When in doubt, neutrals are almost always the best way to go. There’s nothing simple about neutrals. White is not simply white. Rather, white comes in a multitude of different shades. For example, white paint can be ivory, or it can have blue, peach or brown undertones. 

There are two key categories you can choose from when selecting your palette. Cool tones like grey and slate are one option. The second, which will become increasingly popular in 2020, are warm tones like soft browns and creams. Neutrals don’t have to be boring, in fact, when used correctly they can create a truly eye-catching space. 

When you’re working on decorating or revamping a space in your home it can be hard to know where to begin. If you’re looking to dive into a decorating project, it’s best to start by finding a little bit of design inspiration. If you’re searching for inspiration for your next design projects, you might find it in some of the major home design trends we predict for 2020.  

Neutrals

There are many different ways to use neutrals in your home. One that will be popular in 2020 is the all-neutral space. That is to say that everything in the room from the walls, to the furniture, to the accents, will be neutral. The trick to nailing this style is using different shades of neutrals to create contrast. But, to maintain the cohesiveness of the room, make sure all of the shades are complimentary. To do this, select shades that have either all cool undertones or all warm undertones. 

Neutrals can also be used to tone down other bolder features of the room. For example, you might want to paint one wall in your space in a bright color like a robin’s egg blue. With that accent wall as your focus, you can select furniture, carpets and paint colors for the remaining walls that are neutral. This way, the accent wall remains the main focus and the decor in the room doesn’t feel overdone. 

Finally, neutral walls are another great way to incorporate this trend into the design of your room. This is especially useful if you’re not sure how you want to move forward with the rest of the decor. Neutral walls can work with many different styles and colors which will give you time and flexibility to play around with different furniture, rugs, and color palettes for the rest of the room. 

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is a newly popular trend on the scene. This design trend involves incorporating elements of the natural world into the interior of the building. The goal is to help occupants of the space maintain a connection to nature in order to improve health and productivity. 

Although the trend has just become popular it actually dates back to the 1980s. The biologist who coined the term, Edward O. Wilson, hypothesized that humans were suffering as a result of urbanization. He believed we have an innate desire to be connected to natural settings and that incorporating these natural elements into the spaces where we live and work would make us happier, healthier, and more productive. In recent years, this trend has seen a massive rise in popularity. 

If you’re looking to incorporate this trend into your space, there are a few different ways you can go about it. 

The first is through direct experience of nature. This lets the occupants of a space have direct contact with natural elements. Of course, one of the most popular ways to do this is by incorporating plants into your space. A mixture of floor and hanging plants give a room an entirely different feel. A fireplace is another way to bring in natural elements of wood and fire into your living space. Finally, water features can be soothing and relaxing as well. You can even take this feature one step further and incorporate an aquarium into your space with fish and other aquatic animals. 

The second way you can incorporate biophilic design into your space is through the indirect experience of nature. In this case, occupants of a space can have contact with images or representations of nature. These are also believed to have a positive impact on the health, happiness, and productivity of the occupants. There are many examples of how to accomplish this including images of nature, incorporating natural colors, and incorporating natural materials like wood and stone.  

With all of the associated mental health benefits, incorporating these natural materials into your design is often worth the extra cost. 

Bold Wallpaper and Backsplash

Bold wallpaper and backsplashes are other popular trends we expect to see in full force in 2020. This bold and fun style might seem like it is in direct opposition to some of the more subdued trends. However, often the two work very well together. In order to incorporate this bold trend into your room the right way, consider keeping the rest of your design more subdued. For example, decorating your room primarily with simple and clean neutrals and then adding a pop of color through a bright wallpaper or patterned backsplash is a great idea. This allows the bold trend to remain a key focus point in the room without being overpowering or gaudy. 

Mixed Metals

Mixed metals are a great feature to incorporate into any room in your home to give it an industrial and modern feel. From the bathroom to the kitchen, mixed metals work pretty much anywhere. Historically, it’s been seen as a faux pas to mix metals like silver, gold, brass, and iron. However, this interior design rule is now outdated. There are many beautiful ways to mix these metals within a space to create a modern feel. 

If you are going to incorporate this trend into your space, it’s useful to keep a few key rules in mind. Firstly, it’s important to choose a dominant metal. This is the metal that you’ll use in the space more often than not. This way, there is an overall cohesiveness to the room rather than a hodgepodge of different metals. From there, select one or two accent metals that you’ll use to create contrast and points of interest in subtle ways throughout the space.  

Secondly, keep in mind that you really can’t go wrong with the combinations you choose. Most metals mix well together even cold tone metals like silver and warm tone metals like gold and brass. So, have fun with creating these combinations and don’t worry too much about selecting the correct groupings. 

Thirdly, it’s important to consider texture. Once you’ve selected the various metals you would like to use, you’ll need to consider which textures you want to incorporate. Metals can be matte, glossy or even hammered. 

Finally, when in doubt, go with iron. Iron is the neutral of the metal world and works well with many different types of metal and pretty much any color palette you select for your paint, furniture, and accents. By keeping these key considerations in mind, you’ll surely create a modern space that will serve you well for years to come. 

Back in Black

Black is back and it’s being incorporated into interior design in all sorts of new and interesting ways. Black features can transform the look and feel of a room dramatically. While many designers have traditionally shied away from this color, black is actually not that difficult to incorporate into your home. 

This color gives a space an instant sense of sophistication and elegance. Black can be used for walls, appliances, countertops, furniture, and accents. Think about ways to incorporate black into your room that are unexpected. For example, a black sink can create a beautiful contrast to a lighter countertop and kitchen cabinetry. 

You can also think about incorporating black in the same way as we discussed incorporating a bold wallpaper or bright backsplash. That is, make it a statement. 

Again, when using this technique, it can be most effective to use neutrals for the rest of the room. A black statement wall mixed with furniture and accents in neutral tones can make for an elegant, powerful, and eye-catching space. 

If you’re not ready to incorporate black into your space in a bold way, consider adding subtle touches of the color in other ways. For example, you might consider painting your doors or window trims black. This can be especially beautiful and impactful against white walls. The contrast creates an interesting but clean visual effect. 

Finally, you can use black to break up an otherwise bright and white interior. Scandinavian-inspired decor is very popular right now. Don’t believe us? Just check your Pinterest. This design style is simple and monochrome and usually features light colors like whites and bright neutrals. If you like this style but are looking to make it your own consider adding black accent pieces into the space. For example, a chair, a rug, a blanket or a plant pot. This can help you embrace the Scandinavian-inspired design trend while giving it your own unique touch. 

If you’re planning a home renovation it can be difficult to know where to start. We hope these 2020 design trends helped get your creative juices flowing! If you can already picture your dream home, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Let us help you create a space that is as beautiful as it is functional. Contact us today so we can help turn your dreams into a reality.