2022 Design Trend: Plugged In to Nature Mashes Up Tech + Organic Influences

Plugged In to Nature is all about shifting our ideas of nature as something inherently rural to something that is accessible to everyone, everywhere, so that even those who live in urban areas can benefit from food forests and beautiful verdant walking paths. This trend takes its cue from nature but with a modern, graphic edge. Technology, new materials and a sophisticated mix of the organic and the human-made are key. Plugged In to Nature embraces the outside world in interior design with organic forms, houseplants and wood veneers. But this trend is also mindful of the environment and features sustainable, locally sourced materials and acknowledges climate change.

New applications of this organic medium are brought into the home, including modern, sound-insulating wood panels, wood-accented ceilings, wood room dividers and an increasing number of lighter, brighter wood kitchen cabinets to counter the dark, heavy wood cabinet look of the past.

The practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments and communities will be trending in 2022. For example, Paris is replacing half of its 140,000 on-street parking spaces with gardens.

"I think there has been and will continue to be a focus on regaining our connection to the natural world through the use of biophilic design principles, with an emphasis on creating calming environments with natural lighting and ventilation, incorporating plants and creating a visual connection with nature," says designer Amanda Thompson. Pictured: Solar-powered “supertrees” light up after dark at Singapore’s top-rated attraction, Gardens by the Bay, a 250-acre nature park.

Indoor farming year-round will expand in the future and even move into mushroom and algae growing for health and wellness.

Bringing the look of the outside in, quilted and puffer patterns will increasingly be seen in home furnishings. Reminiscent of outdoor wear, this texture is cozy and inviting.

In 2022 we will see a need for high-design to transform the utilitarian dog bed, bowl, cat climb and leash storage into something uniquely beautiful. “Investing in long lasting pet items that are designer-friendly is a great use of money, and just buying something once instead of replacing things again and again," says HGTV Dream Home and HGTV Urban Oasis designer Brian Patrick Flynn. Chic, graphic pet gear from companies like Fable will allow cat and dog accessories to better blend with our surroundings.

Homeowners will move away from white kitchens and gravitate toward naturalistic shades of green and blue, design experts at the National Kitchen and Bath Association predict. Green will be big not just in kitchens, but throughout the home where shades from seafoam to emerald will be trending.

Look for neutral color schemes and organic-with-an-edge materials to dominate in 2022, with a growing trend for stone vases and lamp bases, marble countertops, reclaimed wooden beams, chunky knitted throws, stone figurines, wood tables and chairs.

A lush, naturalistic look will take hold in garden design, marrying a human touch to nature with wild, perennial gardens in the style of Dutch designer Piet Oudolf’s spaces.

Vegan “leathers” — made from pineapple, apple peels and cork — will allow a warm, contemporary look thanks to new technologies. Furniture like this caramel vegan leather chair will offer high style and sustainability. Cutting-edge, realistic artificial grass will provide design options for high-drought areas.

Forms seen in nature are increasingly brought into decor in an interesting, graphically sophisticated way, with abstracted mushroom lamps and leaf wallpaper. Ahead-of-the-trend design destinations like Miami's Goodtime Hotel combine nature and whimsy to clever ends poolside.

Fifty-seven percent of National Kitchen and Bath Association designers say natural and organic styles will dominate both kitchen and bath design in the next two-to-three years, driven largely by millennial tastes. A desire for spaces that offer serenity and sanctuary is key.

We predict more wood beams being used in kitchens, living rooms and other spaces in 2022. “Use texture" to stay current with trends, advises designer Heather Rae Young of Flipping 101. "I like wood. Maybe an accent ceiling. Even if they’re not real beams, put in beams to have some accents on the ceiling.”

As climate change escalates, a concern for preserving and growing our tree canopy will increase. “I’m trying to make trees the next big trend in landscaping. Trees are our lifeline for many populations of wildlife that are now clinging to our suburbs as their final refuge,” says HGTV designer John Gidding.

Plant designer Hilton Carter says that "While you may not be able to get a Birkin bag, you can get yourself a Birkin philodendron plant. I think this plant is ready for its moment."

In an effort to minimize the impact of humankind on the environment, progressive companies will begin to find new ways to tackle issues like waste, pollution and global warming. To that end, London-based design firm Pearson Lloyd and Bene have collaborated on work accessories made from discarded food packaging saved from the trash heap. These design-forward desk products are 3D printed from a cornstarch-derived bioplastic.

“I think brown is back," says Help, I Wrecked My House designer Jasmine Roth. "We all love gray, and I'm not saying a light gray wall or a beautiful gray kitchen cabinet is over, but I do think people are gravitating toward warmer tones and earthier hues.”

Designer Breegan Jane of The House My Wedding Bought says, “I think 2022-’23 will show us a version of modern that blends modern styles of ‘home’ with an outdoor appeal. We saw midcentury modern come back in our furniture pieces, and we also saw a call for more minimalism in our spaces.”

Interiors will increasingly resemble luxe eco resorts even in the humblest space.

“Artificial grass and zeroscapes and xeriscapes will continue to explode because of present and future water shortages," says Fernando Wong, garden designer and HGTV’s Clipped judge.

Zeroscaping: a landscape design popular in desert settings with dirt or gravel and few to no plants.

Xeriscaping: replacing lawns with soil, rocks, mulch and native plants to eliminate or reduce the need for irrigation and maintenance.