With the new year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to refresh your office, home or business decor to improve both style and functionality.

In this article, we explore the biggest interior design trends expected for 2021 to help inspire you. From cosy ‘cottagecore’ at home to open-plan design for offices, let’s take you through the key interior design trends predicted to be big news in the New Year.

8 Interior Design Trends 2021

Invite Nature In

Lockdown has seen many people fall back in love with nature. Indeed, with so many of us confined to home, we can expect 2021 to incorporate natural materials, plant-life and other nature-evoking elements into our interior spaces. Whether that’s a few well-placed planters, living walls in offices, or green and beige colour schemes, many homes and businesses will most likely be inviting the great outdoors indoors. As an added benefit, studies show that plants and greenery boost our mood and productivity levels – making this trend particularly welcome at the moment.

Assimilate Smart Tech

For many households, Alexa, Siri and Google are permanent residents, doing everything from switching our lights on to playing our favourite tunes. Smart technology has become more and more assimilated into interior design as the years have gone by, evolving our houses into ‘smart homes’. And with technology becoming more advanced, and convenience becoming more prized, this trend shows no signs of slowing. It’s been predicted that smart technology may eventually be incorporated into every facet of the home, so perhaps in the near future we’ll see kitchen appliances linked to your smartphone or voice-controlled taps.

Wide Open Space

There’s no escaping the fact that 2021 will have more focus on social distancing, and this should be considered in office design, too. But this is also an opportunity, not just a necessity. Open-plan office design not only looks stylish, eliminating any workplace ‘stuffiness’ – it also means you can be more flexible in future when it comes to restructuring the space and furniture.

Homey Hygge (even at the office)

Workforces across the globe are now used to being at home and all the comfort and cosiness that this brings – or hygge as the Danes call it. As such, we may see commercial offices, as well as our own homes, try and weave in this sense of homeliness into interior design going forwards. Whether that’s more chillout zones, plants and ornament placement, warm lighting or neutral tones and fabrics, there are many ways to introduce some ‘hygge’ into offices – while still staying professional.

More aimed at home interior design, a side-trend of this is ‘cottagecore’ which is set to grow in popularity for 2021. This trend aims to add rustic, traditional elements into modern homes to bring a touch of cosiness and nostalgia to decor. Whether that’s exposed beams, decorative tiling, old oak furniture or unearthing family heirlooms for pride of place on the mantelpiece, there are many ways to add this old-world charm into your interior.

An Eco Outlook

Collectively, people across the planet are becoming more eco-conscious in their lifestyles, and this may be reflected in both domestic and commercial interiors going into 2021. This eco-friendly design trend is a great way for businesses to reflect their green credentials in their decor, as well as enabling homeowners to shift their every-day rooms into cosy, eco-conscious living spaces.

Whether that’s choosing eco-friendly interior design companies or sourcing repurposed furnishings from sustainable sources, there is plenty that everyone can do to get on board with this growing trend. This may also reach the realm of soft furnishings, too, with natural and sustainable fabrics being favoured over synthetic choices.

There is also a strong interest in recycling and ‘upcycling’, too, whereby trash is transformed into usable items – think plant pots made from old tyres or a desk from crates.

Make Room for Video Conferencing

Building in a capability and capacity for video conferencing is especially important for the future of offices, but also for home offices, too. Whether on a commercial or personal scale, COVID-19 has changed the way we communicate with colleagues and clients in our working life. Gearing up the office to allow for regular video conferences is an adaptation that is definitely worth making, either by incorporating screens and set-ups into current meeting rooms or by creating dedicated video conferencing spaces.

The technology in your office will need to be incorporated seamlessly in a way that makes design-sense and looks tidy. This may include boxing off wiring, installing cameras and screens in places with good lighting or away from noisy areas, and in spaces that can fulfil the functional needs of video conferencing.

Globetrotting Design

With the world missing out on holidays and international travel, this is likely to bring a surge of popularity in ‘globetrotting’ design, whereby these elements are brought to us instead. There are many ways worldwide travel can inspire our interior design. This could include incorporating beachy wicker furniture into seating areas, tropical plants into offices or more vibrant colour schemes and prints throughout the home.

Stylish Space Division

2021 is a time for safety-first, therefore, space division and dividing walls or screens will be much more prevalent going forwards. However, these dividers can become somewhat of a statement feature in themselves. Glass partitioning, for example, creates an airy, light mood, while green living walls are a stunning way to incorporate the popular nature trend into your office. Simply consult with your office fit-out company to discuss some ideas that might work for you.

Are you looking to update your office for 2021? Here at Arc Business Interiors, we specialise in bespoke commercial interior design and fit outs to create a tailored space that meets the needs of your business.

We consult closely with our clients to make sure your design brings personality, productivity and high-performance. To find out how we can help, simply get in touch with our experts.