The past couple of years have definitely seen a shift in the way we view our homes. No longer just somewhere we rest at the end of the day, they’ve become our sanctuary, somewhere we work, sleep, exercise and socialize. It’s been a time to re-evaluate our lives, and our homes, and for many a time to renovate and remodel to suit these new lifestyles. 

So as we move into 2022, we wondered what design trends will be in style this year. What’s in and – just as importantly – what’s out? Here at the Broady Windsor Group, we’re specialist real estate brokers. This gives us a unique insight into what buyers are looking for, and the trends that have gone before, but it certainly doesn’t qualify us to write about the top design trends for 2022! So we’ve consulted with Sun Ah Brock, the founder and owner of LUX decor, a full-service interior design firm based in Ville St-Laurent, Montreal. Founded in 2003, Lux Decor has risen to meteoric heights, winning Houzz awards for Service and Design for 6 years running, the Quebecois House of the Year award in 2019 and featuring in numerous prestigious publications, including Canadian Home Trends and House & Home.

Here are LUX decor’s top tips for the interior design trends we’ll see in 2022:

Rich, moody colours

After being ‘in’ for nearly a decade, grey is finally on the way out. According to Sun Ah, "The palette for 2022 is dark and moody, with trends heading back towards rich browns, camels, sienna and olive greens". In parallel with this dramatic aesthetic, there’s a move toward contrasting materials. "In home offices, we’ll see walls painted in a rich, dark hue, paired with white oak furniture and black metal. There’s also a rising trend for mixing metals, with brass, polished nickel and black metal all co-existing within spaces.”




A move to maximalism

In a move away from the minimalism of the past 5 years, we’ll see a more adventurous approach to design choices. Clean palettes will be combined with bolder colours and luxurious fabrics, such as velvets, brocades and embroidery. "This is an interesting time for the decor world," she explained. "Trends are always coming back around, and we’re seeing a revival of antiques and maximalism, with lots of detailing on pillows, leather furniture, brass accents and beaded chandeliers. Bedrooms are also predicted to become more whimsical, with canopy beds and Persian-style rugs having a huge moment in 2022.” 

Multifunction and interiority

People want to create multifunctional spaces, with specific quiet zones. This is what LUX decor refers to as ‘interiority’ – essentially, it’s the study of four walls and what makes a home. It’s about creating a canvas for people to create memories and live their best lives. Accordingly, given the impact of the pandemic, Sun Ah predicts a major move toward multifunctional spaces in 2022. This includes larger offices that house multiple people at different workstations – a desk, sofa and coffee table, for example – as well as bookshelves in dining rooms and a desk in the spare bedroom. Open floor layouts will also become more defined, combining open-concept family rooms with closed-concept personalized spaces.

Sumptuous bathrooms

The trend for the dramatic is also predicted to be huge for bathrooms, with Sun Ah stating, "People are becoming braver with their colour selection, installing vanities painted in a deep green or beautiful blue-grey. To add drama and texture, we also anticipate washable, vinyl wallpapers being a big trend this year.”

With our homes becoming our oasis, the team at LUX decor is also getting a lot of requests for spa installations, such as steam showers and saunas. One interesting trend to bear in mind is that bathtub installations are down. As long as a home has one bathtub, that’s enough for most homeowners. Instead, they’re now opting for larger showers, even in children’s bathrooms.

What’s new for kitchens 

While white kitchens are still popular, bright whites are being replaced by warmer, neutral tones for cabinetry, such as Benjamin Moore’s Balboa Mist. Islands too are becoming far more striking, with people preferring a darker, richer hue. Sun Ah stresses, "You want to be at the beginning of a trend, not at the end. Definitely consider doing a kitchen that’s not all white, take a look at the newer colour choices and steer away from making things super monochromatic.” 

In addition, larger kitchens are taking it to the max, incorporating coffee bars, two sinks, two dishwashers and larger fridges. There’s also a move toward interesting storage solutions, including pull-outs and built-ins, and the clever use of pull-down cabinetry to hide Nespresso machines and toasters.

Bespoke furniture

Breaking away from the ‘cookie cutter’ appearance will be key this year, and in parallel with a more artisanal, retro feel, we’ll move toward one-of-a-kind spaces, with interesting shapes and the use of bespoke furnishings. This could be as simple as incorporating a vintage find, painting cabinets a contrasting colour or commissioning custom pieces of furniture. 

Smart technology integration

During 2022, the popularity of smart home systems such as Google Nest and Amazon’s Alexa will increase in popularity. Being able to control your home heating, lights, blinds and see who’s at the door from anywhere in the world has got to be the ultimate in convenience, not to mention home safety. While the team at LUX decor recommends integrating smart technology at an early stage of a build, it’s also straightforward to add these systems to finished homes. 

How to remain on trend, on a budget

We can’t all afford to completely renovate our homes, so we asked what people can do to update their homes, without breaking the bank. Here are Sun Ah’s recommendations:

     •Paint your home – given the rich colour trend, this has got to be the most effective and inexpensive way to create a dramatic change. Don’t just paint the walls, also look at furniture and vanities.
     •Accessorize – the attention is in the detail, especially when it comes to maximalism and individualizing your home. Adding pillows, creating a gallery wall and placing branches in a beautiful vase will all make a space look more complete.
     •Buy some plants – given the rich colour-scape for 2022, this is an easy way to add a pop of colour and brighten up the dark corners in a room.
     •Do look up – outdated lighting really ages a home. Add a vintage chandelier, brass light fittings and unusual pendant lights for uber styling.
     •Mixing metals – replace the handles on your cabinets in mix-and-match metals for an instant update. 

One final word of advice? Focus on one room at a time. Select three or four Pinterest images for inspiration, and incorporate some of these elements. That way you won’t lose sight of the look you love, and can keep an eye on the budget.

We hope these tips will help you plan your home renovations. How we design and decorate our homes shapes the way we live in them. Personally, here at the Broady Windsor Group we’ll be fascinated to see how these bolder, more personalized trends influence interior design over the forthcoming months. For more information on real estate services in the West Island, call us on 514-612-8041. For an all-service interior design service, you can submit a design enquiry for a complimentary quote by calling LUX decor on 514-332-2888.