A Q&A with Interior Designer & Director of Page Stewart Hayley Page
As we enter a new year, we’re excited to see what’s in store for the future of home design. After a long year of lockdowns and social restrictions, we’re expecting 2021 will bring a renewed focus on the home, with communal spaces, outdoor living areas and private retreats all given equal importance.
Of course, speculation can only take us so far and here at SECON Constructions, we’re passionate about providing accurate insights on industry trends and developments. To find out more about the future of home design in 2021, we recently sat down with Interior Designer, Hayley Page, from Page Stewart, to learn more.
If you’ve worked with our team in the past, you’ll already be familiar with Hayley – she is a Director of Page Stewart and leads the Interior Design of our design and construct projects. Keep reading to hear her predictions for home design in 2021…
What general trends can we expect to see in 2021?
Hayley: As designers, we love the opportunity to be bold with the use of colour and mix up the classic grey or white-only interior spaces. We love to be daring with our colour choices and deliver a unique design outcome for our clients. We’re also easing clients into warmer base colours like soft warm greys and light beiges. These colours help to reflect rich natural light and create a comfortable homely space. For wet areas, we love to play with textured tiles in bathrooms, a great way to inject a hand-crafted, bespoke element.
2020 was a challenging year. However, for many, it brought to light the importance the role of the home plays in our lives. I think in 2021 our client’s main concern will not only be creating spaces that feel light and generous, but that are flexible and transition to continue supporting the many functions our homes have had to accommodate over the past year.
Do you think COVID-19 will change the way we live and influence design in the future?
Hayley: COVID-19 has most definitely impacted the way we live. Our homes are working harder as they need to function as a workplace, activity zone and a leisure space all in one.
We’re designing more generous study spaces and incorporating ergonomics at the work desk to accommodate for a full working day – not just a quick nook to pay the bills. We’re also ensuring these spaces have access to natural light and even a view, which we integrate in commercial workplaces but not so much in our own homes.
Are there any specific colours or patterns we should be looking out for?
Hayley: Definitely warmer base colours as I mentioned earlier – not just the cool light greys. We’re also expecting to see fleshy pinks, earthy greens and the combination of warm and cool greys for a more complex muted palette.
Some of the Dulux colours that we envision being big in 2021 are below:
What was big in 2020 that won’t make a return in 2021?
Hayley: Bright feature walls will likely become a thing of the past in 2021. We’re hoping colours can be a little more incorporated into a space rather than just on one wall – as this usually warps the proportions of a room and runs the risk of making a space feel long and skinny.
How will sustainability continue to influence home design in 2021?
Hayley: I think furniture or finishes that lack quality will be under the microscope in the new year. Hopefully we can buy with a view to keeping pieces long term and deter away from cheap replica furniture, which often ends up on the nature strip.
We have more and more clients asking whether products are durable and will stand the test of time, which is great. Doing something right the first-time limits landfill once the product fails, calling for replacement.
As clients are spending more time in their homes, I think using natural products wherever possible will also become a priority. Nature has a beauty that no machine can replicate – it changes and matures as you use the product, a living element of the home.
What can we expect to see from heritage home design?
Hayley: The use of bold colours, restoring heritage features wherever possible and maintaining an authentic approach to extensions adjacent will continue to inform home design in 2021.
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If you’re interested in learning more about home design trends for 2021 or you’re ready to get started on the design and construction of your dream home, get in touch with the expert team at SECON Constructions today.
