6 INTERIOR DESIGN EXPERTS PINPOINT 2021 STYLE
If you’re among those longing to spruce up your space, it’s smart to rely on skilled practitioners. We tapped six interior designers, home experts and gallerists for their predictions about interior design’s biggest trends for 2021. Here, they share their thoughts on how to get the looks they think will be en vogue this year.
Jennifer Balcos
Gallerist, Jennifer Balcos Gallery
jenniferbalcosgallery.com
TOP TREND: Pop art, with its bold colors and cheeky subjects, will be increasingly popular this year, Balcos says. “With 2020 being such a tumultuous year, art is playing a huge role in adding joy to any household. Pop art will be on the rise as buyers strive for fun [in their homes]. It has been around since the ’50s, so it crosses many generations and can resonate with any audience.”
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: “The Good Life” by Nelson De La Nuez, available at Jennifer Balcos Gallery. Price available upon request.
Jim DeLany
Builder, Paces Builder Group
pacesbuildergroup.com
TOP TREND: Multi-functional spaces, particularly related to working (and schooling!) from home, are on the rise and will continue to be a huge trend. DeLany explains, “Home offices, study nooks and education pods built into basements or bonus rooms will continue to expand. People are interested in being able to have education or school pods at home where six to eight kids can go to school led by a private teacher.” Room for six to eight middle schoolers means adjusting spaces to fit your family’s needs for education and beyond.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: Kingdom Woodworks custom cabinets, kingdomwoodworks.com
Steve McKenzie
Designer, McKenzie Design
stevemckenzies.com
TOP TREND: If you’re not looking to undertake a renovation, turn to furniture to refresh your space instead. “I think the Marengo Secretary designed by Thomas O’Brien for Century Furniture is a perfect example of a flexible piece that can multitask. Styled after antique secretaries, with an updated finish and hardware, it is perfect to be your work-from-home piece by day and a beautiful accent piece at night,” says McKenzie. “I also think the pressures of 2020 have heightened a return to the comfortable feeling of days gone by.” As a result, look for more traditional furniture designs this year.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: Marengo secretary, $6,597, shop.centuryfurniture.com
Kevin O’Gara
Blogger and designer, Thou Swell
thouswell.com
TOP TREND: Color is king, and according to O’Gara, it’s back and better than ever. “I see rich, saturated rooms being a big trend for 2021. People have been relying on their homes to provide interior escapes, and creating more layered environments with sophisticated color combinations is a significant way to enjoy a more engaging home,” says the designer, who has launched his own line of rugs. “Lean into bold-hued jeweltones and complementary color schemes this year.”
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: Anatolia rug, $198-$2,664, kevinfrancisdesign.com
Anna-Louise Wolfe
Designer, Anna Louise Wolfe Ltd. Co.
annalouisewolfe.com
TOP TREND: When asked what will be trending in 2021, Wolfe says without hesitation, “Yellow is making a comeback! Rich, mustardy and buttery yellows that remind us of rooms by John Fowler and Nancy Lancaster, who first created the English country house style. Over the past decade or so, people have moved away from yellow and preferred more gray or cooler palettes, but I see people wanting to add warmth and color back into their homes.”
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: Yellow Temple Jar, Williams Sonoma, $395, williams-sonoma.com
Emily West
Gallerist, Anne Irwin Fine Art
anneirwinfineart.com
TOP TREND: Like O’Gara, Anne Irwin Fine Art owner and curator West says 2021 will bring a movement towards color in art, too. “I think that we will see everyone [leaning] toward things that bring them brightness and joy. We are certainly noticing increased interest in bold pieces where color is key,” she says.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT: “Sling” by Lori Glavin, $2,000, available at Anne Irwin Fine Art
