Wondering what’s in store for 2023 décor? A new year and new trends have arrived. Here’s a fashion forecast for our homes.
Color
Long live wine! Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year is Viva Magenta — a “crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool” according to the company that is recognized globally as a leading source of color expertise. And 18-1750 (Pantone’s official Viva Magenta numeric designation) has pretty friends, too: Pale Dogwood (pinkish), Pale Khaki, and Plein Air (light blue).
We may be saying goodbye to greige, but not a complete farewell. Pantone still incorporates gray as a way to tone down the other Viva Magenta color family members who may try to outshine her: Gray Sand, Agate Gray, and Gray Lilac. Muted colors allow vibrant hues to pop.
Speaking of color – are sterile white kitchens intimidating? Antiseptic may have been reassuring mid-Pandemic, but kitchens are the perfect place to personalize with colorful kids’ artwork and culinary-themed collections (think vintage cookie jars or antique canisters). Anyway, a minimalist kitchen with nary a toaster on the counter is an impractical pipe dream!
Form
Arched door frames are making a comeback. Replacing sharp, 90-degree angles with curves softens our environment and evokes old-world charm.
Laundry and mud rooms are getting beauty makeovers. Upscale details like rich colors and patterns may just minimize the drudgery of household and lawn chores.
Want even more glamor? Gold is back. People are replacing utilitarian brushed nickel accents with a little warm gilding. Despite a tough economic outlook, people still yearn for a touch of luxury.
Nostalgia continues, but in a more sophisticated way than country farmhouse or granny chic. Meaningful objects are being thoughtfully incorporated into design. Thrifting continues to be an economical and fun way to add a vintage vibe while shopping sustainably.
Personally curated gallery walls are a popular way to display art and photos. Stay away from generic prints – use the space as a canvas for your taste and personality.
You may hear more this year about “intentional lighting.” Always used as a tool in photography and cinema to elicit specific moods, this is something that is often overlooked in our homes. It’s not just about the actual light fixture – although that’s an important consideration, too. Mood lighting can make you happier, calmer, more productive, inspired – even more sensual!
Once you figure out the purpose for each room, think about how you want to feel in that space. The color of the room contributes to the ambience, and light coupled with color has a definite psychological effect.
Looking for a place that is conducive to socializing and relaxing? Consider warm lighting. Ambient (indirect) lighting also helps accomplish this goal.
Do you need your home office to be a place of productivity and focus? Cooler, blue-ish lighting should energize you.
Good lighting is grounded in both science and art, so play with the options before settling on one.
Function (and Multi-Function)
Watch your boundaries! We may be post-pandemic, but we’re still working from home much more than in the past. While open floor plans remain popular, dedicated work spaces are still in order. Compartmentalization helps with efficiency in work, play, and rest.
Is the guest room a thing of the past? Hospitality is still important, but many homeowners are choosing to reclaim mostly unused spaces. Guest rooms have become multi-purpose: a place for storage, an art or yoga studio, a craft nook, another home office. “Listening rooms” are gaining popularity, too – where people can get lost in an atmosphere of their favorite sounds.
With square footage at a premium, people are getting creative in finding more ways to work with less space. “Right-sizing” is the new downsizing, as people are thinking hard about better matching their lifestyles and their place-in-time with their homes.
Televisions are not art. Rather, they are a distraction from personal interaction. Furniture placement should facilitate human connection instead of being clearly screen focused. Conversations are encouraged when sofas face each other rather than facing the all-consuming rectangle on the wall.
Wellness
Over the past few years we’ve learned just how vital wellness is, and our homes will reflect this. Eco-consciousness remains at the fore. Maximizing light with large – and often bare – windows improves mood and sleep patterns. Indoor gardening with large-scale plant features offers better air quality. And air-purifying plants aren’t the only way to go greener. Soy-based candles with natural oil scents produce much less soot and are non-toxic. There are also many more natural cleaning products on the market that are effective yet gentle for us and kinder to our planet.
The bottom line: Before you revamp your space with all the latest trends, carefully consider which ones truly work for you. If you’re thinking about selling your home soon, talk to your real estate agent about what changes will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
