Whether you love or hate design trends, it’s hard to deny that 2023 brought us some fresh gems. Barbie/Taylor/Beyonce-inspired pink and sparkles, warm layered tones, curvy furniture, and being brave with colour were a few of our faves – none of which we think will be going anytime soon (except perhaps Barbie-core…sorry Gen Z readers).
While forecasters are busy getting their predictions for 2024 out, there is talk of one upcoming trend that really cannot be disputed – ‘Niche’. Funnily enough, this is not really a trend – more accurately, it’s simply ‘doing what you love with your home’ (though we suppose everyone is predicted to be doing it, which makes it a trend!)
We love a strong injection of personality into our homes, being brave with your design decisions to have little moments of ‘you’ in your living spaces.
For most of us, our homes are not only where we spend the majority of our time, but they’re also generally our biggest financial investment (applicable to homeowners and renters alike). What better reason to make your space ‘you’, by adding elements of things you love to it? We’ve put together a few ways you can do this – relatively easily. Read on for more!
DIY, Vintage & imperfect finishes:
Displaying décor that tells a story adds uniqueness and a touch of nostalgia to your home. Similarly, sourcing items from markets or second-hand stores brings the same energy – it’s been purchased lovingly and has a history. Items such as these can be used in your home to show your personality as well as design style.
There has also been a recent shift to DIY and imperfect finishes – Tiktok has been a great platform to show people creating craft items by hand, or even doing their own interior design work. The imperfect finishes in these items again tell a story and add interest to your spaces, which bring joy and authenticity, while providing great talking points for when you have guests. A caveat; some projects are better than others for DIY, and it is always important to consider whether the work will be safe to do, and to use afterwards. See more about avoiding DIY disasters here.
Incorporating Niche into your home in these ways not only brings unique personality, but it ties in perfectly with including sustainability in your design decisions. Re-using something that is preloved means one less item going into landfill, something we expect people to care about more and more over time.
Wall art & Vignettes:
Vignettes became popular as Pinterest took off, with people creating and capturing little nooks of styled joy in their homes. This is beginning to become popular again, as people style items in a particular way, each area being well-considered as well as personality-filled. Gallery walls have remained a fairly steady trend throughout the last several years, which we expect to remain – though with a more unique twist, a nod to the Niche trend. Think juxtaposed art styles and clashing frame designs, being placed in less ‘perfectly distanced’ positions.
Have it on display:
Minimalism has been around for quite some time. We’re seeing a real split in design trends; in some places a retreat into the safety of minimal, neutral schemes. See our round up of the Maison Objet exhibition. Elsewhere, a real push away from this.
Thanks to Tiktok and other forms of social media, we’re sharing so much more of ourselves with the world – many people now record their views, opinions and learnings from their homes, as part of their everyday lives. We’re now accustomed to seeing influencers in messy, casual settings, which makes people more comfortable with doing the same.
Colour:
One of the best ways to bring Niche to life in your home is through textiles and colour. As people are taking a larger step away from Minimalism, we expect the same to happen with beige and light neutral tones. Having been a source of calm and comfort for many for quite some time, people are now instead being increasingly brave with colour – a strong, dark green is now something of a neutral, and rich, warm tones are being embraced. We expect these to become increasingly popular, as well as bold, bright blues and even combinations of red + pinks.
Custom furniture:
If budget allows, including customised furniture in your home not only shows off your personality and style, but brings an individual touch – something completely unique in your living space. Upholstering an armchair in an unexpected fabric, having a traditional dresser being resprayed in a different colour, or even having something designed by a specialist maker to specifically suit your needs – all investments that will bring joy and a slice of your personality to your home.
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