WASHINGTON, DC — Health- and wellness-related issues continue to top the list of residential design trends resulting from the impact of COVID-19, while sustainability has gone from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” for designers and consumers alike.
Those are among the key conclusions of the American Society of Interior Designers’ “2022 Trends Report,” a three-part analysis of the major trends, economic indicators and changes shaping the interior design profession.
According to the report, interior designers, like others in the residential design trade, are “at a pivotal time in history,” witnessing changes in technology, major demographic developments, and societal and attitudinal shifts.
“Designers will be called (upon) to serve and offer guidance as the industry evolves away from COVID-19 and into a new era,” the ASID said.
According to the ASID, wellness is currently a top priority, with homeowners increasingly searching for designs and products that will promote good health and an overall sense of wellbeing.
“Clients are gravitating toward simpler, cleaner, easier-to-maintain designs, as well as outdoor living spaces and places where they can relax and restore from the increased stresses of everyday life,” the Washington, DC-based association said, noting that workplace wellness is also “a must for employees and businesses.”
“Wellness features and healthy design will become nearly ubiquitous in luxury properties and in workplaces, with a growing emphasis not just on wellbeing but on improved human health, the association said.
The ASID also noted a concerted trend toward smart home technology, with products such as lighting systems, carbon monoxide detectors and digital thermostats growing in popularity as they become simpler to use.
“Most homes now have at least one or two smart items, and it’s projected that by 2023 more than half will have three or more,” the ASID said.
The future of office design is also evolving, the ASID report finds.
“Emerging trends include allowing more freedom and flexibility to employees to design their own spaces, creating experience-based environments with more sensory inputs, the return of the private office, and providing more spaces that support team and interactive activities,” the association observed.