As another year begins, it brings with it a whole new array of trends and style ideas. We all have our own unique style but there’s no doubt that we draw inspiration and ideas from the latest trends. With trends regularly changing it can be difficult to know exactly what you want. Maybe you’re having a hard time deciding what style of furniture you’d like. Or what colors to choose. Maybe it is the fabric you’re hung up on. To inspire and assist you in your decision making, here at Coastwood Furniture we’ve compiled together some of the key furniture trends for 2022. These trends are sure to keep you up to date with what’s in style and ensure your ultimate satisfaction. Whether it be furniture for the dining room, bedroom, lounge, outdoors or general home décor, we’ve got it all covered to help you create the home of your dreams in 2022.
DINING FURNITURE TRENDS
The dining room is like the main centre of a house, it’s where everyone comes together to share meals and spend time with family and friends, and at other times it can be a quiet place for work or study. Anyone who enters our home is likely to see and use our dining room, making it so important for our dining furniture to keep up with the trends in terms of both style and functionality.
Natural materials for furniture
As we head into 2022, organic materials are sure to be prominent throughout our interiors, including our dining rooms. With a growing focus on our impact on the environment, natural products have become increasingly important as we desire to be more sustainable and responsible citizens. In addition to this, being stuck inside for long periods of time due to the pandemic has increased our desire for the outdoors, so we seek to bring the outside in, through the use of natural timbers and furnishings.
Curves and rounded edges
While straight lines and sharp edges have been popular in the past decade, in 2022 people are desiring something softer and easier on the eye. Curved edges more closely resemble natural lines and create flow, giving a room an inviting, cosy feel so it’s no wonder curves are going to be big hit. From round tables, like those from Coastwood’s Waihi or Villager ranges, to wavy furniture edges like the Neo, there are multiple ways that curves can be incorporated into our dining rooms.
Multifunctional furniture
The space in our homes previously used for simply ‘dining’ has now become much more than that used for eating, homework, working out, zoom meetings or simply relaxing. This has changed the way we think about our dining furniture as things like chairs can double as a dining and office chair, and extendable tables are now on trend to easily accommodate any of the many activities that may take place in the dining room. Mal Corboy of Mal Corboy design, Auckland states “I’m predicting a rise in office desks that fold away and dining chairs that double as work chairs yet fit in with their surroundings.”
Upholstered wooden chairs
In additional to being a functional space, with all the time that gets spent in the dining room, it also needs to be a comfortable space. We are moving away from traditional plastic, metal or plain wooden dining chairs in favor of luscious upholstered chairs that provide the warmth and comfort we desire and come in an extensive array of shapes, colors and materials.
BEDROOM FURNITURE TRENDS
The average person spends about one third of their time sleeping, or attempting to, which equates to a lot of hours spent in our bedrooms. This means our bedrooms deserve to have the very best. We want to ensure ultimate relaxation and sleeping conditions so it’s worth putting a lot of thought into our bedroom furniture. This doesn’t mean we have to spend a lot of money updating our bedrooms every year but a few small changes can really transform the whole space.
Textured fabrics
Texture is somethings that provides interest and comfort and looks and feels great so it’s no surprise that textured fabrics are predicted to be largely popular throughout 2022. Warwick’s Fabrics have a huge range of popular textured fabrics from the luxurious feel of Essence to the colourful warmth of Hestia. Fabrics such as velvet, linen and leather are textures that New Zealander’s want to incorporate into their home this year especially in the bedroom with cushions, throws, rugs or upholstery.
Statement headboards
The original purpose of a headboard was primarily for support and protection of the bed and wall, but nowadays many people use them as a design feature. In 2022, statement headboards are a key trend in bedroom furniture. They can come in so many different materials, colours, patterns and shapes. Whether it is created from rustic rough sawn timber or plush upholstery, the headboard should be a focal point in the bedroom.
Clever storage
Furniture with extra storage options is set to be popular in 2022 especially in the bedroom which should be a calm, relaxing place for us to unwind not a cluttered mess. Storage isn’t just limited to typical shelves or sets of drawers, but can come hidden underneath beds like the Sleepneat, or added in to headboards such as the Adventure or Alto headboards.
Furniture made from sustainable material
Every year, Kiwis become more conscious of how sustainable we are. In 2022, we feel the need to buy products that are sustainably produced and there’s a growing focus on NZ made rather than mass-produced imports. Consumers want furniture and décor for their bedroom made from sustainable materials such as wood, rattan, linen and wool so we can feel that, as kiwis, we are doing our bit for society and the environment. According to Wellington/Auckland designer Bridget Foley, “Buying New Zealand-made furniture is definitely on the rise with many manufacturers booked up months in advance. I also see a move towards the “buy well, buy once” trend where we stop filling landfills by buying good quality items that last and are cheaper in the long run.” Coastwood Furniture director Laurie Hill agrees, recently saying “There has been a big increase of support for NZ made products, both because of international shipping issues and also because people can see the advantages of supporting their own country.”
