New Home Interiors by Cobblestone

2021 home trends – What’s the difference? In 2020, residents of Wisconsin spent more time staying inside their homes than ever before. This new way of life made profound changes in how we work, attend school, interact with family, and entertain. Many feel that these changes will be permanent and will bring an opportunity for more multifunction, usefulness, and comfort in our living spaces.

From sharing areas for office and school work, wanting calm and quiet gathering spaces, to adding drama to bedrooms or kitchens, there are many ways to update and refresh your home. You may need to use your living space more creatively. But are the suggestions you’ve seen online simply trendy, or are they timeless?

If you’re thinking about building a custom home or remodeling your current home soon, you might wonder what some of the hottest 2021 home trends are. Because interior and exterior décor ideas constantly change, it can be a challenge to choose those that are timeless. By the time your construction or remodeling project is complete, you don’t want your home to already look dated.

Here are some 2021 home trends that Cobblestone Builders believe will last into the foreseeable future and others which may fade in a year or two.

 

Timeless: Integrated Living Spaces

Kitchen with sitting area

Although open floor plans have been popular in new home designs for many years, in 2021 and beyond, there will be some significant differences. Homes will have even more integrated living spaces. Kitchens and sitting areas are being combined to allow people to prepare food and socialize at the same time.

2021 Home TrendsIn new floor plans, the kitchen is now at the center of the home, with the eating areas and living zones surrounding it. The active lifestyles of young homeowners mean they want more fluidity and interaction between all living spaces. This allows parents with young children to keep an eye on them, prepare meals, and socialize with family and friends all together in one area. This is a newer trend that creates interesting solutions for comfortable living spaces. This variation of floor plans makes it feel as if you are living in your kitchen.

Timeless: More Combinations for Living and Working Areas

With new 2021 home trends, architects and interior designers are being challenged to create more complex living spaces and re-think how homes are being used. It no longer makes sense to have rooms that only serve one function: guest bedrooms, formal dining rooms, craft rooms, etc. Traditional separations of common areas no longer work for today’s families.

Home OfficeNow, designers and architects are creating dynamic mixed-use floor plans by merging work areas with relaxation spaces; private areas of the residence are combined with more open, public spaces. For example, depending on the time of day or who is using the space, one spot can be a home office, a school work station, a crafting space, an eating area, or even a guest sleeping room. Another location can be designated as the home office, the library, and a place to watch television or do homework.

Some architects now incorporate moveable walls to allow for quiet areas or create a larger or smaller space at will. Creative storage and furniture solutions can also make spaces multipurpose. For example, a drop-leaf or folding table can be used as a desk or for dining, then stored away or pushed against the wall when more floor space is needed. Murphy beds can be closed into the wall when there are no visitors, open bookshelves can be used as room dividers, and wall units can neatly store craft items or school books.

Timeless: Big Windows and Lots of Sunlight

Today, many homeowners are looking for ways to make their homes more comfortable, calm, and relaxing. A classic way to do this is by maximizing natural sunlight with larger and/or additional windows. Bright and airy interiors can drastically change how a home feels and make it look larger and more modern.

WindowsSpeaking of interiors, for more natural light, leave windows uncovered. Take down your heavy drapery and blinds. If you must have something around the windows, use semi-opaque linen, cotton, or sheer fabric matching the wall color for a subtle look. Be sure to use simple curtain rods, too.

If you are thinking of remodeling your current home, the key to adding more windows is to match the original architecture. You want the finished project to look as if your home was built that way from the very beginning. If constructing a new custom home, timeless 2021 home trends include clean, simple lines and rectangular windows to give your house a contemporary look.

Timeless: Pergolas and Front Porches

Two exterior 2021 home trends that are here to stay is to install a pergola and a porch to the front of the house. It gives dimension to your home as well as another shady spot for family and friends to gather. Attach the pergola to the house above a porch or the front door for a welcoming entrance. Add a pergola across the front of the garage, too. It’s a perfect way to add curb appeal.

Porches

While big decks on the back of the house have been popular for quite a while, in 2021, there will be a shift to building larger and more prominent front porches.  Sitting on the house’s front porch is a wonderful way to meet your neighbors and know what’s happening in the neighborhood.

Timeless: Straight Lines and Natural Materials

Other exciting yet timeless 2021 home trends are the changeover from curved to straight lines and more natural materials. During the 1990s and into the 2000s, arched and Palladian windows were used in almost every newly built house. However, in 2021, changing out straight line windows for the ornate arched ones can instantly update the look of your home.

Additionally, highly curved handrails and balusters on staircases can be replaced with clean, straight-lined parts to modernize your interior décor. Even in furniture, mid-century modern and craftsman designs, with their clean lines and simple styles, are taking over heavily carved antiques and rolled armed, overstuffed couches. However, it’s important to remember that classic furniture pieces, with their beauty and timeless style, never die. So, don’t get rid of your grandmother’s ornate chair if you truly love it. It will look beautiful in the master bedroom or the corner of the great room with a small table for quiet reading.

Natural materials – stone, granite, marble, wood, etc. – will continue to be popular in 2021 and beyond. Cork and bamboo floors, wicker and jute for furniture, hand made crafts, and ceramic elements such as hand-decorated artisan tiles add a rich texture to interiors. These finishes also offer an organic atmosphere and luxurious, tactile accents and will be significant in remodeling and decorating projects for many years to come.

