Mattress Online analysed 90 rising UK Pinterest searches from the past year and ranked them using over 3.9 million Instagram hashtags to find out the 15 most popular emerging home interior trends.
How will you decorate your living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom in 2021? Find the top styles, features and colours for each room and get advice on how you can create the trends from interior expert Rachael Kilby-Tyre, Design Director at My Interior Design School.
Luxury living rooms
54,124 Insta hashtags and 9,400% Pinterest increase
With an incredible increase of 9,400% on Pinterest and 54,125 hashtags, ‘luxury living rooms’ are on the rise. Think velvet sofas, large rugs and lavish curtains and metallic gold touches.
Choose accent walls and chairs
82,945 Insta hashtags and up to 989% Pinterest increase
Accents are key for 2021 living rooms, according to rising trends. Pinterest searches for ‘accent walls in living room’ increased by 607% and ‘accent chairs for living room’ rose by 989%. The Instagram hashtags for both trends total 82,945, showing how popular accents are becoming. Jewel tones look the most luxurious, so consider emerald, rose quartz or sapphire for your accents.
Paint with Farrow & Ball’s Sulking Room Pink
11,873 Insta hashtags and 285% Pinterest increase
Farrow & Ball paint is beloved by all interior fans, with the Sulking Room Pink becoming a favourite choice for the living room. Pinterest searches have risen by 285% and 11,873 Instagram posts have tagged this popular paint. It doesn’t just have to be for your walls, though. This muted rose colour also works for a repainted fireplace or shelves, or you can find similar tones for an accent chair.
How to get the look
Rachael says, ‘Think classic Miami here, with gold accents to give the scheme the added luxury feel. This soft pink colour could be perfectly complimented with palm or botanical prints of lush foliage, a perfect accent wall wallpaper of banana leaves like CW Stockwell - Martinique, as used in the famous Beverly Hills Hotel.’
Farmhouse kitchens
621,595 Insta hashtags and 7,100% Pinterest increase
Farmhouse will be a popular style in the kitchen, with a huge increase of 7,100% Pinterest searches for ‘farmhouse kitchen ideas’ and 621,595 Instagram posts for ‘farmhouse kitchens’. But you don’t need to move to the country to create the style.
For the farmhouse look, mix rustic and repainted furnishings for a fresh, natural look. Stick with soft, neutral shades and stay away from bright colours. Finally, choose sustainable furnishings like a reclaimed wood dining table.
Install a kitchen island
590,522 Insta hashtags and 87% Pinterest increase
Farmhouse kitchens are typically full of pantry ingredients and cooking equipment to make comforting family meals, but you don’t need a cluttered kitchen for this. Keep your kitchen organised and stay on trend with a kitchen island, which is perfect for extra storage. ‘Kitchen islands’ searches rose by 87% on Pinterest, plus there are 590,522 Insta hashtags on this rustic look.
Dark green is the sought-after shade
59,999 Insta hashtags and 733% Pinterest increase
If you’re adding colour to your kitchen, we found green emerging as the latest trend. Searches for ‘green kitchen’ have grown by 733%, with 59,999 Instagram posts. When it comes to choosing the perfect colour, ‘dark green kitchen’ searches rose Pinterest by 249%, making this the most sought-after shade.
How to get the look
Rachael says, ‘There are two trends strong kitchen trends with dark and moody or natural and rustic. How you implement either trend will depend on your existing kitchen style, cabinet colour and budget.
‘If your kitchen is a neutral, white, ivory, cappuccino or a natural wood, then a strong green paint for the walls, with maybe a strong geometric tile design in a complementing dark green colour, will transform your space with minimal disruption or cost. However, if budget allows then strong green cabinetry with brass handles can be styled to both contemporary and farmhouse styles.’
Cosy bedrooms
17,998 Insta hashtags and 9,900% Pinterest increase
Cosy bedrooms are in, with a massive 9,900% spike in Pinterest searches for the aesthetic, plus 17,998 Insta hashtags. Think earthy colours like gold and forest green, with natural touches such as wooden drawers. Finish with lots of cushions and blankets for an extra cosy feel.
Sliding wardrobes
13,693 Insta hashtags and 166% Pinterest increase
Sliding wardrobes will be a key feature in our bedrooms, as Pinterest searches rose by 166%, while 13,693 Instagram posts have been made on this upcoming trend. They’re the perfect storage solution if you have a small cosy bedroom.
Dark green is on trend again
2,426 Insta hashtags and 376% Pinterest increase
Green proves to be popular with bedrooms as well as kitchens, 'with 376% more Pinterest searches and 2,426 Insta posts for ‘green bed’. When picking the right shade, dark green is on trend again, with a rise of 7,900% in searches for ‘dark green bedroom colour scheme’.
