Trends That Need To Stay In 2022

I realize it's not January 1st and the year 2023 did not just start. Everyone has probably already forgotten about the resolutions they made on January 1st, but do you know what I think? I don't believe in resolutions. Who's to say that the date on the calendar should decide when you want to make a change or start on something new or give up a bad habit? No matter the month, I think we can still talk about the trends that should stay in 2022. I know I'm not the only one who's sick of seeing the same things on their Instagram feed and Pinterest pages over and over again. Last year we finally got to the end of the tunnel after the pandemic craziness and started to return to our normal lives again. Let's move into this year with all things new and fresh, a clean slate. Before that though, I want to digest a few design trends that I'd like to leave in the past and would rather not see again..

Shiplap

I mean this screams 2010 right? I have the utmost respect for Joanna Gaines and the empire she's built. No one can deny that woman knows what she's doing, but can we please agree that horizontal boards of wood on a wall are really nothing special? Did you know shiplap was originally created as a material to waterproof ships. Ships. Not walls, not homes, ships. It is a base construction material that was never meant to be decorative, purely functional. If you want to create a feature wall or focal point other than paint on drywall I can give you a dozen other options that may or may not also involve wood that’ll look gorgeous and be much more intentional than shiplap.

Wood elements can be used as wall treatments that aren't shiplap.

Focal Walls

Going off of my shiplap rant, let’s address focal walls. Who decided that only one wall gets special treatment? By painting one wall in a room a different color, it certainly draws your eye but that may not be a good thing. In some cases, a focal wall makes a room appear smaller or narrower. Design wise, it doesn’t really do much other than distract. Every room deserves a star, and if you want the walls to be the star then go for that bold color everywhere, use a wallpaper, or even apply some millwork (gasp!).

A bold wallpaper makes this dining room stand out.

Hexagon Tiles

Everyone loves a funky shaped tile, however, that doesn't mean it has to be a hexagon. Its popularity sprung from people being tired of the same old, same old and I totally get that. The hexagon trend has come and gone. I believe that good design is timeless. You can still have fun with a classic shape like a circle or square. The installation and layout is key to keep a tile design fresh and fun while keeping it timeless.

See! Square tiles can be cool when applied in a unique way.

Moving into this new year of less masks, more gatherings, and promises of life returning to ‘normal’, let’s leave these worn-out trends in the past. Trends always come and go, that’s a given. I thoroughly believe that good design will stand the test of time, so let’s see what innovative designs the future holds! I have a few ideas ;)