2021 Home Design and Color Trends

This time of the year is always so fun identifying and sharing home design and color trends that (in my opinion) will be popular in the year ahead.  Even though it felt like everything stopped this last year, new homes were still built across the country in record numbers (7% higher than 2019) and in my own design business, I was surprisingly busier than I could have ever imagined! I had eight new home construction projects, five remodels and countless home styling projects.

Today, I’m sharing a list of my favorite 2021 home design and color trends to help you as you look at design possibilities this year in your own home. If you want to see the gorgeous trends from 2020, which are all still very popular, you can find that here.

Home Decor Trends

I just returned from Dallas Market for Layered Home (the home store that I curate in Lufkin, TX) and I’m SO excited about all the beautiful home decor trends for 2021. It was very overwhelming but in a really good way! I saw a lot of cane furniture and surprisingly, I saw quite a bit of rattan/wicker decor/furniture (think Florida in the 80’s).  I LOVE caning on furniture but I couldn’t believe how much rattan and wicker I saw, I’m not on board. Been there, done that in the early 90’s in my first apartment.

Below is a cane console table that I am loving right now. Isn’t she pretty?!

via Horchow

White decorative pieces like large ceramic urns, vases and other pieces were still the biggest market trend but I also saw a lot of marble/alabaster/stone vases, lamps and decor in almost every showroom,  which I’m VERY excited about!  I love that we’re moving into more organic elements and stone for sure. I created a design/mood board to help you visualize all of the elements, patterns and colors that I saw repeated at market and that you’ll be seeing a lot of in 2021.  Links to products below the image.

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Contrasting Colors and Textures

I personally think the the biggest home design story heading into 2021 is the use of contrasting colors and textures in interiors/exteriors. While designing with subtle contrasting colors and textures has always been popular, today we’re seeing more extreme contrasting in design like black and white and soft textures layered with hard textures like stone. The contrasting we’re seeing right now are really opposites and I love it ! In fact, I’m doing it myself in spaces because it can turn an average space into something extraordinary like this contrasting kitchen that we did for a client this last year.

I think this amazing living room from Style and Grace Interiors is a textbook example of not only how to beautiful mix contrasting colors but also contrasting textures and patterns. Erica really nailed layering this space beautifully using contrast.

While black and white is really popular right now, you don’t have to use black to contrast.  Dark shades like deep navy and dark gray can have the same contrasting impact.

Even something as easy as painting a door a dark gray surrounded by lighter wall colors is a beautiful way to use the power of contrast in a space.

Door color is Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor. 

This dark gray painted bookshelf is another example of the power of using contrast by using a dark color on cabinetry in a space surrounded by a light/white wall color. Even the light colored books helps add even more contrast.

Sherwin Williams Grays Harbor

Contrasting tile is another huge trend we saw this last year and expect to see this more of this design technique continue.

Black and white tile or white tile with black grout also continues to be popular right now because it’s an easy way to make a big statement in small spaces. I loved this MSI black and white tile that we used in a client’s powder room this last year.

If you’re not ready to infuse spaces with bold contrasting colors, a contrasting rug can instantly give your space that pop we’re looking for.

Contrasting is not just for interiors, I’m seeing this trend on exteriors as well and in fact, I used contrasting black and white on my own exterior remodel this last year.

Below are some other exteriors with contrast colors.

This home that I photographed last year has wood tones contrasting with the light warm gray body.

Steel Grid Windows and Doors

Another big home design trend that I have been seeing around the country in new construction and remodels this last year is the increased use of steel grid doors and windows, which makes me SO happy! In years past, steel windows and doors were used primarily in ultra modern homes but this last year, this look has now gone mainstream is being incorporated in all styles of homes, including traditional.

via Rue Magazine

via Wayfair

This last year, I had four out of my five remodel clients replace solid wood front doors with steel grid window doors. This particular steel door below we had custom made and it was replacing a very heavy solid wood door.  My clients opted for the steel door because they wanted to instantly update the look of their exterior, which was built in the early 90’s.

I also have two clients right now that are looking at taking out whole walls and installing steel gird windows. Not only will this instantly update a space but for areas like living rooms that don’t have a lot of natural light, this look is is a fantastic option!

via Durango Doors

Even Darker Moody Colors

In a couple weeks, I will be doing my annual paint color forecast recap but I do want to talk briefly about moody colors.

It’s been so interesting the last 18-24 months to move from our safe tone-on-tone neutrals to finally seeing consumers incorporating color. BUT, what has surprised me is that instead of moving into saturated color, homeowners are dipping their toes in the color water via dark and moody colors on cabinetry and accent walls. While we’ve been seeing this moody dark trend for awhile now, I’m seeing moody colors moving even darker, into almost-blacks. Basically, if you look at the darkest color on a paint color strip, that’s the shade of dark that I’m seeing so much of right now on walls and cabinetry.

Wall Color is Sherwin Williams Peppercorn

Even Sherwin Williams  jumped on the “almost-black” bandwagon by naming a very dark almost-black bronze color their 2021 Color of the Year!  I have been obsessed with this color for many years!

 

I personally thought we would lighten up from moody trend of last year, so I have been so surprised to see the trend move darker. However, it makes sense since contrast is really the biggest design story right now.

 

Benjamin Moore Trout Gray

 

Benjamin  Moore Trout Gray

via Joanna Gaines

Custom Storage Solutions

This last year, I have seen a lot more built-in custom storage solutions incorporated in new construction and remodels than ever before. In fact, even in my own projects, I have been designing custom pieces that look like furniture for almost every project and I love it!

For my client’s family room below, they had such a big wall to fill and so many games and books to store that I designed this piece below for them.  It turned out so beautiful!

My designer friend Shawn Simons of Simons Design Studio in Salt Lake City had these amazing custom built-ins built for a laundry room she designed. The oversized hardware helps to make built-ins look more like furniture.

For another client, we designed a dual-purpose media cabinet with cane that we wanted to look like a beautiful piece of furniture but also store media equipment and speakers. Custom storage pieces are often a much cheaper option vs. buying an expensive non-customized piece of furniture.

Below, my clients wanted custom moody colored bookshelves for their office and it was cheaper to have our cabinet maker build them then by shelving. I added antelope wallpaper in the back to make the piece standout.

I am loving all of the possibilities right now and trends. There is so much more that I want to share but I have run out of room. I will be sharing more of the trends in the coming weeks like paint color trends and others. So stay tuned friends!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Cheers!

Cyndy