Quirky interior design trends for 2022

A new year lies ahead of us, and with it a smorgasbord of new interior design trends, including one or two that amuse and amaze us in equal measure. Unusual, crazy and sometimes somewhat questionable: we take a closer look at the quirky interior design trends we can expect to see in 2022.

If you take a look at haute couture shows in Paris or Milan, it's not unusual to see clothes that are so eccentric, they're more like pieces of art than pieces you would actually wear. But this is an inherent part of trends and the way they emerge. These are the kinds of concepts designers use to express their creative freedom. Like the fashion world, the interior design industry also comes up with curiosities every now and then – shaped by social media and underlying developments in society. The unusual approach is what makes these trends so exciting and demonstrates the interior design industry’s creativity. .

The simple dog blanket has had its day. Owners who want to pamper their furry friends are now opting for furniture specially made for them. Whether it's a dog basket or a scratching tree, when it comes to pet furniture practical is no longer enough – it has to be stylish too. Search queries on Pinterest also clearly demonstrate the popularity of pet-friendly interiors. Searches like “cat-friendly home” and “cat house design” quadrupled, while “dog beds made from furniture” was queried twice as often. Pet owners are also willing to invest a little more: over the past year the number of searches for luxury cat rooms increased threefold and searches for luxury dog rooms rose by 115 per cent. Clearly dogs and cats are the stars of the interior design industry this year.

From gender roles to living, breathing lights and indoor gardens with a twist, issues that concern us as a society are always reflected in interior design trends too.

• She sheds: a women-only retreat

We still live in largely male-dominated structures where women must fight for their space. Now a trend from the USA is taking hold this side of the Atlantic too, one that quite literally gives women more space. She sheds are small retreats generally set up in old garden sheds. These are the feminine answer to man caves – a place where women can take time out and relax.

She sheds are not meant to be a symbol of the exhausted woman letting off steam in the few precious moments when she is not juggling her role as a caregiver and her job, so as not to disturb her husband. Rather, the sheds are viewed as places where women can concentrate on their work, complete projects, or focus on their hobbies undisturbed. After decades of man caves, she sheds are now coming out on top. Whether this is the path to equality is a matter of personal opinion, of course.

Living, breathing light courtesy of bioluminescent lamps

The idea that the light of a lamp can be generated by small living creatures might well sound like science fiction, but bioluminescent lamps have long been a reality. These lights are filled with a liquid containing phosphorescent bio cultures – small bacteria – that can live for years. The green-blue light turns on as soon as the lamp is turned clockwise and the bacteria react with the oxygen released. This means the lamps do not require an external power source. Even though bioluminescence is still in its early stages and can't completely replace conventional light, it's clear that, used in the right way, it could be a sustainable solution that complements traditional lighting.

Green on the go with cardening
Amid grey concrete deserts, there is an increasing desire for more nature. A real hype has broken out around plants, fueled in particular by the pandemic. After all, these botanical buddies are good for our well-being and improve air quality, especially in big cities. One option nobody has considered before now, however, is growing plants in cars. But that’s exactly what cardening – in-car gardening – involves. From planting succulents in the glove box to hanging flowers in place of an air freshener, these mini gardens are really pushing the boundaries of indoor gardening. From a technical point of view, there's nothing wrong with growing plants in cars. But whether or not the cardening trend takes root in your car is something you’ll have to decide for yourself.

Nature for hardcore fans: that’s probably the best way to describe goblincore. The TikTok trend is a less glamorous extension of cottagecore. Goblincore celebrates raw nature in its pure, imperfect form and variety. This includes prints with motifs such as frogs, snails or leaves in dark colours, while moss, branches and stones serve as decorative items in the home. With a touch of the mystical, the style is reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings and other fantasy worlds. Another trend that’s on the dark side of home furnishing is gothic interior design. When people hear the term "gothic", they often imagine creepy, run-down mansions with dark walls, and windows with heavy curtains that block out any light. In reality, the new gothic trend is quite classy and not at all run-down. According to Pinterest, black interior design is especially popular in the kitchen – related searches have recently increased by 95 per cent. Gothic-style furniture maintains the gloomy

It’s easy to forget that interior design is a form of art too. Furniture designers use sofas, tables and the like to express themselves and their personal style. And that can sometimes take an unusual direction. Which trends will catch on and which ones will turn out to be just crazy ideas that fizzle out after a brief hype remains to be seen. Nevertheless, unconventional ideas like these are precisely what make the interior design industry so exciting and keep it fresh.

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