From fresh and fun to raw and retro, here’s our annual roundup of the latest directions in design.

This year promises to be an exciting one for home decorating trends. From earthy colours to closed-off kitchens, there are many ways to update your home with fresh new looks. Contributing Editor Karl Lohnes shares 12 of his personal favourites that you’ll want to bring home.

01 DECO DREAMS

Breathtakingly modern when it originally appeared in the early 20th century, Art Deco is back with its characteristic sleek, linear style. It looks fresh alongside modern furnishings, bringing a flair from the past to today’s trendiest interiors.

02 YEAR OF THE TIGER

In the Chinese calendar, 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, and it would seem that the design world agrees. Patterns of climbing and crawling tigers are hot, mixing an old-school designer aesthetic with a rock ’n’ roll tattoo vibe. Look for wallpapers, stair runners, drapery fabrics and printed art with this classic-meets-cool pattern we’re absolutely wild about.

03 EARTH FIRST

It’s official. We’ve gone from shades of grey to shades of clay! Matte clay (and the look of it) is adding a touch of Santa Fe to our homes. The pink-brick tone is showing up in tabletop items, countertops and furnishings. It’s a colour that creates a chic, calming mood in any space and goes perfectly with all neutral tones.

04 IN SHAPE

There is no escaping the arch – from mirrors to headboards, curved sofa backs to archways – this graceful shape is tops in 2022. Be careful with making major modifications to the architecture of your home, unless your love for this trend is everlasting. But you can be sure we’ll be swooning over this swooping shape for some time.

05 OPPOSITES ATTRACT

The colour grey is definitely taking a back seat to warmer colours like brassy yellow and bronzy browns, but no need to bid it a fond farewell yet. Pair cool grey with warm burnished tones like gold, bronze and brown in fabrics and wallpaper. Luxe and very now!

06 RAIL WAYS

Make architectural impact by showing your stair railings some love. This year, these often overlooked elements are getting their time in the spotlight. Paint them a dramatic colour or replace them with custom ironwork: you’ll create impact and add visual interest on every floor and in between!

07 SOFT TOUCH

Cocooning continues. Comfort and coziness is as crucial as aesthetics for decor lovers in 2022. Textiles you want to wrap around you, like soft wools, bouclé and faux shearling – on all kinds of upholstery, as well as throws and cushions – are essential and enveloping.

08 NATURAL STATE

Objects made of authentic materials and left without polished artificial finishes – like hand-carved wood bowls, natural woven linens and unglazed pottery – bring a raw, handmade look to the home. These humble accessories add charm to even the most modern rooms.

09 KITCHEN PARTY

Give the chef some privacy! As personal space becomes more desirable, the hard-working kitchen gets a room of its own. That means no more dirty dishes on display, and now we can dream of decorating the kitchen without being tied to the look of the adjacent room.

10 WALK THE PLANK

Wood floors are always in style, but finishes and looks do change. The latest trend is a narrower plank. Lighter tones continue to dominate, with blond shades, from pine to birch, echoing our gravitation toward a soft, soothing palette.

11 SUSTAINABLE LUXURY

We predict this trend will last much longer than 2022; instead, it will keep growing in importance. It’s about quality furnishings made with green materials, like reclaimed wood, and recycled wool and plastic. It’s also about how something is made: ethically, and with an artisanal attention to detail. Our love of living plants marries perfectly with this grateful nod to nature.

12 CLEARLY COLOURFUL

Coloured glass tables and shiny surfaces on furniture and lighting bring a smoky and swish ’70s vibe to the home. Dark hues like grey stone and coffee are especially glamorous.

ON THE HORIZON IN 2022

• Tie-dye patterns

• Kilim rugs

• Line art

• Playful planters

• Feminine floral patterns

• Eclecticism

• Dressers

• Moroccan style

• Maximalism

• Monochrome kitchens (walls and cabinets in the same colour)

• Wicker poufs

BID ADIEU!

• Stainless-steel hoods

• Industrial lighting

• Artificial plants

• Nurseries in baby blue and pastel pink