Opulence Is Passé; Simplicity Has Become The Home Décor Trend

A home, regardless of its size and shape, is a statement of your lifestyle. Your home defines you, regardless of whether it is well furnished or simple. Over the course of history, there has been a revolution in home décor. Trends in home décor have been instrumental in refining our design sense.

If we look back, we would see that the last decade has been a culmination of the trends of the past half a century in which opulence has given way to simplicity. Mundane designs have been replaced with personalised spaces, even within large cookie-cutter developments.

In the past one decade, there has been more of a tendency among the educated middle-class to migrate and settle down in urban areas. Travelling abroad has become more of a norm. Well-travelled Indians are now more familiar with international designs, trends and themes. Today, people dream big and crave more personal space. Better living standards, with all comforts associated with it is the need of the time.

There has also been a shift toward richer and deeper colours. Home buyers are using the latest technology and the most recent products in the market to build more personalised spaces for themselves. In many recent innovative designing trends, lighting has seen a steep rise.

However, we may never get completely tired of whitewashed brick walls teamed with wooden flooring. Interior-designing styles have become more specific, and less rigid. 

Here are a few trends that have become more popular.

Simplicity: The latest mantra is to avoid crowding as much as possible. Functionality is the key. You should not buy anything because you saw it in a fashionable magazine, if you cannot sit comfortably in it. Furniture, above everything, should make you feel relaxed. Shelves should not overflow with fancy items. Blank walls can also define your identity. Walls need not be covered with a modern art painting or a photo frame.

Accessories: Make way for subdued splendour. With changing times and varying trends, you need materials that can be modified with ease. Accent walls and artwork that blends into the theme of your home will be perfect fits for your home.

Comfort: Comfort is a key word that defines the present decade. Today's generation demands easier home styling and design. Urbanisation and growing prosperity have made our lives more comfortable. Life is hectic outside home. So, home must offer a relief from everything that makes life unpleasant.

Technology leads: Rising housing costs have made living spaces smaller and compact, but packed with full of punches. For home automation, technology is the driving factor. Smartphones and touch pads are now quite common. Intuitive user interfaces and touch controls are being used to control lighting, sound, video and security inside and outside the home. Real estate developers do everything possible to install such heightened safety features and controls for their customers.

Rise of multipurpose spaces: The mixing or merger of rooms have become more common in the past ten years with the appearance of the open kitchen floor plans and more casual dining room settings. With movable wall panels, there are more expansive outdoor spaces as an extension of interior surroundings. This will also allow for healthier homes, where it is easier to open up and air out the house more often.

Health comes first: Health will always be the first priority. Choose building products of better quality such as cabinetry, paint, flooring and wall materials that do not produce volatile compounds. Water conservation has become more significant with the increasing popularity of rainwater harvesting systems. Homes with automation systems that use resources more efficiently will be in great demand. Products that adapt to your needs and make your life easier will be in demand in the coming years.