Comfort, nostalgia, a love of nature and bolder, more playful colours and patterns are driving autumn-winter interior trends for 2022. Good Homes has pulled together data from Pinterest, analysis from WeThrift and the AW22 lookbooks from leading homeware brands to discover the top 10 trends for our homes this autumn-winter.

Beige, greige and minimalism are all on the way out, while self-expression is very much on the up: ‘For years we have seen the interior scene saturated with beige colours and minimalist living spaces, but now we are seeing interior lovers creating homes that are a statement of their personality,’ says Nick Drewe, Trend Expert at WeThrift.

Biophilic design, which proved hugely important to many of us while stuck at home during the pandemic, continues to hold sway, creeping into many of the other trends we’re seeing. It’s not just plants, it’s wooden materials, texture, rattan, jute – all of it connects us to nature and makes our homes feel warmer and more cocoon-like.

1. Texture

Texture is an oft-overlooked component in an interior design scheme. Colour and aesthetic are the first things we tend to think of, but texture is a key element to keep your scheme from feeling flat, especially if you’ve adopted a neutral or minimalist look and want it to feel cosier in the winter months.

‘Texture, and perhaps more importantly, textural variety, is becoming more and more desirable as we move into the winter months,’ says Sam Greig, designer at Swoon. ‘When it comes to incorporating more texture into your space, you may instantly gravitate towards soft furnishings. However, to make a bigger impact, consider a fluted furniture piece, such as a sideboard.’

2. Biophilic design

This trend is showing real longevity and has morphed into something moodier for autumn-winter. Try ramping up the look by combining your burgeoning collection of house plants with palm print wallpapers in deep, denim blues and forest greens, with darker hues throughout and touches of gold. Ensure there are plenty of natural materials in your scheme to keep things balanced. Opt for woods, stone and rattan to keep things more relaxed, or try marble and bold metals for something more opulent and maximalist.

‘Increasingly, overly polished, shiny materials are waning, and natural materials seem to be claiming more space in homes across the nation,’ says Sam from Swoon. ‘Rattan continues to hold a big stake, but we are seeing cane and canvas making a big appearance, along with the usual culprits in warm wooden tones and cool marbles.’

3. Farmhouse interiors

Farmhouse style is simple, unfussy and functional, epitomising a slower pace of life and a love of the outdoors. Chunky wooden pieces that bear the scars of years of use anchor the look. It’s about ‘trying to strike the right balance between rustic and modern living, with contemporary aspects that reflect today’s ideal home,’ says Nick from WeThrift.

We’ve seen this look crop up in various big-brand collections, such as Next’s Modern Country, Nested by George Home and Good Homes’ very own Elevated Country feature in the October issue. The Next Design Team describes the look as ‘a curated country home delivering the perfect blend of tradition and modern, where materials are natural and honest’. Colourwise, look to the new neutrals – pale pinks, sage greens, light greys and creams, paired with contemporary versions of checks and floral patterns.

4. 70’s revival

After a tough couple of years, 2022 is all about comfort, cosiness and finding the joy in life, which goes some way to explaining the revival of all things 70s. A sense of nostalgia, bundled up with rich velvet upholstery, soft fringing and opulent hot chocolate tones is a tempting combination as the winter chill sets in.

‘The 70s often get bad press as being the decade that taste forgot,’ says Chelsea Appleford, buying manager at Arlo & Jacob. ‘But with furniture and interior design classics that we still draw on today, and a sophisticated use of textures and colour, we’d strongly disagree.’ Arlo & Jacob released the Ferdinand sofa, a modern take on a design synonymous with the era, in a very retro shade of olive green earlier this year.

Barker and Stonehouse’s Toasted Caramels collection has a warming 70s vibe too, exploring all things earthy. Tactile materials, such as leather sofas, team beautifully with deep brown wood occasional tables and cabinetry, accented with autumnal tones of chestnut browns and burnt oranges.

