design

Comfort fabrics, bold colors, and more storage are the top design trends in 2021

Last week we told you holiday shopping was off to a strong start, according to the NRF (National Retail Federation). Another prediction made by NRF president & CEO Matthew Shay was that due to so many people living under safer-at-home guidelines or working remotely, they expected sales of furniture and home décor to grow.

But what exactly will consumers be shopping for? The 2021 Modsy Trend Report (Modsy is an online interior design company) says the way we “use our homes has changed dramatically…It’s no surprise people are expanding the functionality and comfort of their spaces.”

Here’s what consumers will be looking for, so stock your store or website accordingly. This year mid-century furniture, traditional and classic styles, and eclectic furnishing all rose in popularity, says Modsy.

The top-selling products were storage furniture and accent chairs, which makes sense considering how much more time consumers spent at home. Not surprisingly, Modsy reports home office design requests grew 27% year-over-year, and office furniture sales in April 2020 were three times higher than in April 2019.

Another room that had a record-setting number of design requests from Modsy was baby nurseries. They also report a 60% rise in sales in the baby and children’s category in June 2020 compared to June 2019.

Looking ahead, here are Modsy’s 2021 trends predictions.

  • Traditional comfort featuring slipcovered sofas, traditional patterns, functionality
  • Grandmillennial or granny-chic (we first told you about this last March) style rooms are full of antiques, wallpaper, and ruffles.
  • Lighter-toned and white-washed woods inspired by Scandinavian and rustic styles
  • 1980s revival. Modsy says only the “good parts” of the 1980s are back. For home décor, that means “sculptural furniture, bold colors and plenty of drama.
  • Natural materials. Think lots of texture.
  • Bold wall colors. No more white walls. Instead, Modsy predicts bold wall colors will bring more joy and excitement to our homes.

Where do consumers get their design inspiration? By far, Modsy says, it’s the internet and social sites like Pinterest. Make sure you have a presence on the visual social platforms.

Storage furniture stock photo by Scott-lee/Shutterstock