Top 5 Design Trends for 2020

At this year’s Interior Design Show in Toronto there were a few distinct trends. All of them center around connectivity, community, well-being, and sustainability. Here are the top 5 trends that I recognized at this year’s show:

Scandinese style

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My favourite trend is a blend of Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetic. The emphasis of this design trend is hard core minimalism with a focus on function in order to create spaces that are calm and encourage well-being. The shapes and forms are simple and the colour palette is soft and natural.

Living walls

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Vertical gardens or living walls offer a space efficient solution to creating green spaces in cities and a great way to help with their air quality and pollution. Mexico City, which I visited last year, is a perfect example of a city that has embraced this trend. They have placed living walls on the pillars of their highways, incorporated them into skyscrapers and along buildings. Here are other things you should check out in this great city!

MIY movement

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The Make-It-Yourself (MIY) Movement is gaining popularity as it showcases the craftsmanship of artists and artisans. The focus with this trend is celebrating handcrafted, local pieces moving away from mass-produced commercialization as a way to reconnect with community and authenticity.

Chalky pastels

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The 2020 colour of the year depends on the paint brand you ask. Sherwin-Williams for examples calls Navy the colour, while Benjamin Moore calls a soft pint, First Light, the colour of the year. Regardless, this year’s colour palettes are soft chalky pastels.

Retro curvy furniture

Exaggerated retro furniture is all the rage. Chunky arm chairs and attention-grabbing sofas were displayed throughout the exhibit floor, including Jonathan Adler’s cloud-shaped sofas.

For more design inspiration, check out my Pinterest page.