2020 Design Forecast

Abraham Lincoln said “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Those of us in the design industry do that every day. We are ahead of the curve when it comes to trends because we’re the ones making them. What do we see when we gaze into our crystal ball - and client folders?

COLOR

I recently commented that “the cool gray movement of the 2010s is out. In the 2020s we’ll see a return to earthy tones — chocolate brown, burnt orange, cranberry red, ochre yellow, olive green, and cream.’’

STYLE

For style, I see a return to more traditional silhouettes for furniture juxtaposed with modern art and accessories. The 2020s is all about mixing styles and breaking the long-established rules about everything matching. Of course design principles about proportion will still be in play.

TEXTURES & FABRICS

In the same article I mentioned, “Cozy fabrics like bouclé, velvet, and leather are pushing out linens’ long reign.” Why? Because we’re tactile creatures and bouclé and velvet provide that sensual satisfaction. They’re also fabrics that can be layered with others to create the visual depth we like in a well-designed space.

ACCESSORIES

Curating accessories and art is an essential part of the design process. I believe in keeping beautiful, useful objects. Do they always need to stay in one place? No. I don’t design museums where nothing can be touched or lived in. It’s livable luxury, emphasis on livable. Designing places to rise and thrive is the philosophy we embrace at Dane Austin Design.