When you’re planning the design of your kitchen extension or garden room, the choices can feel rather overwhelming. With so many colours, materials and finishes to choose from, we thought we’d take a look at some of the hottest interior design trends to help you make up your mind.
Here, we examine the big design directions for 2022, including flexible living spaces, sustainable materials and creating a strong connection with nature.
We all know that spending time in the great outdoors has a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. As a result of this, architects and interior designers are increasingly looking to nature for inspiration when it comes to designing spaces in which we can lead healthy, happy lives.
‘Bringing the outside in’, as it’s known, blurs the lines between house and garden. This can be achieved by installing a glass wall of frameless sliding doors to maximise the view of the garden and to increase the amount of natural light flowing into your home. This seamless link between indoors and outdoors can be further enhanced via architectural techniques such as pocket doors and floating corners which create an unrivalled feeling of spaciousness.
Inside the home, this trend is all about introducing colours inspired by nature such as forest greens, greys and earthy neutrals. Natural materials can also be incorporated via furniture and accessories made from rattan, bamboo and jute. Adding house plants is another effective way to bring nature into your home. Hortology has a great selection of hardy varieties of house plants, and Abigail Ahern is the place to go for beautiful faux flowers and stems.
As our work and home lives have become increasingly interconnected over the last few years, our living spaces have had to adapt accordingly. Hard-working spaces are the name of the game now, with the popularity of open-plan layouts making way for ‘broken-plan’ spaces. The trend for ‘broken-plan’ refers to the use of room dividers, furniture or glazed partitions to create distinct zones for dining, relaxing and studying.
“Room dividers are a wonderful way to make use of unexploited space and to create a broken-plan layout within the home,’ says Simon Tcherniak, designer at Neville Johnson. “When considering how to design a living room with a divider that fits around the home’s natural architectural features, consider using extra tall bookcases, perhaps with the addition of a ladder, to make use of the height. You could also opt for open or hidden shelves which allow you to either display your ornaments or hide clutter.”
Sustainable materials such as wool, rattan and cork were everywhere at the design fairs this autumn, and the influence of sustainability on the construction industry will remain strong throughout 2022.
As well as selecting planet-friendly materials such as FSC-certified timber or birch plywood for flooring or cladding, the doors and windows you select are crucial in terms of creating an energy-efficient home which will be kind both to the planet and to your bank balance.
Here at Minima Sliding, we’ve found that U-values (the measurement of thermal performance) are very much at the forefront of our customers’ minds when they’re making glazing decisions. Our energy-efficient sliding doors have a market-leading U-value of 1.2. They are made from argon-filled, low-emissivity glass which provides highly effective insulation. Added to that, our doors are manufactured in the UK which means that relating to transport we have a significantly lower carbon footprint than some of our European competitors.
“With fluted glass a popular trend in 2021, we’re now seeing a move towards fluted wood designs,” says Holly Gannon, Design Manager at MILC Interiors. “From kitchen cabinetry to statement headboards, the new trend for three-dimensional, vertical silhouettes ensures interiors will stand out in 2022. With clever, elongating properties, the linear design also helps to give the appearance of taller ceilings.”
This trend towards slatted or reeded wood finishes is big news in the architectural world at the moment. Vertical strips of oak or walnut add contemporary texture to a space as well as bringing acoustic benefits. This look can easily be achieved retrospectively by fitting slatted panelling from cladding specialist Acupanel.
Alongside the move towards more sustainable materials comes the trend for artisan products such as handmade tiles, rugs and furnishings. Items made by hand bring distinct individuality and character to a space.
Bert & May’s handcrafted encaustic tiles are a great example of this. We particularly love their 70s-inspired design Ric Rac which features wavy lines in red and pink. These tiles would add a unique twist to a shower cubicle or kitchen splashback.
Handmade floor coverings such as kilims and Berber rugs are also spot on for the artisan trend. The Mala Tufted Rug from ethical brand A Rum Fellow is absolutely stunning. This large, hand-knotted rug combines teal and pink in a vivid, graphic pattern. A great way to inject colour and personality into a neutral interior scheme.
Looking to transform your space with seamless sliding doors? Give us a call to find out more about our market-leading frameless sliding doors.