How to get the look
Rachael’s advice is to ‘Think cottagecore – cosy and natural. In these colder mornings, a knitted throw for the bed or a deep pile rug to sink your toes into.
‘Dark green is the bold choice to opt for. For a relaxing bedroom, create a harmonious colour combination, coordinating the dark green with dark blue to create a relaxing, but powerful colour combination, perfect to showcase contemporary or vintage furniture finds.’
Marble bathrooms
105,099 Insta hashtags and 800% Pinterest increase
Marble bathroom searches on Pinterest have risen by a huge 800%, with 105,099 Insta hashtags showing this upcoming look. Many Instagrammers use marble tiles on the walls or the floor, which instantly overhauls an old bathroom into pure luxury. If you don’t want to renovate, add a marble sink or toilet seat, or simply accessorise with marble soap and toothbrush holders.
Pink baths
26,909 Insta hashtags and 1,420% Pinterest increase
Pink baths are set to be the biggest bathroom feature in 2021, as Pinterest searches surged by 1,420%. Already on Instagram, 26,909 posts have been made with a rosy tub, which pairs perfectly with marble tiles.
Plenty of plants
17,315 Insta hashtags and 3,800% Pinterest increase
Plants work perfectly with marble, giving your bathroom a spa-like feel. ‘Bathroom plants décor’ searches increased by 3,800% on Pinterest and there are 17,315 hashtags for ‘bathroom plants’ on Instagram. Choose easy-care plants that will last in humid conditions, like an Aloe vera or a spider plant.
How to get the look
Rachael says, ‘If you don’t relish the idea of a new bathroom suite and have a perfectly workable white suite, then choose some striking flooring to add the wow factor. There are some great pink geometric options available that can create a fantastic statement to the room. Adding greenery with an abundance of plants and palms will complete the look.
‘If budget allows then a pink marble like Rosa Portogallo, which will give you the perfect luxury feel with lots of larger leaf plants could be a fabulous statement option. Just remember to keep the other fittings simple and understated to let this luxury stone be the main attraction and focal point.’
Garden home offices
37,090 Insta hashtags and 7,800% Pinterest increase
As working from home is here to stay, more of us are taking our office outside. Pinterest searches for ‘garden office’ have increased by a huge 7,800%, with 37,090 Instagram posts.
While working in a garden office sounds incredible, not everyone can renovate their shed or build something new. Many will still redecorate indoors, as we found that Pinterest searches for ‘small office ideas home’ spiked by 889% and ‘bedroom office combo’ by 669%. Here are the top trends you can include in your home office, whether it’s indoors or outside.
Black and white workspaces
372 Insta hashtags and 1,130% Pinterest increase
‘Black and white office’ is an emerging trend on Pinterest, with 1,130% more searches. With only 372 hashtags, not many have photographed this trend, but it’s clearly up and coming. Be one of the first to upgrade your office with a modern white desk and elegant black desk chair, and then accessorise with black and white prints.
Office plants
84,159 Insta hashtags and 1,100% Pinterest increase
Unsurprisingly, office plants will remain as a key feature. They don’t just look good – plants can purify the air around you for a cleaner workspace. With an increase of 1,100% in Pinterest searches and 84,159 Instagram hashtags, many of us will improve our productivity with greenery, like a potted peace lily or hanging ivy.
How to get the look
Rachael says, ‘Home offices have become vital spaces for many during this year. You need an office to be functional, but also comfortable and a place you enjoy being in, so it is important to make it personal to you!
‘Black and white colour schemes can be striking but can also feel on the cool side if not injected with plenty of textures. Look at the materials you plan to use for surfaces and furnishings and ensure they are tactile and with an abundance of different textures to avoid the scheme looking bland or clinical.
‘If you are lucky enough to have a large garden, then a garden office could be a fantastic option and particularly suitable if there is a young family to consider, so you can be detached from the family home during your office hours.
‘Make sure you have excellent insulation for fluctuations in seasonal temperatures. Heating and cooling provision should be considered, along with sufficient electrical supply for a suitable and atmospheric lighting design for working safely and effectively, plus providing supply for the equipment required for a functioning home office. Don’t forget your storage requirements either, plus space for plants to bring the outdoors in and create your wellbeing space for home working.’
Discover more in the Mattress Online blog, where we uncover trends through the decades, plus find out the biggest interior design deal breakers. You’ll also find more health and lifestyle advice, with lots of sleep tips, too.
Or if you want to see what could be a future bed trend, check out our Holidoze, a waterbed that makes you feel like you're on holiday!
