Interior Design Ideas and Trends for 2021

When refreshing our homes, most of us want to create spaces that will feel modern for some time to come. Taking inspiration from interior design trends can ensure that our homes both reflect our personalities, and impress our guests when we are finally allowed to visit again post-lockdowns. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the design ideas and trends for 2021, and how to use lighting to complement those trends.

 

Cottagecore and country living

The ‘cottagecore’ trend emerged as a reaction to 2020 – the need to feel comforted at home, where it feels safe – is essential for our wellbeing. While there were a number of different takes on this trend, in many cases cottagecore meant using a range of chintzy fabrics, exposed beams and floorboards, and embroidery. Vintage items look great with this trend, but the look can be elevated (and to feel deliberate, rather than thrown together) by using gold accessories. When it comes to lighting, gold finishes are everywhere, and they can feel traditional, such as this Edgar floor lamp in antique gold or can feel less expected, like with this impressive Markslojd Soleil piece.

 

 

Glass pendants such as this Edit Tavern glass ceiling pendant light in chrome gives just the right amount of rustic, while still feeling modern in design.

 

Texture play

Using different materials to create both visual and textural effect is being used in homes extensively – particularly where there is a lot of flat, empty space. Vertical panelling, slats and wainscoting are all popular on walls to create interest, but the most impressive textural effects are created when they are layered. Using a range of different fabrics and materials creates depth and feels much more luxurious and warm. Choosing lighting to complement these layers of textures can be achieved with a range of different lighting solutions.

Metallic lighting can add a completely different feel, and while metals can feel unyielding, they can feel warm with tones such as gold and copper. The Lucide Manuela ceiling light in green finish looks fabulous and feels reminiscent of netting – don’t forget to order a bulb with a decorative filament to show it off to the fullest.

 

 

Natural materials like rattan, hessian, and cane can help to create a softly diffused light and complements the look and feel of spaces where nature is to be evoked and relaxation is to take place – in bedrooms, living areas and conservatories. This Lucide Magius flush wall light in rattan contrasts beautifully with the black metal back plate, for a slightly less rustic feel. For ceilings, the Iluzzia Nagua ceiling pendant light uses layers of bamboo shaded material to feel luxurious.

Fluted and ribbed glass lighting can also create depth in spaces where textures are being layered. This Markslojd Sober table lamp is versatile and works well in living rooms, casual use desks and bedrooms.

 

 

Statement pieces

Rather than depending on colours to create design effects, many are choosing to invest in statement lighting that they really love as a way of creating visual interest, or to update a room without needing to completely redecorate. Where statement lighting is in place, other decorative effects can be minimal – particularly where walls are plain, and drama is added in the accessories.

Statement pieces can be used throughout the home, in almost every room. In kitchens, multiple large pendants or sculptural pendant lights such as this Edit chart 6 arm ceiling pendant work perfectly over kitchen islands and dining tables.

 

 

In more formal dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms, chandeliers and ceiling pendants with unexpected materials such as agate can take centre stage, while in bedrooms, long arm wall lights on either side of the bed, or statement table lamps.

 

 

This Lucide Extravaganza coconut table lamp in green and gold hits on two trends at once, being a statement piece and with the green shade, which we’ll come to in our next trend, oceanic hues. This lamp works beautifully in living rooms, bedrooms and conservatories as a talking point, and could easily be updated in the future by switching out the shade for a different colour.

Smoked glass lighting is very much a trend through 2021. This Lucide Yoni table lamp makes a statement wherever it is placed throughout the home. It reminds us – in the best possible way – of desk toys that were popular in the 1980s and 1990s, while still feeling like modern art, and so would look fabulous in a home office.

 

Oceanic hues

The biggest selling shades of paint were in green and blue hues in 2020, and this is highly likely to continue right through 2021. No doubt many designers were taking their inspiration from Pantone’s 2020 colour of the year, which was ‘Classic Blue’ (19-4052). At the end of 2020, US paint specialists Benjamin Moore kept the blue trend going by choosing Aegean Teal (2136-40) as their colour of the year for 2021.

Since green is strongly associated with nature, it makes many people feel peaceful, calm and relaxed – which is why, when TV shows have guests, they are sent to relax in the ‘green room’ prior to their appearance. It is also sometimes considered an optimistic, or hopeful colour, since green is strongly associated with the promise of spring.

