Green and Sustainable Interior Design Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2021 | In 2020 we were all suck at home staring at our furniture and décor day after day, so it’s not a surprise that many people chose to dedicate some time in 2021 for remodels. However, we also had time to do some research, watch on TV or in person how our Mother Earth suffers and changes for the worse.
Due to our horrible impact on the environment, this year’s interior design trends focus on sustainability and eco-friendliness—green features, recycling, repurposing, saving energy and introducing nature into our homes. If you want to add one or two sustainable trends to your home in 2021, here are a few green trends to follow:
Repurposed décor
The financial crisis, but also all the damage we’ve done to the environment and its visible consequences, forced many people to look at the design from a different angle. More and more people focus on reusing and repurposing accessories, furniture and other interior elements. This trend goes hand-in-hand with investing in quality pieces that will last long enough to be reused and repurposed.
Also, shopping in thrift stores has never been trendier—it saves money, keeps the landfills empty and reduces unnecessary manufacturing! Plus, when you manage to find a special item for a low price, that feeling is irreplaceable, which further adds to the popularity of sustainable second-hand shopping.
Gifts from nature
2020 left us yearning for the outside world, especially its greener parts, so many of us are trying to create a deeper connection with nature through our interior design. Thus, gardening and indoor plant parenting are two of the biggest hobbies for 2021. These hobbies filled our homes with greenery and other sustainable décor that comes from nature and nicely compliments plants and flowers. Think gifts from nature like driftwood, pinecones, seashells, jars of beach sand, beautiful rocks and crystals, etc.
Sustainable materials
If you check in with both design and construction companies, they will report a rise in organic materials options like wood, wool and stone. When buying new elements for your home, especially big rugs for the living space, opt for natural elements like wool, jute, hemp or cotton. These materials are soft but strong, and they have a very small environmental footprint. Plus they breathe sophistication, comfort and luxury.
However, being mindful of where these materials come from and how they are produced is also important today. You can easily access fair trade manufacturers and ensure your materials are extracted with minimal damage to the environment. When buying your building or decoration materials, ask for certification such as FSC for sustainable wood.
Energy efficiency
A wide range of interior designers chooses to exclusively use energy-efficient appliances in their creations, so us regular folks also adopted this sustainable trend. This trend might be a bit of an investment, but modern appliances with an Energy Star rating not only look much better in every space, but also produce great money-saving benefits in the long run. Thanks to their lower energy and water consumption, you can save money, but more importantly, reduce resource consumption and waste.
Smart tech
Smart technology gadgets and other additions that make your home more sustainable will be huge all throughout 2021. Thanks to the new 5G technology that will start to appear more and more, we can create a connected system that eliminates energy waste at home and keeps everything running like clockwork. For instance, we have the popular Google Nest thermostat that’s learning and keeping your HVAC bills low. Other gadgets that boost sustainability, comfort and safety at home are always welcome.
Vibrant shades of green
This might not be a directly sustainable 2021 interior trend, but it certainly is green! Bold green colors like emerald green give a nod to spring, lively forests, fragrant pine and all things blooming and getting revived. This resurgence of green is attributed to the strong influences of the outdoor world, but people are just happy to add color and life to their spaces to remind them of positivity—these are some heavy times that we live in and many of us are trying to encourage hope and change.
These sustainable interior trends will not only visually improve your home but also make it less harmful to the environment and your own health. So welcome greenery inside, choose natural materials and invest in smart tech—it’s for the benefit of the entire world!
