and play
Image credit: Dunelm
Our homes have never had to work harder than in recent years, especially living rooms – becoming home offices, home schooling hubs and an entertaining space. As a result, the emerging trend of zoning is set to be an ongoing way of making sure our living rooms perfectly suit our multifaceted lifestyles.
Whether a single or open-plan area the use of thoughtful zoning allows homeowners to create divisions and individual spaces to cater for work, rest and play. Methods like non-permanent room dividers, well-placed rugs and furniture layouts can help to provide separation without entirely enclosing dedicated spaces.
2. Calming Japandi interiors
Image credit: Future PLC/ Damian Russell
Japandi is an east-meets-west trend that combines relaxing, minimalist décor with a neutral palette and natural materials to create a restful retreat for our living spaces.
‘Japandi’s calming interior style encourages slow living,’ Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture and Choice. ‘With a huge shift in lifestyles, many of us have been looking for ways to lead a more balanced life.’
‘One of the aspects of Japandi interiors is to reconnect with nature to boost our overall wellbeing. Channel this in the dining room with an oak dining table, linen tablecloth, earthen tableware and wooden cutlery. Touches of greenery complete the look.’
3. Blurring the lines between outside and in
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Welcoming the outside in is one trend that is going from strength to strength for 2022. Dressing our homes with house plant ideas proves as popular as ever as homeowners strive to create a sense of calm for indoor living spaces, by being surrounded by nature.
‘We’ll see the continuation of bringing the outdoors in, especially as we spend more time at home,’ shares Nina Findly at Homebase. ‘Expect our rooms to be full of succulents which are easy to care for, and larger leafy plants which add a sense of escapism, calm and relaxation to our living rooms.’
You might want to add some gardening shows to your TV programming, to help nurture your green thumb.
4. Blue sky thinking
Image credit: Dulux
The Dulux colour of the year is a fail-safe way of determining the colour trends for the year ahead. For 2022 the colour is inspired by blue skies; ‘Right now, people want to feel revitalised and enjoy the freedoms that are returning to them, to look out and bring in new ideas. What better inspiration can we take than the endless skies around us?’ says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK.
‘Whereas previously, neutral tones have been the most popular for living rooms, soft and versatile shades such as rose pink and sky blue have seen a surge in popularity for the coming season,’ explains Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore UK. ‘Blue works perfectly in busy spaces where you look to form a sense of tranquillity, such as a chaotic family living room idea.
‘Blue is one of the colours that require our eyes to do little-to-no adjusting, which will help to create a feeling of restfulness and harmony in the home. Not only does the shade bring a sense of calm, but it is also vibrant, injecting more life and energy into a space than a more traditional neutral tone.’
5. Rethinking lighting choices
Image credit: Habitat; Tempe Brass Table Lamp, £45; Easton Brushed Brass & Opal Wall Light, £28; Joel Sofa bed, £400
Rightly so living room lighting ideas are being more considered for transforming the decor, without the need for decorating at all.
‘Extended time at home has opened our eyes to the impact different styles of lighting have on our spaces’ explains Kate Grant, Senior Lighting Buyer at Habitat. ‘We’re now seeing much more adventurous shopping in this area as people explore designs beyond pendants and table lamps.’
‘Sales of sconce lights have increased by over 40% since the start of September, and this surprisingly isn’t limited to homeowners. There’s high demand for plug-in options that attach to walls and even clamp lighting for headboards, as renters look to create atmospheric looks without the hassle of rewiring.’
‘In a move away from purely functional designs, customers are increasingly opting for lamps which operate as stylish objects even when switched off’ says Anna Cross, Buying Manager for Habitat. ‘Bold, sculptural styles are an easy way to instantly elevate living spaces through an injection of personality. Pair two lamps together to frame larger pieces of furniture such as sofas.’
6. Coordinating colour
Image credit: The Radiator Company; Ancona Radiator, colour coordinated to Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal
The trend for coordinating colour is a great way to make everything in our homes feel more stylish. Take radiators for instance, an essential item but often not one we consider to be part of the decor. This emerging trend sees radiators become more inclusive in the decor, by matching the wall colour.
Rather than radiators standing out for all the wrong reasons because they jar with living room colour schemes, this new trend makes them part of the colour scheme. The Radiator Company for instance can take your chosen paint colour and expertly create a power coated finish to colour coordinate with the paint throughout your home.
To see the full article by Tamara Kelly including all 18 trends for 2022 head to Ideal Home