Blues are also heavily entwined with nature, with many people associating it with water and the sea. Like green, blues are calming, and can encourage us to think of the ideal situation or solution for a problem. Although blue can be a positive colour, when using blue in décor, care should be taken to ensure that it doesn’t feel too cold – unless that is the intention, of course.

 

 

Greens and blues can work wonderfully in almost every room in the home, blue is less often used in dining rooms. While it can create a lovely, calming atmosphere, blues aren’t usually associated with food, since blue is rarely seen in natural foods, apart from blueberries and plums, and so it can actually suppress the appetite.

When choosing lighting to complement rooms featuring green and blue – whether influenced by traditional, or mid-century design styles – there is a wide range of lighting that works well. Both clear glass and opal glass work well for shades, while brass, gold and white also look fantastic.

 

 

Grey and yellow

We’ve spoken about grey and yellow as trending colours for 2021 since the beginning of the year – but that’s the power of Pantone. When Pantone announces a colour for the year, everyone involved in design listens, and this year, they announced “Ultimate Gray” and “Illuminating” as two separate shades that would encapsulate the feelings of hope and resilience that we need through 2021.

 

 

Illuminating (we approve of the name!) is a vivid yellow shade that is optimistic and aspirational, while Ultimate Gray was being “emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation” to encourage and reassure – something that we’re all in need of after the challenges that 2020 presented us with.

Greys have long been favoured for use in the home as a calm, soothing shade. It pairs well with many different shades, since it balances brighter and more intense hues, while it also works well with other natural shades owing to it being the colour of many pebbles.

Yellows are often avoided in the home as they can sometimes feel too vibrant and wakening. Used carefully though – either alongside balancing neutrals, or as a contrasting colour – yellow can be used to great effect.

When choosing lighting for rooms with yellow or grey, keeping it simple is often the way forward. Clear glass, white, silver, textured fabrics, and marble effects can all work well, depending on the styling of the space.

 

 

Lighting trends in different rooms

We’ve all used our homes even more extensively than usual this year. As we’ve spent more time at home and saved money on going out, many homeowners have been using the time to search for their dream lighting, and to upgrade lighting in different rooms.

 

Kitchen

When designing and remodelling kitchens, the trend for statement lighting continues, with a move away from bar pendants in favour of having multiple single pendant lighting. To make the most of this trend, we love the Edit Hammered Ceiling Pendant Light in Copper, and the Lucide Julius smoked glass pendant light. Both options look striking used in multiples above kitchen islands and dining tables, but there are a range of pendants to suit every style.

Lighting within kitchen furniture has been popular for a while, especially LEDs installed under higher cupboards to illuminate the counters, but this type of lighting can be used to create different effects. Adding lights above cupboards can help low ceilings feel higher, creating a more airy feel in the kitchen, while fitting LED strips under cupboards can create a floating effect. Since it highlights the floors, it also has the benefit of ensuring that cleaning is done promptly, and done well too – you might want to invest in a Swiffer mop for easy clean-ups if applying this trend!

 

 

Home office

2020 was undoubtedly the year that the home office was established as a permanent requirement. With more people working from home, it makes sense that there has been a trend towards more task lighting for home offices. Many people started out making use of cheap functional desk lamps as a temporary fix, but as working from home looks set to continue through 2021 and beyond, it is understandable that finding stylish desk lighting has become a priority.

Not only is it important to have desk lighting that illuminates our work space, but those Zoom calls are now non-optional – so having stylish desk lighting that both looks good, and makes us look good on camera is essential. Designers have seen this demand, and there are a huge range of desk lamps available to suit any aesthetic. There are classic styles, such as the Roslyn desk lamp in antique brass, starkly industrial styles like the Endon Hal table lamp in antique brass, and the beautiful and modern styles, such as the Lucide Mirasol marble and brass table lamp.

 

 

Bedroom

We talked about bedroom lighting ideas in this post, but we can’t talk about lighting trends without discussing how statement pendants are having a moment in bedrooms. Sculptural shades are popular, as we mentioned in our previous post, but they can also be used to add texture – such as with this Lucide Maloto glass ceiling pendant light in amber, or this Baracoa ceiling pendant light in rattan.

