Interior design trends for 2022 and beyond – for a Cayman Islands setting

Interior design trends are constantly changing, so if you’re planning on renovating, redecorating or upgrading, what should you be doing, and what should you avoid?

Some interior trends are passing fads, popular for a while but soon forgotten. Others genuinely enhance the way we live and stick around for the long term. Yet others only work in certain climates and environments. (Here in the Cayman Islands for instance, fitted carpets, fireplaces and heavy antique furniture simply have no place.)

Below we will take a look at some recent trends that are here to stay, and some of the emerging trends that work well in a Cayman Islands setting, that will survive well beyond 2022. 

Recent interior design trends that aren’t going anywhere

Some interior trends just weren’t destined for longevity. Remember futons? Vertical blinds? Tiled countertops? Exposed ductwork?

Others produced a collective ‘aha’ moment, where we realised there was a better way to live.

These trends are not particularly new, but they definitely make a home easier to live in and more aesthetically pleasing. And for that reason, if you’re renovating your home in the Cayman Islands or updating with a view to selling, these are changes worth making.

Speaking specifically for a Cayman setting, some of these trends are:

Wood-look tile floors

While hardwood floors are gorgeous to look at and to walk on, they’re simply not practical in a hot and humid climate such as Cayman’s. But tiles, which these days are made to look like countless wood types, are hardwearing, maintenance-free, resistant to mould, humidity and pests, and can be extended out on to decks to create a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors.  

Kitchen islands

As living spaces have opened up and cooking has become a more social affair, kitchen islands have really come into their own, allowing the cook to face into the room rather than having their back to it. As well as a place to chop, cook and wash up, kitchen islands are a perfect place to supervise the kids doing homework or to enjoy informal family meals.

Home offices

This one was certainly born of the pandemic, but it’s a trend that’s unlikely to disappear. Whether it’s a place for parents to work from home on occasion, teens to do their homework, or simply a space to attend to life admin, a dedicated workspace is always going to be useful.

Wall-to-wall & floor-to-ceiling glass

Cayman’s climate was made for indoor-outdoor living, and it’s those huge glass doors that enable homes to be opened up fully. Whether sliding, bi-fold or concertina, sliding glass doors that create a natural flow between living room and terrace are something every house or condo in Cayman, can benefit from.

Walk-in showers

Anyone who has had the pleasure of using a walk-in shower would have a hard time going back to a shower cubicle, or indeed a shower over the bath. We all need space to stretch and move in the shower, and walk-in showers are the answer. And don’t forget to add a rain shower head for the ultimate at-home spa experience!

New interior design trends for 2022 and beyond

In the early days of the pandemic, our homes were our safe havens in an uncertain world. During lockdown we spent more time at home than ever before, and home became the place where we slept, ate, worked and relaxed. The past couple of years have had a profound influence on how we think of our homes, and hence how we decorate them.

The emerging interior design trends of 2022 are all concerned with softening our homes, and making them warmer, more welcoming spaces. Rather than creating showpieces, the focus is turning to making homes that are comfortable and inviting to spend time in.

These are some design trends that we can expect to dominate over the next several years.

Bold Colour

The white on white of the minimalist era is over. Bold colour is the way of the future. Accent walls, coloured kitchen cabinetry and doors painted in different shades will all bring some welcome relief from pure white. Those pale neutral palettes are also giving way to warmer browns and earth tones, and we can expect to see some bright jewel-tones being introduced in accessories.

Biophilic Design

As humans, we have an innate desire to be connected with nature and biophilic design is about exactly that. It’s about introducing living matter into interiors to bring the outdoors in, in the form of potted plants, living walls, interior gardens and more. It’s going green in a different sense.

Organic Materials

As we embrace a greener lifestyle, this inevitably creates a desire for more natural materials. Wood, wicker and rattan; leather, stone and ceramics – while rough and rustic on the one hand, these organic materials also bring in a softness and warmth that synthetic materials do not have.

Modern artisan

Whereas past decades have embraced aesthetics such as farmhouse, shabby chic and cottagecore, the future is going to be all about ‘modern artisan’. This approach is concerned with valuing the handmade over the mass produced, celebrating craftsmanship and natural materials, and finding beauty in imperfection.

Broken Plan

Open plan designs dominated interior architecture for decades prior to the pandemic. But those months living and working in the same space we relaxed and socialised in highlighted the shortcomings of everybody doing everything in a single space. Broken plan designs use lighting, floor treatments, and furniture – room dividers, open bookcases, screens or drapes – to create separate zones and thus reclaim a little privacy.

Curve appeal

The clean lines and geometric forms that have dominated the design world for the past two decades are giving way to a much softer look. It’s something we are going to see in furniture particularly – those square, boxy sofas and sculptural but uncomfortable chairs will be replaced with plenty of curves, rounded edges and plump cushions – furniture that invites you to sink into it and relax.

Interior design is all about making our homes easy to live in and easy on the eye. So while aesthetics change over time, the interior trends that endure are those that make our lives better.

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