At The Armin Group, we are firm believers in classic, timeless design when it comes to homes and their interiors. Whether we are staging, selling, or buying a home with our clients, our preference — as always — is to gravitate towards design elements that will stand the test of time and always provide visual interest and thought-provoking design value to our clientele.

With that said, however, we know that the world of real estate and interior design can be fickle and that staying on trend is just as important to some people as timelessness is to us.

So, while we will never change our approach to design and aesthetics based on what is en vogue right now, we do enjoy challenging our design beliefs with current influences.

Heading into 2022, we have noticed that perhaps the most popular design elements are not exactly new, however, but heavily feature influences from previous eras. And, as things once old have become new again, we are taking notice of those particular styles.

To find out what we mean, here are a few of the more popular design elements from yesteryear that we are predicting will leave a big impact on domestic design in 2022.

The 90s Aesthetic

The 90s might be most famous for introducing us to quintessentially 90s design trends we’d rather forget such as animal print, neon lighting, inflatable furniture, or damask wallpapers. However, we’d like to remember other elements with more fondness.

Typically characterized by bright colours, over-the-top patterns, and quirky accent pieces, the 90s aesthetic can actually go both ways. On the one hand, think rich textures, colours, and stylishly-clashing patterns (kind of like Monica and Rachel’s apartment on the hit 90s sitcom Friends), but on the other hand, we saw the 90s as a great example of stark, monochromatic, chic minimalism compounded by interesting and unique architecture, grand design, and artful accents.

Whether you favour the boho-chic look or you prefer the industrialized, monochromatic approach, there are plenty of ways to weave a tasteful 90s aesthetic into today’s interior design.

Knowing what kind of design elements you want to include in your home is one thing, but knowing where to find them is another. Look through our list of The Top 8 Toronto Boutiques to see our recommendations.

Minimalism

Although minimalism as a design aesthetic was born around the late 1980s, it did not quite reach its highest scale of influence on residential design until the early 2000s, which was perhaps a natural response to the (somewhat chaotic and double-edged) design influences of the 1990s.

At its core, minimalism is a design practice that seeks to rid a space or object of overcomplication, reducing it down to only its most necessary components. In doing so, a room, a house, or even a chair is stripped of everything that does not improve its design or function.

This concept was particularly pertinent to the early 2000s after the height of the dot com era when many online shopping companies reached their peak and then crashed all at once. This was when consumerism was (at the time) at its highest and its negative effects on the world, global economy, and our ‘need for new’ was felt the most.

Minimalism sought to reject the oversaturated design concepts of the 90s while providing clarity of thought and design to our everyday. This was a breath of fresh air back then, and we feel similarly about minimalist design in homes today.

Design elements like clean square lines, simple colour palettes, hard-wearing materiality (like concrete, steel, and aluminum), and an overall essence following the approach of “less is more” is something we are seeing more and more of heading into 2022, and we are all for it.

One design influence we will be channelling in early 2022 is the Danish concept of Hygge. Learn more about what Hygge is and how it can help you get the best of cold winter weather in our post on Channelling ‘Hygge’: 5 Ways To Cozy Up Your Home This Winter.

Mid-Century Modern

Take one look at any ‘trendy’ furniture decor shop’s inventory from the past few years and, chances are, it will heavily feature quite a few mid-century modern-inspired pieces.

While the mid-century modern aesthetic has been a kick many designers and decorators have been on in recent years, we are also noticing even sharper up-turns in this trend’s popularity heading into 2022.

Luxury is a term that is thrown around a lot in the real estate industry, but what defines true luxury in 2022? Find out by reading our write-up on The New State Of Luxury Real Estate In Toronto here.

In fact, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, even individuals and amateur designers took to the teak movement, repairing and refurbishing vintage mid-century modern teak furniture pieces and selling them off for a profit online. For this reason among many others, we have noticed a strong community of mid-century modern enthusiasts growing over the past year or so that were not there before.

Entering 2022, we do not see this aesthetic going anywhere, and in all reality, it will continue to grow.

Looking for more up-to-date design inspiration featured in some of Toronto’s most desirable homes? Look through the luxury homes featured on Our Properties page to see what else is currently on-trend.