I am so honoured to have been invited by Home and Decor magazine to share my outlook for the trends to look out for in the year ahead. Scroll down to read the full transcript.
HOME & DÉCOR: What do you think will be the popular colours for homes this year, and why?
NIKKI HUNT: As you know, I am a member of the panel who helps advise Dulux select their colour of the year.
It is a global panel, and I am the colour expert from South East Asia. This year we chose a beautiful refreshing blue named Bright Skies to signify the promise of tomorrow and a new beginning as we look beyond the pandemic. I think that people are bored of neutrals. Colours that represent nature, like Bright Skies and earthy greens, will dominate in the coming year.
NIKKI HUNT: Colour has the power to influence our moods and colours reminiscent of the natural world will soothe and calm us. It has been an uncertain world, hopefully 2022 will be better, but I think we still all need a bit of a pick me up and the right colour choice can create an uplifting environment.
HOME & DÉCOR: What’s one of the biggest trends we saw last year, and how will that change in 2022?
NIKKI HUNT: Texture was a big trend that I expect to really intensify this year. Boucle fabrics were very popular, I expect that to continue but I also expect to see texture in other forms too.
NIKKI HUNT: I often refer to Touch – as the “Feel Good” sense. We are tactile beings. Touch makes us feel good -releasing the feel good hormone oxytocin. Pet owners live longer because stroking our pets calms us, relieving stress. This is Science Fact With so much of our time spent touching, shiny smooth man-made materials, screens or keyboards – this sense has been deprived for too long. Raw hewn natural wood, textured grass cloth walls, woven cane and rattan, embroidered fabrics will all be popular in 2022.
Check out our blog post to find out more about the importance of texture.
HOME & DÉCOR: In terms of colour choices for wallcoverings, what do you think will be the hotter designs/patterns coming out in 2022?
NIKKI HUNT: Scenic Murals were hugely popular in 2021- I think demand for them will grow even more this year. And as travel is still not so easy, designs that can transport you beyond your 4 walls will continue to be popular.
HOME & DÉCOR: The design of living spaces has evolved because of the pandemic, what are some of the key differences in homeowner requests/preferences you are seeing now compared to five years ago?
NIKKI HUNT: Even though WFH is no longer the default, I cant see us going back to the office to the same extent that we did pre-pandemic. In 2020, many of as set up make shift work stations on the dining table or kitchen island. But as it becomes evident that home working is here to stay, we are seeing increasing demand for dedicated spaces that can foster a comfortable and inspiring work environment.
Check out our blog post on how home office designs boost your mood and productivity.
HOME & DÉCOR: Can you share with us your predictions on a key trend that you believe will become really big this year?
NIKKI HUNT: Even as we move beyond the pandemic, prioritizing wellbeing will continue to dominate design decisions. Spa style bathrooms that encourage relaxation.
Check out our blog post to find out more about Bathrooms to Soothe the Soul.
NIKKI HUNT: Communal spaces that nurture interaction and bedrooms that foster good sleep, will all be at the top of our wish lists. But even as we grow more aware of the importance that our home environment has on our health, we will also become increasingly focused on the environment beyond our walls. Expect to see much more focus on sustainable materials, and demand for toxin- free and low emission home products in 2022
For more details about bedroom styles, click here to read our Bedroom Bliss blog.
HOME & DÉCOR: Share with us one of the more notable projects that Design Intervention completed in 2021, and why it was memorable for you.
NIKKI HUNT: My absolute favourite project was a 4 storey home we worked on in Joo Chiat. The home was bought by a Mainland Chinese couple at the start of the Pandemic. We designed the entire home during the circuit breaker. The owners were not in Singapore during this time and after giving us their initial brief, they trusted us to design and implement.
This is my favourite project because the brief was so fun. Locked down, and with closed borders, they wanted a home that was a total escapist retreat: where they could travel the world without ever leaving home. They yearned to be in an English Country garden, on an African Safari, amidst the sand dunes of Arabia and in Tuscany and rural France all at the same time. Like many of us they had binge watched Bridgerton and dreamed of classical rooms in pastel shades, where they could indulge in a traditional afternoon tea. Crafting these different immersive experiences – into the home’s open plan floorplate was a challenge indeed! But by linking the different areas through a common colour theme, we have been able to ensure a cohesive flow between the different worlds.
