5 Trends Shaping the Future of Interior Design

Guest Author:  Lillian Connors

Living in these years has shown us that the future will be unpredictable in many ways. Even if we don’t know which changes to expect, we could agree that technology is going to be one of the key factors. The world of interior design is no different since technology will definitely guide all its future innovations. However, one important question brings us back to the beginning. Can we predict those technologies? And if we can, what is the best way to use them?

Whether you consider it to be a hobby, a planned, or a current profession, read the following lines to learn what the future holds for interior design, one of the most exciting industries in the world today.

The Art of Sustainability

The word sustainable has become essential for every aspect of life. Essential to the point where we cannot make plans without mentioning this backbone word. From politics to constructing sound systems, different business models start from one basic question: is this solution sustainable? In the case of interior design, the focus is on making eco-friendly decisions. Based on the flexible waste reduction, efficient use of energy, and organic materials, the interior’s awareness of nature is going to be a highly desirable option.

As our society is developing an environmental responsibility, sustainable interior design presents an important future trend.

Designing Minimalism

Being environmentally responsible also means thinking about the size of the living space. One growing movement strongly advocates that our homes should be smaller in size and planned more efficiently. This phenomenon, known as the Tiny House movement, endorses an adventurous lifestyle, which is an outcome of spending less money on supplying and maintaining our homes.

Interior design has acknowledged this philosophy through minimalism. The rule for creating a good tiny house interior is that everything must be multifunctional and efficient. Always looking to simplify living conditions, the minimalist interior design causes better management of people’s time and finances.

The Voice of Home

Efficient means smart. So, the development of multifunctional living spaces is the development of smart homes. Our houses are constantly being filled with new gadgets, which are now taking an active part in shaping our sleeping, eating, watching, and listening habits. And that trend will only become more significant. As a recent master’s degree in design for urban environment nicely explains, those who take part in the process of urban transformation should develop ideas that help reinforce the social, cultural, and economic fabric of 21st-century living.

The technology of voice command requires a new level of adaptation. For future designers, the crucial trait will be an understanding of the complexity of the world and the ability to adapt models to suit it. Along with embracing technology, the keys to successful design projects lie in new methods, analytical approaches, and research-based design, particularly in providing stellar execution of creative plans.

Reality in Transformation

Upcoming changes in interior design are also related to the growing field of Virtual reality (VR).  Ready to take the industry by storm in the forthcoming period, VR promises an exciting future in the context of seeing, sharing, and accessing information. Yet, the situation in which a designer can present a project using only VR remains unlikely.

At the moment, the sky-high cost of VR technology is moving interior design toward a younger alteration, Augmented Reality (AR). Skillfully combining layers of the real and virtual world, AR uses a simpler and more accessible technology – applications. The availability that comes from possessing AR inside smartphones or tablets allows designers a frequent usage of Augmented Reality in the design projects.

Printing the Revolution

It is safe to say that the invention of 3D printing has revolutionized our world. While connecting the imagined design and its implementation, this technology proves to be an exciting and efficient asset for interior design. The benefits of 3D printing for interior design are mutual, both for the designers and the clients. From their end, the designers are saving valuable time by demonstrating their ideas. As for the clients, they experience cost reductions and a chance to interact with the design in reality.

Although 3D printers are producing various products, this technology is still far away from global-scale implementation. The enormous potential of 3D printing, nevertheless, guarantees definite future changes in interior design.

Bright Visions

One of the biggest challenges for the modern man is to find a balance between time and energy consumption. As technology is sprinting, our inability to keep track is visible in our decision-making. Mainly, more decisions per day and less time to make them are causing a disbalance of energy.

Looking to restore that balance, the future trends in interior design are centered around the following keywords: sustainable, efficient, and minimal. Respect for our environment is the foundation for building homes that incorporate sustainable design. Since the main postulate for these homes is efficiency, their design is minimalistic and multifunctional. In that future process, technology has been envisioned to connect all keywords in simplifying our living spaces.

About the Author: Lillian Connors can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of home improvement/DIY projects and spread the word about them. She’s also deeply into green practices, cherishing the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit and what we eat, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. Check her out on Twitter.