10 Interior Design Trends

30 10 interior design TRENDS you need to know about in 2022

We’ll be seeing a lot of jewel colours, curves and tactile textures in the coming year, writes Leanne Moore

To get a snapshot of what’s happening in interior design right now, the Design Institute of New Zealand has done all the hard work for you. The best trends in design and decor are showcased among the work of designers and architects who are finalists in the spatial design category of the institute’s Best Awards. The award winners, including the best spatial designer in 2021, will be announced at a glam industry dinner in Auckland on February 18. Among the spatial design finalists are these wayfinders on the path to directional design.

1JEWEL COLOURS After a sea of beige and an ocean of greys, a welcome new colour trend that’s emerging is warm jewel-tones, showcased in the living room décor of this recently renovated home in Remuera,

Auckland. Adding a bit of bling to a neutral backdrop, as Space Studio has done, showcases the way confident colour combos can bring a room alive, and anchor the space at the same time. The bold contrast between the warm and cool tones, and pale highlights against the moody darkness, capture the personalities of the home owners, creating an interior that’s a selfreflection of their playful characters. 4TACTILE TEXTURES A holiday home is a place for relaxation and rejuvenation, a bolthole from the pressures of daily life. For those who put in the extra effort to create a space that’s unique and authentic, the time and effort will reap rewards. When it’s achieved, as in this Coromandel holiday home by Edwardswhite Architects, your spirits will lift and your blood pressure will drop the moment you step over the threshold. The key is creating a space that is a combination of all the things that make you. Build layers over time, adding comfy cushions and sofas that invite you to flop down for an afternoon nap. Create tension with contrasting tactile textures, mixing velvet and faux fur with timber and throws. When you get the balance right, you will never want to leave.

5DECORATIVE CEILINGS So often, the ceiling is an afterthought when it comes to decor and design. The fallback position is almost always white, but a ceiling that is part of the overall design can be a wonderful thing. That’s what is so refreshing about the contemporary addition to this villa in Ponsonby, Auckland. The patterned ceiling draws the eye upward to the 3.5m high stud. It’s a lovely contrast to the TV room’s otherwise spartan decor. The sofa and rug are the only other decorative elements in the room, offering a pop of colour against the grey concrete walls and floor. Designed by Pacific

Environments, the patterned ceiling is crafted from bespoke routered plywood panels. This striking feature also serves a practical purpose, helping to improve the acoustics of the room.2CURVES There’s no denying that 2022 is going to be the year of the curve. Smooth and swooping lines that echo the Art Deco movement are everywhere: in buildings, furniture, mirrors, vases, art and kitchen cabinetry (although this custom kitchen island owes more to the site’s volcanic rock formations than current trends). When it came to his own home, the founder of South by Southeast Architects, Ken Powrie, responded to the organic shape of the rocks unearthed during the building’s excavation. The curvaceous kitchen island found favour with his clients, wife Sarina and their two daughters, aged 4 and 6. The girls’ brief to their dad was clear: “Somewhere where we can run around the house, even if it’s raining, with the dog.” He delivered on that, too.

3SMALL SPACES Embracing a “less is more” lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular among New Zealanders. As we begin to seriously question how big a home really needs to be, the tiny house movement is encouraging people to put space-efficient features at the top of their must-have list. The key to giving the interiors of small homes a harmonious feel is a restricted colour palette and limited materials. This holiday home in Wanaka has nailed it. Condon Scott Architects took their inspiration from Japanese architecture, reflecting the compact and considered design of homes in that part of the world. Cladding the walls and ceiling in plywood gives the upper level the illusion of space, with the landing doing double-duty as a children’s play area. It’s a petite home that’s plenty big enough for this family.

6DARK KITCHENS This kitchen takes its colour cue from the home’s exterior cladding —locally sourced schist. The architects at Bureaux believe in having a connection between the interior architecture and the building envelope. The influence of the natural world continues inside with the thick slab of ocean black travertine that sits atop the kitchen island and also acts as a splashback for the wood-burning stove. Good design is in the detail and the work of Bureaux goes far beyond the bones of the house. The chairs, bar stools, cabinetry and even the plates are all designed by the studio, in keeping with its holistic approach to architecture.

7OUTDOOR ROOMS The comforts available to enhance the outdoor living experience expand every season. Think of your garden/ deck/courtyard as an outdoor room and decorate accordingly. When you take the inside outside, you’ll discover that your friends and family will be happy to spend hours outdoors shooting the breeze. Whether it’s a pergolashaded outdoor dining room or a more substantial structure such as this garden-shed-come-guesthouse designed by Cheshire Architects, relaxing in maximum comfort is the ultimate goal.

8REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE It takes a team to build a house and when the collaboration goes well, the results can be extraordinary. One of the most satisfying aspects of any design or build is finding people to work with who share your vision and enthusiasm for the project. Architect Ken Powrie says the innovation and creativity among the team who worked on the build of his own home was a key ingredient to its success. “From brickwork, carpentry and internal joinery to the person driving the digger exposing the rock formations, we looked for people with a love of their craft and who were passionate about what they do,” says the founder of South by Southeast Architects. A recycled brick wall adds character and warmth in the bathroom in his own home, plus it’s helping save Earth’s resources, one brick at a time.

9ROOM-DEFINING RUGS Iconic American architect Frank Lloyd Wright changed the way we live when he introduced open floor plans last century. His idea of promoting flow between the kitchen, dining and living areas continues to influence architecture today. When it comes to defining a room within a room, a rug is perhaps the single most important item. As well as adding colour and texture, a rug literally scopes out a space to gather, drawing people towards it. Anyone who makes their way to the living room of this home designed by Patterson Associates will find all that’s required is taking a seat to enjoy the fire and the stunning river view. 10PENDANT LIGHTING The best design combines form and function and lighting for your home is no exception. The key is having a plan that covers both task and mood lighting.

For the record, a sea of downlights embedded in the ceiling is not a lighting plan. Well-considered and diverse lighting can make an enormous difference to the comfort and enjoyment of your home, whether it’s being able to see what you’re doing at the kitchen bench or adding a dimmer switch to get the party started.

This decorative cluster of pendant lights signals that dining at this table is going to special, even before any food is served.