 

Trendy Ways to Update Your Home in 2021

You’d like to update your home but don’t want to do a full-on remodel or spend a lot of money. Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest working rooms in the house because they have a steady traffic flow. They are also where homeowners look for new ways to keep them looking fresh and updated. However, even small changes and updates in bedrooms and living areas will impact your home’s look and make it feel new.

You don’t always have to make major changes to make significant differences. Here are several quick and easy updates to make that are going to be prominent in 2021. That way, even if these trends fade in a year or two, you won’t mind too much.

Trendy: A New Color

For much of the 2000s, warm beige was everywhere – on walls, in furniture, carpeting, flooring, cabinetry, etc. Then, in the 20-teens, everything turned to cool gray.

Not surprisingly, the new color for 2021 is…. greige. This color is a combination of both beige and gray. This warmer tone of gray is calmer and more soothing than its cooler cousin. Although gray remains popular, blending it with beige makes it a more relaxing and inviting color.

Greige is less stark and softer than white. This color also works well with taupe, cream, soft green, pale yellow, and shades of blue. If you want to brighten up a space, paint the walls greige, then add a pop of color with pillows, vases, and other small accents around the room. In the kitchen or bathroom, paint the cabinetry or walls greige for an updated look.

Trendy: Live Plants

From the 1970s and into the 90s, adding fake plants around the house was all the rage. Tall, fake ficus trees or other kinds of palm trees and rubber plants were placed in corners or entryways next to baskets of artificial ferns and vines.Plants

As a home accessory, fake plants were ubiquitous yet also considered incredibly tacky. This was because they looked so obviously plastic or silk and always seemed to have a fine layer of dust on them. Today, most interior designers would advise their clients to steer clear of artificial plants of any kind.

Fortunately, the era of fake plants is gone. Today, and into the near future, the natural accent to easily add beauty to your home is with live plants. Make your space more peaceful, calm, and bring the outdoors in with a variety of greenery in pretty ceramic pots throughout your living area. Bedrooms can enjoy the benefits of live plants, too.

If you don’t have a green thumb, cut green branches from your yard and put them in a tall vase. Find beautiful fall leaves and add them to a large bowl with pinecones. Place flowers from your garden or the grocery store on your kitchen counter in an interesting container like a teapot. There are lots of ways to add natural flora to every room of your home each day.

Trendy: Brass and Gold Finishes

Stainless steel, chrome (both brushed and polished), and nickel have been the norm in houses for a long time. Everything from 2021 Home trends include Gold Finishespicture frames to doorknobs to kitchen faucets and lighting has been available with a silver finish. However, for 2021, it’s all heading in a new direction.

Brass and gold finishes will become much more popular as an alternative to everything chrome. Brass and gold stands out against cabinetry in handles and pulls and sparkles like jewelry for your kitchen. Gold picture frames and lamp bases give a warm glow to great rooms.

Homeowners can achieve this updated look in their homes by switching out cabinet handles and faucets in the kitchen and bath, changing out lamp bases or picture frames, or hanging a gold-framed mirror in the entry or above the fireplace. Gold looks especially nice against greige walls, too.

Trendy: Matte Black

Combined with gold finishes, black’s contrast and simplicity offer a dramatic and modern accent color. Matte black finishes in tile backsplashes, hardware, or cabinetry can make your kitchen or bath look chic and elegant. Matte black can also be used as an accent color to white or greige and gold for a fresh look.2021 home trends include Matte Black Cabinets

For example, in a great room, use mostly soft white or greige colors for furniture and flooring with a black coffee table, throw pillows, and other accent pieces, with gold-framed artwork and lighting. Consider painting your lower cabinets matte black, the upper cabinets in white, and adding gold drawer pulls in the kitchen. Or try a black and white patterned tiled or painted backsplash or floor. For true drama in a bathroom or bedroom, try painting all the walls or cabinetry matte black. You’ll wow your family and friends.

Trendy: Weathered Nickel

Weathered NickelAre all this gold and black a little too dramatic for your taste? Do you prefer your living spaces to be more understated and casual? Instead of gold or brass, consider lighting, accent pieces, and fixtures in a finish of weathered nickel. This option is a gray metal and looks much softer and not as flashy.

The best thing about weathered nickel is that it works with many styles of décor, including modern, traditional, or something in between. Add weathered nickel faucets and pulls in the kitchen and bath, set a beautiful nickel bowl in the middle of your coffee table, or change out the artwork with nickel frames.

 

To Sum Up New Trends for 2021

In 2021, new homes will have floor plans that are more integrated and multifunctional. Even some furniture pieces will be designed to have several functions. Comfortable, inviting couches and chairs are a must for spacious great rooms now centered around the kitchen.

Lots of sunlight through large windows (left bare) and natural materials for flooring, counters tops, and even furniture will become popular for a more Zen-like feeling in the home. Add some live plants to bring the outdoors in.

For calm and relaxing spaces, decorate in warmer colors like greige, cream, soft greens, and yellows. For more drama, bedrooms are the perfect place to add sparkle with gold and brass accents, luxurious materials like silk and velvet, and matte black.

Cobblestone Builders

Whether trendy or timeless, Cobblestone Builders are here to help with your custom home building needs. Contact us today!