Statement pendants aren’t just used in the centre of the room either. They can be a fantastic alternative to bedside lamps, helping to bedside tables clear of wires and clutter – and are especially ideal if there are accident-prone pets or children around!

Great all lighting is another option next to the bed and feels luxurious as well as functional. Having dimmer switches on wall plates can create further flexibility, and when turned down to the dimmest setting, should the light need to be switched on at night, it isn’t such a shock to the system. This DFTP Balance LED wall light with plug has a dimmer switch built in, and provides perfect illumination for bedtime reading.

 

 

Tips for choosing great lighting

Having a range of lighting in each room allows spaces to be better utilised – although of course, it depends on what the room is going to be used for, as to what type of lighting is most important. The days of having just ‘the big light’ in the centre of the room as the only lighting option are now long past. We recommend that each room should have between five and seven lighting points, with at least one type of lighting from each category for every room. This allows for the perfect amount of flexibility for each space, and increases the number of activities that are possible in each room.

 

Categories of lighting

 

Ambient lighting

Ambient lighting is often provided by the main light on the ceiling (although this isn’t always the case – wall lighting can also contribute to ambient lighting) and should fill the room with light. It is functional and allows the room to be used in the same way as if it were natural daylight. But as we have seen, functional doesn’t need to be boring! There are plenty of choices of lighting fixtures that can contribute to ambient indoor lighting, including:

• Ceiling fixtures including chandeliers, downlights, pendants, spotlights, track lights and batten lights
• Wall lighting such as picture lights, uplights, ceramic lights and flush wall lights
• Floor lamps and table lamps

 

 

Task lighting

This is the lighting within a room that is used for specific reasons. In a bedroom, this would be lamps on bedside tables, in the kitchen it might be under-counter lights that illuminate work surfaces, while in the study, it would be desk lighting. Task lighting can be provided by:

• Downlights and pendants
• LED cabinet lights
• Floor, desk, or table lamps

 

 

Accent lighting and spotlights

Interior designers use accent lighting as a way to highlight architectural features or items in the space such as artwork, a collection of objects, or a sculpture. Sometimes it is used to create a specific effect and can also create the feeling that the room is bigger than it actually is. Spotlights are frequently used to achieve this, while up and down lights or arm lights can also be used to draw the attention to a certain aspect of the room.

 

Lighting height

When you’re considering adding any kind of lighting, but particularly statement lighting from the ceiling – it is always sensible to check heights before ordering and installing. Sufficient clearance is essential to avoid injury or breakage (or both!), and so there should be a minimum of 2 metres between the floor and the lighting fixture – more if you have a particularly tall member of your household! When fitting lighting above dining tables, there should be a minimum of 65 cm between the table and the lighting fixture.

 

Light bulbs shouldn’t be an afterthought

Care should be taken to ensure the right type of bulbs are used in different types of lights. Functional task lighting in a study or kitchen requires white or blue-tinted bulbs, to provide brightness, while in bedside lamps, a softer and warmer feel is more appropriate to ensure that sleep isn’t interrupted.

As we mentioned earlier, where bulbs are exposed by their light fittings, bulbs are an essential part of the look – so choose appropriately – whether that is bulbs with decorative filaments, smaller sized bulbs, or candle bulbs.

 

 

The small details are important

When decorating your home and keeping everything on trend, don’t neglect the smaller details that make all the difference. Plain white, plastic switches and sockets will do the job perfectly, but they often aren’t beautiful, and won’t add to the feeling of comfort. Adding light switches that are intentionally chosen to complement your décor or choice of light fitting (in the same material and finish as the light fitting) can create a really professionally designed feel and elevate the room in a subtle, yet incredibly effective way.

Most importantly, ensure that you have the ability to control the brightness of your lighting. As designer Åsa Fjellstad says – not having a dimmer switch on your lighting is like having a loudspeaker with only one setting – so make sure you add dimmer switches to your shopping list when refreshing your space in 2021. Continue the theme by switching telephone sockets and power sockets to match (not forgetting to fit USB power, since so many of our devices run on them today) for a really luxurious look and feel.

 

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