As every year, the Maison & Objet show took place at the beginning of September. Although the 2020 edition took place virtually, decorating enthusiasts discovered the major trends for 2021. The watchword will be natural well-being. Here's a sneak preview.
Let nature inspire you
Nature has entered our homes. And this is likely to continue for some time to come, to everyone's delight. Wood will be the material of choice for your furniture. It will seduce you with its ability to warm rooms while adding a touch of authenticity. Formerly reserved for Scandinavian interiors, light wood will be predominant and adaptable to all styles (industrial, classic...). It will be perfectly matched with "raw" materials, which will also make their mark in 2021. Ceramics and coloured glass (in the form of vases, bowls, crockery...) will share your favour with marble. From kitchen to living room, bathroom to bedroom, you'll find them everywhere.
Rattan and cane are still very much in vogue, and can be found in tables, armchairs, stools, storage units and chests of drawers... There's also a new addition: bamboo, which has arrived in the plant fiber department. It joins rattan, rush and hemp. Its place in the range is well justified by its natural aesthetic appeal and ease of adaptation to all styles and rooms. Not to mention the exotic touch it exudes. It can be used in many ways: as a floor covering, as a partition to separate and delimit two rooms, as a staircase banister, as a decorative accessory (lampshades, rugs, flower pots, baskets...) or even as kitchen utensils...
The abundance of plants is also well represented in the form of green plants, dried bouquets and plant motifs (including on wallpaper).
Curly wool: not just for fashion
This is the trend that's going to be all the rage. Sofas, armchairs, rugs, plaids, cushions... curly wool will be everywhere! Its texture and appearance give an impression of warmth and comfort. Combine it with wood, jute or rattan for the ultimate effect.
Discover the charms of slow design
More precisely, "slow design". This new trend reflects a new way of thinking about decoration. It translates into a preference for "second-hand" products and craftsmanship. Furniture and decorative objects are less greedy of economic and industrial resources. They are made using simple, traditional techniques. Another way of contributing to sustainable development, thanks to production techniques that pollute little or nothing. This concept, which emerged in the early 2000s, is based on a number of values. Slow objects are unique or limited editions, most often handmade, using recycled or reclaimed materials (pallets, driftwood, etc.). This trend promotes traditional craftsmanship and creation techniques. For lovers of flea markets and garage sales of all kinds! Antique pieces that have been hunted down, inherited or found in the depths of an attic will now have a second life. Better thought out and designed, slow design creations invite well-being and relaxation, while protecting the environment. Notions that are currently very much in vogue.
In this concept, your interior will be uncluttered, with just the furniture you need to move around the room easily. The superfluous disappears to highlight and enhance the strong elements of your interior.
Adopt the right colors
Has the Classic blue of 2020 found a successor? Or rather, two successors. While dark blue won't disappear from our interiors altogether, it will face stiff competition from yellow and green. More specifically, straw yellow and khaki green. Two colors that go well together for a radiant, warm interior. Yellow is a source of comfort and luminosity. Khaki green adds a touch of greenery to walls and decorations (cushions, plaids...). If khaki doesn't appeal to you, green can come in softer shades such as sage or almond green. Or forest green.
In 2021, decorating will also give pride of place to colors reminiscent of earth, sand or clay. Brown or charcoal black will also be daring enough to create a more subdued atmosphere. Use small touches on coloured furniture and objects.
Velvet is in
Beautiful to look at and pleasant to the touch, velvet will add a chic, trendy touch to your interior. Ideal for creating a warm atmosphere, velvet will take pride of place in the living room, on sofas and armchairs. A real invitation to comfort and reassurance.
Round off the angles
For some time now, decorating has been all about rounded shapes. In 2021, the trend is set to continue. This applies first and foremost to furniture. Gone are the sharp, right angles, replaced by curves that make it easier to move around in small spaces. Sofas and armchairs will invite you to curl up in their enveloping shapes. This trend is also reflected in the decorative effects of other furniture: sideboards with arched display cases or mouldings, shelves, headboards, mirrors...
A curvaceous decor will also soften and "lighten" furniture that is sometimes massive and imposing. At the same time, it enhances them. Don't hesitate to choose decorative objects of fairly large dimensions. But it's important to find the right balance. These objects should be visible, but not overpowering. To avoid fatigue and create a harmonious whole, it's essential to "break up" these curves by creating contrasting effects with more "angular" furniture or objects (boxes, shelves, occasional furniture...).
Add art to your interior
The face art trend (also known as Face line Art), which first appeared in 2020, will still be very much in evidence in 2021. Abstract faces will decorate vases, cushions, posters and even tableware... They'll be perfectly in tune with the minimalist trend that's currently in vogue. A single, continuous line will draw a face, body or silhouette. Painted or pencilled, in black and white or colored, this style of drawing is a way of paying homage to the famous painters Matisse and Picasso.
The return of the "art deco" trend should also be taken into account. This style, which had its heyday in the interwar period, will give your interior an undeniable chic edge. So-called neo-art deco takes the codes of the 1920s and 1930s and brings them up to date. Wallpapers, furnishings and decorative objects will take on the geometric patterns, arabesques and colors characteristic of the period. Gilded metal, brass and copper will adorn your coffee tables, lamps...
These artistic touches will turn your interior into a unique mini art gallery.
Marie-Christine Ménoire