By Krisztina Bell, No Vacancy Home Staging Inc.

Dining Room Trends — Photo courtesy No Vacancy Home Staging

What popular home trends can we expect in the new year? Life in quarantine has really allowed us to take a step back and reevaluate our homes from a new perspective(link is external). Homeowners are looking to make their spaces more functional as well as reflect more personality. They’re seeking comfortable and casual-style living. “Cozy” will continue to be the new “luxury.”

In my market in Atlanta, some of the top design trends relate to stylish home offices(link is external), which are popping up in basements, breakfast areas, bedrooms, and attics. Also, statement lighting, accent walls in natural elements, pops of color, and outdoor living spaces are all the rage as flippers, investors, and builders look for ways to put a signature stamp on their properties.

Here are five home trends to watch in the new year.

1. A laid-back lifestyle

Laid Back Living Room — Photo courtesy No Vacancy Home Staging

As we move forward, combining classical and modern design elements will transform any space with a new and fresh look. If we are working and living at home, why not look for ways to make our home more meaningful? Darker kitchens, Zen spaces, and even “cottagecore(link is external)” are being praised for their comforting feel as we seek to bring the outdoors inside and become one with Earth’s raw materials.

2. Natural elements

Natural Color/Look — Photo courtesy No Vacancy Home Staging

As consumers connect more with nature, we will continue to see greenery, macrame, and Scandinavian-style furnishings and decorative styles that bring softness into our living spaces. Images of animals, birds, leaves, and flowers will appear in modern urban interiors, and vivid tropical motifs are popping up on our walls. It doesn’t surprise me that Sherwin-Williams’ 2021 Color of the Year is Urbane Bronze(link is external), a color welcomed by designers and home stagers because of its natural earth-tone palette—a safe color that ultimately grounds us.

3. Decorative lighting

Cool Lighting — Photo courtesy No Vacancy Home Staging

Unique and artful lighting is stealing the scene in living rooms, dining areas, and even in the bedroom. We will continue to see a mix of materials, finishes, and styles of lighting that are expanding our point of view. Black lighting fixtures are being spotted along with metals like oil rubbed bronzes. Also, brass and gold metals aren’t going anywhere. Expect the brass trend to linger a while longer. Lighting overall is being added to rooms like a statement piece of jewelry, so make it count!

Kitchen Lighting — Photo courtesy No Vacancy Home Staging

4. Accent walls

Wood-paneled accent walls in the living or dining areas are making a comeback in chic and modern ways. Look for stripes, textures, wood finishes, subtle or bold paint colors, and even wallpaper that looks like works of art. Homeowners are being daring, adding some dimension, intrigue, and style to express their personalities as they seek to make a home their own sanctuary.

5. Flex spaces

Families are rethinking the purpose of rooms and transforming them into multifunctional spaces. Flexible spaces are being given a true purpose as the trend of remote work continues in 2021. Also, more open floorplans are calling for sliding doors and partitions to separate work from play in our homes. Your next DIY project may be designing your own yoga room, reading nook, hobby/craft room, or just a space you call your happy place to find peace of mind.

Homeowners are celebrating their homes with individuality and uniqueness. Embrace these latest design trends and bring your home into the new year with sensational style.