BY ANNIE HUSTON, BIRDSALL & CO.

You all inspire designers by the way you live, work and play. We try to stay a step ahead of you in order to provide you with the choices you don’t even know you needed the next time you step into a store. There are some outliers in the trends but in general, we get you! This is what we foresee for 2022. Time and sales will tell if we are right!

Daily Routines

We have grown used to these little parts of the day when we feel connected to our home, simply because we enjoy the small routines that ground us in the moment. The small touches that give us the feeling that life is good. There are luxuries we afford ourselves because, well, we’re worth it! No more synthetic fragrance sprays in the house; instead, we light that special candle with all-natural elements and essential oils. The triple-milled soaps resting in stoneware bath sets add an elegant, elevated accent to our daily life. It may not be new to all of us, but the prevailing design intent is now to make our routines more meaningful and to surround ourselves with unique, practical objects. 

Look for more of the following: natural materials, multi-functional products, environmentally responsible manufacturing, and local productions.

Celebrate the Everyday

With all the uncertainty about travel, we are no longer counting on that special vacation to re-energize our spirit and heal our bodies. So we take things into our own hands and create our respite in-house. Why not have cut flowers on the bedside table in a cute vase? Design a spa-like bathroom with plants hanging in the shower! We want to be welcomed home with a front garden that is not just the infamous hell strip and two random containers by the door. We take pleasure in creating living spaces outdoors with as much care as the indoor rooms. The lines are increasingly blurry between our outdoor and indoor spaces. Outdoor furniture is as comfortable as our living room sofas because we spend equal time sitting on them. Similarly, our tropical plants spend the summer on the terrace and migrate back inside in the fall; they are part of our everyday celebrations when we see a new green shoot.

Look for more of the following: old fashioned indoor plants (African violets, ferns and spider plants), accent pieces for outdoor spaces, fountains, cut flower gardens, vases, fair trade craftsmanship, tropical annuals, garden rooms, boho-themed decor, and handmade pottery.

Social Gatherings

When restaurants were forced to close down temporarily, we found comfort in our cook books and became pretty good at concocting our own style of cuisine. Who doesn’t appreciate a magnificent meal prepared by good friends and hosted in a backyard retreat? And since we are spending time differently these days,  the herbs were grown in a kitchen garden, the pizza cooked in an outdoor oven, the flower pots are overflowing, and the terrace has been maximized to accommodate large gatherings. 

Look for more of the following: home grown vegetables and fruit, heirloom tools for the kitchen and garden, embroidered linens, outdoor mood lighting, intentional and detailed décor, and more color in all products (check out Le Creuset!).

Sunday Morning

That’s a big one! Inside or outside, we are relaxing in the comfort, peace and safety of our home. Picture the scene: Before the household wakes up, your feet rest on a favorite ottoman, your coffee is steaming, your home grown flowers are in full bloom in a ceramic vase, a chunky knitted blanket holds a book on your lap, your indoor plants frame the windows, and dogs lie on the plush rug. The same scene applies to your outdoor bench, where the fountain gives off just enough white noise to keep you from hearing your phone buzzing and the only task on the list is to water the flowers.

Look for more of the following: colorful furniture, velvety textures, picture books, geodes, throw cushions, wood benches, shade structures, umbrellas, and indoor/outdoor rugs.

Modern Heirlooms

We are talking about heirloom pieces that have been passed on to you, the ones you will pass on to others, or even those from other times and cultures that you have stumbled upon. Incorporate and welcome them in your daily life. Feel free to juxtapose a blue Vietnamese porcelain container with a modern lamp. Plant your grandmother’s African violet in a contemporary container to see the two generations in one piece.

Look for more of the following: Textile art, ethnic fabrics, brass and copper finishes, and raw terra cotta.

Healing with Nature

Biophilic design is stronger than ever, in urban planning or interior décor. Bringing nature inside is now second nature. We know the benefits of surrounding ourselves with plants, natural materials, and consuming organic food. We strive to cultivate and grow what we can in an urban setting. We dig in the soil and find immense satisfaction when we pick our first tomatoes. Farmers’ markets are full of families who appreciate where products come from and how they taste. It is only the beginning.

Look for more of the following: seeds, insect houses, bird feeders, botanical designs, rustic pots, and raised planters.