Decorating
Which Key Trends From the 2010s Will We Still Love This Decade?
Check out this rundown of some of the key interiors trends that defined the past 10 years
With the growth of Houzz, we’ve been lucky enough to gain access to a huge amount of interiors inspiration over the past decade. As we all tightened our purse strings to ride out the credit crunch, staying in became the new going out and homeowners enjoyed being creative in the way they designed their properties.
We’ve picked out some of our favourite design elements that either emerged in the 2010s, or went from strength to strength over the decade. Take a look – which would you like to see more of in the 2020s? Let us know in the Comments.
We’ve picked out some of our favourite design elements that either emerged in the 2010s, or went from strength to strength over the decade. Take a look – which would you like to see more of in the 2020s? Let us know in the Comments.
Warm metallics
If you were after a lustrous look last decade, chrome just didn’t cut the mustard. Instead, homeowners chose metals in warmer tones, such as rose gold and copper.
The blush hues of rose gold work well here with the monochrome and pale pink scheme…
If you were after a lustrous look last decade, chrome just didn’t cut the mustard. Instead, homeowners chose metals in warmer tones, such as rose gold and copper.
The blush hues of rose gold work well here with the monochrome and pale pink scheme…
…while the amber notes in these copper Tom Dixon pendant lights complement the grey and wood palette.
Still loving the look of warm metallics? Look out for the beautiful brass and gold fittings that are gracing many a stylish interior right now.
Still loving the look of warm metallics? Look out for the beautiful brass and gold fittings that are gracing many a stylish interior right now.
Exposed bulbs
In our 2014 Maison & Objet trends roundup, we forecasted the rise of exposed light bulbs – and our prediction proved illuminating. Homeowners have been incorporating them in their interior schemes ever since.
The simple bulb was brought out from under its lampshade and celebrated as a thing of beauty, often teamed with a quirky flex, like the yellow one seen here.
Will we see more in the new decade? Well, industrial style is an enduring look, and it works perfectly with some well-positioned exposed bulbs, so there’s a good chance.
In our 2014 Maison & Objet trends roundup, we forecasted the rise of exposed light bulbs – and our prediction proved illuminating. Homeowners have been incorporating them in their interior schemes ever since.
The simple bulb was brought out from under its lampshade and celebrated as a thing of beauty, often teamed with a quirky flex, like the yellow one seen here.
Will we see more in the new decade? Well, industrial style is an enduring look, and it works perfectly with some well-positioned exposed bulbs, so there’s a good chance.
Mismatched dining chairs
Can’t decide which dining chair to choose? It really didn’t matter in the 2010s.
The funky way to seat your guests was with a mix of styles or colours. You could either go completely rogue by choosing a random collection of furniture pieces, or do something a little more cohesive. Take this table, for example: a mismatched set of wooden chairs and a bench are tied together with two symmetrically placed Tolix seats.
Alternatively, you could choose the same chair design in a mix of colourways, or turn it on its head with a selection of styles all painted in the same hue.
Can’t decide which dining chair to choose? It really didn’t matter in the 2010s.
The funky way to seat your guests was with a mix of styles or colours. You could either go completely rogue by choosing a random collection of furniture pieces, or do something a little more cohesive. Take this table, for example: a mismatched set of wooden chairs and a bench are tied together with two symmetrically placed Tolix seats.
Alternatively, you could choose the same chair design in a mix of colourways, or turn it on its head with a selection of styles all painted in the same hue.
Indoor foliage
Houseplants are a trend we’re hoping will stick around. They went out of fashion after the 1980s, but stylish homeowners brought them back in the 2010s.
All types of indoor greenery were popping up in our homes, but a few ‘it’ plants were de rigueur on social media. The fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) found a home in many well designed living rooms, as did the perfectly formed leaves of the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) and the delicate foliage of a dangling string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus).
With more people recognising the wellbeing benefits of biophilia, and with a renewed focus on the climate, indoor plants will no doubt continue as an interiors fixture this decade.
Houseplants are a trend we’re hoping will stick around. They went out of fashion after the 1980s, but stylish homeowners brought them back in the 2010s.
All types of indoor greenery were popping up in our homes, but a few ‘it’ plants were de rigueur on social media. The fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) found a home in many well designed living rooms, as did the perfectly formed leaves of the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) and the delicate foliage of a dangling string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus).
With more people recognising the wellbeing benefits of biophilia, and with a renewed focus on the climate, indoor plants will no doubt continue as an interiors fixture this decade.
Inspirational artwork
Who doesn’t need a few words of encouragement now and again? The 2010s saw typographic art come into its own. Whether it was a daily dose of inspiration or some offbeat humour, quote-filled posters were everywhere.
