The Future of Interior Design

What does the future hold for home interiors?

We asked three members of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers to weigh in on overarching themes in design.

Marilyn LaVergne, Allied ASID | President-Elect, New Jersey Chapter | Marilyn LaVergne Interiors | Montclair | MarilynLaVergne.com

This room’s palette is influenced by the colors in the triptych above the sofa. Photo on right by Marilyn LaVergne

Luxury and Fine Art: The interior design world is moving toward understated luxury as we abandon fast fashion. I encourage clients to invest in bespoke furniture and artisan-crafted décor and fine art. Starting a design project with fine art can be powerful; it acts as a focal point, evoking emotion and sparking conversation. It delivers a narrative that speaks to a homeowner’s personality. We elevate the design impact by using the colors in the art as our color scheme for the space. It’s a practical way of maximizing the influential role of art.

Connecting with Nature: Biophilic design has established itself as a durable direction in creating thoughtful interiors. It’s an intentional approach that integrates plants, water features, stone and natural light into the design. Biophilic applications are especially beneficial in kitchens and baths, where sensuality is a design priority. We are using skylights, larger natural stone material and teak to create spa-like bathrooms. Kitchens are treated with natural wood cabinetry, bamboo flooring and natural stone countertops that bring outdoor elements inside. Natural elements create a calming and rejuvenating space that improves well-being and increases productivity.

Karla Trincanello, NJ CID, Allied ASID | Interior Decisions Inc. | Florham Park | InteriorDecisions.com

This home office space was originally a living room. It now gets more use as a work area, and its interesting design and artwork make for a wonderful Zoom call backdrop. Photo on right by Wing Wong

Reinventing the Living Room: The common thread in many homes is that there’s often one room — usually the living room — that is hardly used. I am finding more families that want to make all their spaces fit their lifestyle, and an unused formal living room just doesn’t cut it anymore, no matter how elegant it may be. I am constantly asked what can be done with this unused space. There are many options: home offices, libraries, music rooms, home theaters and even art studios.

Embracing Outdoor Spaces: Design of exterior spaces to create more usable entertainment and relaxation areas is growing as a major part of three-season outdoor living in New Jersey. More of my clients are budgeting for pools, outdoor fireplaces, screened-in porches and alfresco dining spaces. Elements such as electric awnings, cabanas and outdoor bars are also popular and help to maximize the use of outdoor living areas.

Julie China, Allied ASID | Idea Space Architecture + Design | Maplewood | IdeaSpaceAD.com

A wide cased opening helps delineate individual rooms while maintaining an airy, open atmosphere. Photo on right by Raquel Langworthy

Defined Spaces: The pandemic taught us that we need individual rooms to spend time in. While we want spaces to feel connected, there is a level of charm and sense of place associated with a layout that offers more clearly defined spaces. That doesn’t necessarily mean that each room must be totally closed off; it could mean having wide cased openings from room to room. Or it could be a large double-pocket door that offers the flexibility to close off the room completely if needed. Less-open floor plans also offer the advantage of specific starting and stopping points to change wall color or introduce a wallcovering.

Warmer color palettes, softer lines, curvilinear forms and a bit more detail: After spending much more time in our homes, we are craving spaces that are inviting and offer a sense of warmth and comfort — spaces that feel good to spend time in. Gone are the days of developer gray and stark, minimalist forms. I foresee a shift to more pattern and texture.

For more information about the American Society of Interior Designers or to search for ASID designers, visit nj.asid.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story appeared under the headline “Design Directions” in the October/November 2024 issue of Design NJ.

For more advice from members of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, see Tools of the Trade.