From Faux to For Real: Design Trends for 2022 Urge for Real, Natural Materials

Consumers are Shifting from Convenient and Mass-Produced to Curated, Handmade and Authentic Materials for Interior Designs

Reclaimed Sugar Teak adds warmth to a clean and crisp cafe interior at Chillhouse NYC

Reclaimed Heritage Oak wall paneling adds character to this contemporary lobby.

Rich wood floors, house plants and vintage decor blend together for an eclectic, unique interior

Bringing plants, natural materials, and natural lighting into interior designs improves overall health and wellness with Biophilic Design.

From Faux to For Real

As we push into the ‘20s, we are observing interesting design trends based on our current climate, from our actual warming climate to our Work-From-Home lifestyle throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. An overall trend seems to emphasize the shift from faux, digital and mass-produced to authentic, handmade and unique elements.

Interior design articles, like this one, observe consumers reaching for a more authentic and genuine feeling in their homes, work places and beyond, to better connect with their environments and communities.

Faux materials are on the way out, and natural and sustainable materials are in the spotlight. Specially curated and handmade goods are preferred over mass-consumed products to create unique designs that can stand out in our age of instagrammable images.

Here are some 2022 design trends that get us excited about a fresh approach to architectural and interior spaces.

Authenticity

Kelley Mason, stylist at Lulu & Georgia, gets real about faux, calling this trend done. “Faux-anything, whether faux plants or faux finishes feel insincere and gimmicky,” she says. “The Wabi-Sabi aesthetic and the return to quality over quantity emphasizes a return to actual objects that require care and creation by artisans, rather than mass manufacturing.”

An article from Hardwood Floors Magazine explains the benefits of using real wood in interior designs to bring rich warmth into spaces. Materials like wood, stone, and glass bring an authentic, rich tone to a space that veneers and faux finishes cannot compete with.

Natural & Sustainable Materials

From the sustainability of the material’s source to the effect of materials on our indoor air quality and mental health, there are many reasons why designers and homeowners are choosing natural materials for their homes and interiors.

With Covid-19 pandemic quarantine “Work-From-Home” lifestyles, many took to the trails for solitary walks in nature for exercise and comfort. Bringing nature into our kitchens, bedrooms and living spaces has become increasingly popular, as we spend more time at home.

Justina Blakeney, founder of The Jungalow, explains that “we’ll continue to see people look for ways to connect with nature in their homes through houseplants, natural materials like cane, raffia, grasscloths and raw/rustic woods.”

Biophilic Design, which works to brings the outdoors inside to enhance our innate affinity to nature, will no doubt be a focus in design this upcoming year. Biohpilic design has been found to provide a number of wellness benefits, including better indoor air quality, lowering stress and improving happiness and focus in the workplace. This means more real indoor plants, natural materials, like wood floors and stone, and a lot of natural lighting.

In addition to the design aesthetic achieved by using natural materials, sustainability is another aspect that will become central in current and future designs. An article by Forbes Magazine emphasizes that sustainability has become increasingling important” in interior and architectural designs.

This means that designers and homeowners will be more conscious about their purchases, from wood flooring to wallpaper, for their interior designs. Using recycled materials, like reclaimed wood, to help divert waste and reduce forestry pressures, will continue to be a popular choice for eco-minded consumers and designers.

Unique and Handmade

“Consumers are more interested in the backstory of what they are bringing into the home,” says Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore director of color marketing & development. With the ability to order almost anything online with a click of a button, consumers are thirsty for something unique, handmade and connected to a story.

Reclaimed wood, vintage furniture and handmade decor are top of the list for adding elements full of personality. Distressed and worn pieces add character and contrast to more modern and neutral elements.

“People are opting toward living with pieces that are worn and have patina and don’t mind small scratches on 100-year-old stone,” says Lauren Buxbaum Gordon, of Nate Berkus Associates. “It makes them feel more at ease with how they function in their own homes because nothing is too precious.”

Adding vintage and retro elements can add personality to a space for a unique, curated style. “Authentic and found pieces from varying eras that somehow work together to create a more personal design aesthetic,” says Ania Cassill, owner/interior designer of Laguna Beach, California-based Huit Laguna.

These interior design trends point toward a general, sweeping move towards the unique, handmade, natural and authentic to promote healthier, more comfortable spaces to live, work and play.

Learn more about how Anthology Woods reclaimed wood flooring and paneling can support your green building goals and cultivate a healthier, more sustainable future.