Looking Ahead: Top 2021 Design Trends

If you're dreaming about a renovation or a new home build next year, you'll want to know what some of the top interior and exterior design trends are for 2021.

Eliza Alkire, product designer for Progress Lighting, shares some of the top 2021 current and emerging trends in the design world, just in time for you to implement them into your design plans.

Interior Styles
The kitchen and the bath are two rooms in the home that are getting a lot of love. Now used more than ever, the kitchen still reigns as king of the gathering spots and the hub of the home. The bath has evolved into a room that is a soothing place to retreat, relax and unwind.

Credit: Richmond Home Staging, LifeStyle Home Builders and Eastman Creative.

In 2021, popular kitchen trends are the return of natural wood cabinets; however, these cabinets are finished in subtly grained, lighter natural woods and are typically cleaner in design. They may feature hidden hardware and handleless doors that push open and close, a style that lends itself to minimalist lines. Stunning stone countertops complete the look, especially strongly veined, large format pieces that are extended up the wall to create a dramatic backsplash. Tile is still a favorite for backsplashes, especially tiles that are handmade or that have a handcrafted look and feel.

Credit: Volnay Capital

Fashion-forward finishes for cabinet pulls, sinks, appliances and light fixtures feature gold, brass, black, and even copper, which is re-emerging as a favorite vintage look. Dark surface countertops contrast beautifully with these luxury metallic finishes: look for them in honed or matte finishes. In general, light fixtures are looked to as a key element in a kitchen design scheme, with multiple pendants being a favorite way to add drama to the kitchen scene.

In the bath, moody accents, especially black, are utilized to create luxe and inviting spaces. Serene colors are also used to invoke a sense of well-being and harmony, and pops of blue and green are featured to make the space relaxing. Minimal luxury is a pared-back look that relies on one primary element, like a luxurious marble shower making it the star of the show in a room that relies on simplicity in the rest of the decor and fittings. Statement lighting in the bath is popular, whether it's in the form of a large pendant or chandelier, or vanity lights that mix chrome with gold and brushed brass for an element of glamour.

Credit: Curate Homes and Piper Stromattl

Outside the Home
Home exteriors are following interior trends. All-black houses create a dramatic look, and dark gray exteriors make a bold yet inviting statement. Brick exteriors are painted in warm tones as opposed to classic white. Monochromatic color schemes are especially popular with modern farmhouse exteriors, and the look is often completed with black trimmed windows. Lighting and door hardware feature gold, brass and black hardware, adding a dash of elegance to a home's exterior.

Statement style comes to outdoor living, which is another area of the home that's seen a boom in decor interest. Outdoor spaces are curated just like indoor rooms, with seating, cooking and serving stations arranged in floor plans like indoor spaces. Reflecting the growing importance of sustainable materials, eco-friendly elements dominate building trends, with composite materials used on decking, furniture and even lighting to provide better resistance to the elements. Wicker and rattan have long been outdoor furnishing favorites due to their durability and style: now these materials are making their way into llighting designs that offer a casual, light and breezy feeling.

The best design plans need the best lighting to complement them! Browse our website for the latest lighting looks, design guidance and more inspiration.