Elaine Penhaul – interiors expert and owner of award-winning, national home staging company Lemon and Lime Interiors – gives her top tips for DIY and interior trends that are sure to make an appearance this year.
Elaine said: “I see the DIY trends of 2022 for the most part being a continuation of the rising popularity of traditional crafting skills since lockdowns begin – utilising the materials that are already at their disposal. Those who have persisted have developed their skills and their creative style but are looking to challenge themselves further to create more stunning interior decorations.”
Patterns and Textures
“When we think of the latest style, a crucial element is of course hue and character. A good cornerstone of trends for next year is to incorporate the colour ‘Very Peri’ – Pantone’s colour of the year for 2022 – into furnishings and accents throughout the home. Very Peri – a new shade of periwinkle blue – aims to create a ‘dynamic presence’ and ‘encourage courageous creativity’ and is seen as a colour that reflects the shift towards digital and virtual worlds. Combining Very Peri with traditional crafts and DIY methods is a sure-fire way to decorate your interiors with the past and future in mind while living in the present.
“The knotted rope art of Macramé has surged in popularity since 2020 and I expect it to continue doing so. With endless opportunities for experimentation and creating your unique style, it is a joyful creative hobby to learn. It can be used to hang plants and suspend mirrors. Incorporating Macramé grows the sense of verticality to a room, enabling plants in particular to feel more alive within the room instead of being perched on a shelf.
“Earthy tones are replacing greys in 2022, with ceramics leading the way in this trend. Give old plant pots a new lease of life inside the home. From utensil holders to light fixtures or maybe even a side table from a larger pot, they are a great canvas to decorate upon, whether using paints or adding a tile mosaic design to bring in hints of vibrancy on top of the neutral tones.”
Accents of Interest
“In addition, it’s good to consider the focal points and decor in your home. We are seeing more people buying pottery wheels, due to the success of The Great Pottery Throw Down on TV and having a spin at their own creations. Concrete plant pots were likewise a popular feature in anyone’s home this year and it is a trend I see continuing into 2022, providing a simplistic and neutral look which could be created at home with the right tools or kit.
“Planters in a wooden stand were also everywhere this year and I don’t see them going anywhere soon as we head to the New Year. They are great for providing some more height to a plant or providing that statement piece to transform any area in your home and they can be made easily with some wood and the right equipment.
“The Japandi trend combines the unique qualities of conventional Japanese and Scandinavian interior design choice to create a simplistic and decluttered environment that favours natural and sustainable materials. Reclaimed wood has great potential to be incorporated this way, with uses for both inside and out the home. Using pallets can be used in a multitude of ways to arrange and decorate. Upholster with neutral tone materials to create seating areas or bed boards, or arrange vertically to be used as dividers for open-plan homes.”
Spruce up the Space
“Rethinking the overall feel of a room or space in your home is also a good move for 2022. DIY wall panelling is a fantastic way to add depth to your walls – whether in whole or sections – and is a great way to stay on trend this year. You can buy ready-made panelling that can be easily fitted at the height you desire, usually by fixing a vertical baton between panels on the back, which is then fixed securely to the wall.
“Vertical slat panelling is also popular and easy to fit. You can do this by buying timber strips and fixing them to the wall at both the top and bottom of the panels. If you want to go for a polished, painted look then make sure you paint the panels before fixing them – you can create a 3D effect by painting the wall a different colour to the wood.
“Airy garden rooms to congregate with friends and family will be taken up by more and more people in 2022, with people possibly living in these spaces earlier in the year than previous as they fight for secluded spots in the home. These rooms are the starting point for biophilic design to grow out to other rooms. It’s a great place to incorporate vases with lighting to bring to life the surrounding green hues from real houseplants, which will only become denser indoors, and can be easily created.”
Finishing Touches
“There are of course simple elements that just add a little extra. Something as simple as a glass jar has become a big trend recently. So, if you have ever kept a particular jar or bottle because it is too nice to throw away then now is your time to pull them out of the cupboard and get onboard this trend. Depending on the size, you can use them as a vase for a bunch of flowers, fill them will pebbles, soil and a cactus to make a glass plant pot, or even put in some fairy lights to give a cosy feel to your home.
“Personalisation is also key to 2022. Personal touches make a house a home and can easily be made if you turn your hand to knitting and stitching. Embroidery can easily be achieved, and you can get kits and patterns to match the look that you are after. Once completed, these can be hung in the home as a piece of art or placed on a feature shelf to add that finishing homely touch to be right on trend in 2022.”