5. Pattern play

As we embrace more adventurous interior design, pattern has crept beyond the feature wall to something more holistic. Bold, colourful wallpaper designs are stretching beyond one wall, even making it to the ceiling. Or being framed in large DIY wall panels: ‘Richly textured fabrics and exotic patterns and prints bring instant warmth and glamour to the home,’ says Debbie Drake, design director at Dunelm.

Geometric kitchen splashbacks and terrazzo bathroom tiles are popping up in more homes. Art Deco styles, fish scales, hexagons and herringbones are all making themselves known in ceramics as well: ‘Tiles are beautiful pieces of art on their own and have the power to utterly transform a room,’ says Adrian Blundell, Production Director at Craven Dunnill Jackfield. ‘If you’re looking to experiment with bold colours and decors and inspired layouts and patterns, tiles are the perfect way to make a distinctive design statement.’

6. Maximalism

The founding principle of maximalism is ‘more is more’ and really there are no rules, although it pays to think along the lines of stylish curation, rather than being too cluttered or messy. It’s a complete antidote to the minimalist trends of late and centres around pieces that bring you joy. Best of all, it doesn’t matter whether they go together – eclecticism is celebrated.

The trend experts at WeThrift have discovered a 212% increase in search volume on Pinterest for maximalism: ‘For years we have seen the interior scene saturated with beige colours and minimalist living spaces, but now we are seeing interior lovers creating homes that are a statement of their personality,’ says Nick from WeThrift. Think colour, pattern, texture, and plenty of layering.

7. DIY wall panelling

If we could sum up 2022 with one key hot take and one of the easiest ways of transforming your interiors on a budget, it would be wall panelling. It’s hard to look at social media without seeing a fresh style of panelling pop up, so what are some of the most popular options?

There’s tongue and groove (which can be used vertically or horizontally), a Jacobean-style grid pattern that extends all the way up the wall, or wainscoting, which is like the former, but stops half way up the wall (see also dado panelling). You can also create simple DIY framed panels on the wall using beading, which is a great way to frame bold patterned wallpapers or to create bold, colourful paint jobs. Whichever form of panelling you choose, it’s a great way to add character and warmth to a room.

8. Ceiling décor

Dubbed the ‘fifth wall’, ceilings are having a moment. No longer condemned to a quick lick of white paint, interior designers are realising their potential in transforming a room. Painting a ceiling can add depth and balance to a room. A dark ceiling can give a room a cosy, cocooning feel, while if you want to add height to your ceilings, light colours can open the room up. From brightly coloured ceilings that give a contemporary look, to wallpapered murals to coffered or panelled ceilings, the fifth wall is the perfect space to get creative.

9. Colour drenching

Colour drenching has been big news in 2022 and is where you take one colour (or shades of a single colour) and use it all over – walls, woodwork, furnishings and, even the ceiling.

‘Using a single shade in this way adds a feeling of grandeur as well as providing a chic, minimalist base,’ says Helen Shaw of Benjamin Moore paints. Think tonal shades, not just one block colour, navy shades give a clean modern look to a room. And if you want to tick off two AW22 trends at once, painting the room in different greens to bring the outdoors in, et voila, you have colour-drenched biophilia!

10. Cosycore

Cosycore takes elements from trends like Nanna Normcore, Cabincore, Cottagecore and Coastal Grandmother – anything that creates a warm, welcoming, homely environment, like you would imagine at your nanna’s house, or in a snug cottage in the woods. Think luxurious comfort and a cosy, relaxed feeling. It also taps into the trend for vintage pieces that have character and a story.

‘We’re seeing a big demand for vintage furniture and fashion as people start to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle,’ says Nick from WeThrift. ‘Individuals want to stand out with furniture that feels completely unique to their home and doing so is driving this desire for vintage and second-hand furniture.’

Additional words by Victoria Purcell

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MORE AUTUMN-WINTER 2022 TRENDS

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