Will these stylish sentences be gracing our walls this decade? Who knows, but a witty pickup is surely always a good thing, right?
Who doesn’t need a few words of encouragement now and again? The 2010s saw typographic art come into its own. Whether it was a daily dose of inspiration or some offbeat humour, quote-filled posters were everywhere.
Will these stylish sentences be gracing our walls this decade? Who knows, but a witty pickup is surely always a good thing, right?
The Beni Ourain rug
If you’re looking for a floor covering that’ll work anywhere, a black and white Beni Ourain rug is a good choice. This understated carpet style originated in Morocco and has been replicated in a number of subtly different designs.
It came into its own in the 2010s, providing a versatile complement to midcentury furniture and Scandi-style interiors, as well as a light accent in a dark-walled living room.
Is the Beni Ourain rug a timeless classic? It’s difficult to predict, but its elegant design is certainly subtle enough to work with most interior styles.
If you’re looking for a floor covering that’ll work anywhere, a black and white Beni Ourain rug is a good choice. This understated carpet style originated in Morocco and has been replicated in a number of subtly different designs.
It came into its own in the 2010s, providing a versatile complement to midcentury furniture and Scandi-style interiors, as well as a light accent in a dark-walled living room.
Is the Beni Ourain rug a timeless classic? It’s difficult to predict, but its elegant design is certainly subtle enough to work with most interior styles.
Bifold doors
Do you prefer to keep your garden separate from your interior? Thought not. Nowadays, most of us want our homes to feel as connected to the outdoors as possible.
A key way homeowners were creating that inside-outside look in the 2010s was with bifold patio doors. This clever design consists of a series of glazed panels that concertina back to reveal a super-wide opening to the garden.
If you prefer fewer frames around your glazing, a sliding door is an ideal alternative. However, bifolds are a fantastic option for creating a seamless connection between your home and the great outdoors.
Do you prefer to keep your garden separate from your interior? Thought not. Nowadays, most of us want our homes to feel as connected to the outdoors as possible.
A key way homeowners were creating that inside-outside look in the 2010s was with bifold patio doors. This clever design consists of a series of glazed panels that concertina back to reveal a super-wide opening to the garden.
If you prefer fewer frames around your glazing, a sliding door is an ideal alternative. However, bifolds are a fantastic option for creating a seamless connection between your home and the great outdoors.
Gallery walls
For art lovers who wanted to display a collection of paintings, posters and photographs, the gallery wall was a 2010s must-have. Stylish homeowners were carefully arranging an eclectic mix of artworks as a statement feature on the wall.
A curated selection of smaller artworks is often an easier and cheaper alternative to investing in one large-scale piece. So while the gallery wall isn’t so much of a trend this decade, it’s still an ideal way to decorate your home.
For art lovers who wanted to display a collection of paintings, posters and photographs, the gallery wall was a 2010s must-have. Stylish homeowners were carefully arranging an eclectic mix of artworks as a statement feature on the wall.
A curated selection of smaller artworks is often an easier and cheaper alternative to investing in one large-scale piece. So while the gallery wall isn’t so much of a trend this decade, it’s still an ideal way to decorate your home.
Grey
We’d moved away from magnolia by the 2010s, swapping creamy tones for a cooler palette. The go-to neutral was grey, which appeared on walls, textiles, floors and furniture in shades from pale ash to dark charcoal.
This subtle, elegant colour is a versatile and timeless option, and works with most other shades. Will it be going anywhere? Grey is surely a classic that will be gracing our interiors for years to come.
Tell us…
What was your favourite interiors trend of past decade? And which of these do you think will stand the test of time? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
We’d moved away from magnolia by the 2010s, swapping creamy tones for a cooler palette. The go-to neutral was grey, which appeared on walls, textiles, floors and furniture in shades from pale ash to dark charcoal.
This subtle, elegant colour is a versatile and timeless option, and works with most other shades. Will it be going anywhere? Grey is surely a classic that will be gracing our interiors for years to come.
Tell us…
What was your favourite interiors trend of past decade? And which of these do you think will stand the test of time? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
A sure-fire way to elevate a room from good to gorgeous is with some stunning glazing. Steel-framed doors became the go-to style for delivering the wow factor last decade. The original versions were designed in 1884 by Essex ironmonger Francis Henry Crittall, but the style has been adapted in numerous guises for 21st century homes.
The large wall of glazing in this space adds a stylish opening to the garden, but these types of doors can also be used internally to divide rooms. Black-framed doors and windows are so beautiful, it’s hard to imagine they’ll be disappearing from our homes any time soon.