LOUNGE AND SOFA TRENDS
There are so many different styles of sofas on the market that choosing which is right for you and your home may seem daunting. If you want to know what’s on trend in 2022 you don’t have to look far, in fact it’s very similar to the trends that are shining in the other parts of our homes.
Vintage sofas
Another trend of 2022 is vintage style with a particular emphasis on the 1970s which can be paired with more contemporary styles for a sophisticated and classy look. ‘70s sofas tended to be quite soft and chunky and with a modern take, they’re now stylish as well! What more could you ask for?
Velvet
Velvet is another a blast from the past making a comeback this year and looks especially great on a sofa. As part of the trend of textures, it’s a go-to choice for sofa material as its soft, furry texture provides utmost comfort and cosiness. Velvet furniture in 2022 also comes with a new, glamorous look that will enhance our lounges to the next level.
Soft-edged sofas
The curves trend continues into the lounge, where round sofas are taking over. While sofas with hard lines can look great, curved edges soften the overall look of the room and bring further warmth into a room that is all about comfort and relaxation. Shelley Ferguson, award-winning magazine editor and Block NZ host, thinks that “Rounded, curved, organic shapes are trending, perhaps because they instill reassurance and comfort especially during difficult times. Feeling like you’re being cuddled by a cocoon chair is a much-needed antidote to reading the news right now!”
OUTDOOR FURNITURE TRENDS
Let us not forget the great outdoors! Stylish furniture and décor are not only reserved for inside, nowadays there is some pretty snazzy outdoor areas as well. It’s time to get our outdoors up to speed with our trendy indoor design.
Luxury furniture focus
With more time spent at home, our backyards are our outdoor retreats where we can connect with nature and feel alive. This has led to people putting a lot more effort into their outdoor areas to make them just as enjoyable to spend time in, as any room of the house. Therefore, in 2022 we expect to see more luxurious garden furniture and patio areas.
Natural colours/materials
Being outside, it makes sense that the furniture colours and materials link with the surrounding environment. Kristyn Thomas from the Sunday Society, Waikato predicts that “colours lifted from nature (particularly all shades of green), and natural materials such as timber, leather, natural stone and rattan will be popular.” A great choice of material for outdoor furniture is teak timber. Teak is a golden-brown hardwood, used to make long-lasting outdoor furniture and is also used in boatbuilding. It’s high durability, tensile strength and natural oils make it the perfect timber for outdoor use, as it can stand up against any weather, pests or rotting, without becoming damaged.
Indoor/outdoor flow
In 2022, people want more flow between their indoors and outdoors with the areas transitioning smoothly so that we can be just as comfortable outside as inside. This causes people to want multipurpose furniture which has the stylish comfort of indoor furniture and the tough durability of outdoor furniture, which can look at home both inside and out. Mal Corboy says that “Although outdoor living has always been key, it will be even more so heading into 2022: we’re commonly designing these spaces as extensions of our homes with outdoor kitchens and lounges perfect for entertaining or getting out of the house.”
Furniture for entertaining
With the promise of no more lockdowns, many are keen to get back in to entertaining. And what better way to entertain these days than outdoors where the air is fresh and ventilation is optimal. With this in mind, large tables and comfortable chairs are a must for our stylish outdoor areas, to gather around and make memories with our family and friends.
HOME DECOR TRENDS
While furniture trends are important, we cannot forget what’s hot in home décor. Furniture provides the base to our interior design, but it is the finishing touches that complete the look.
Natural colour palette
To create the relaxed, pure vibe, we are trying to achieve in 2022, a natural color palette is an ideal choice. Warm, earthy neutrals are especially popular as they embody warmth and comfort which are highly-desired features as our houses have come to be not only a home, but a workplace, school, gym and refuge during the past lockdown. Blues and greens also continue to be popular, resembling colours from nature and giving our interiors a fresh and calming look.
Indoor plants
The indoor plant trend has been building up for a while and now we see them everywhere. Whether it be the living room, office, bedroom, bathroom or any room of the house, the natural, fresh atmosphere that plants give our homes is truly inviting and energising. Living plants make our houses seem homey and lived-in where everything is alive and fresh.
Pops of colour
Bringing in pops of colour to our homes with bold décor items, will enhance our design scheme and give our interiors that extra edge. While neutral colours are a big trend this year, this doesn’t mean our interiors have to be completely bland. Bright cushions, artwork or lamps can add a whole lot of interest and make the difference between good styling and great styling. A popular choice of colour is Pantone’s, (the universal language of colour), colour of the year, Very Peri. Very Peri is a periwinkle blue with violet and red undertones, that is sure to liven up our spaces.
