Your home is meant to be your sanctuary. Whether you’re in need of a top-to-bottom renovation or just a few simple touch-ups, these home design trends for 2024 are sure to inspire you. From new ways to explore minimalism to concepts like empathetic design, our list of the latest home design trends is the perfect starting point for your next project.
1. Multifunctional rooms and furniture
From seating that doubles as extra storage to a home office that’s also a gym, multifunctional furniture and rooms will be a major focus in 2024. This multi-purpose design trend is an easy way to save space and make your home as functional and accessible as possible. That said, there’s more to making a multifunctional room than simply tossing a treadmill next to your work desk. It is vital to clearly define each area of the room. To do this, you can use elements like bookshelves or partitions to divide the room into separate sections. Additionally, consider building a divider wall or using interior paint to create that same separation. Here are a few additional multifunctional room ideas if you’re curious about this trend and looking for some inspiration.
Multifunctional Room Ideas:
Multifunctional dining room: If your dining room and kitchen share a wall, consider removing a section of the wall to create a handy breakfast bar. Just add a small countertop, pull up some bar stools and you’re ready to go. This minor renovation means you can ditch the dining table and chair set for something that serves you better.
Multifunctional guest room: Even if you frequently host friends at home, having an entire room dedicated to visitors isn’t always practical. Make the most of your guest room by opting for sofa or Murphy beds to save on space. The guest room is also an ideal spot for a home office or a kid’s play area.
Multifunctional living room: Your living room is the perfect place to incorporate multifunctional furniture pieces. Look for coffee tables and ottomans that offer storage or couches that pull out into beds.
You can get creative when it comes to multifunctional furniture pieces. For example, installing a Murphy bed with custom shelving means your guest bedroom doubles as an extra living room, a storage area or a library nook. Your kitchen is also an ideal room to play around with multifunctional furniture. Custom kitchen cabinetry can serve as storage, waste disposal or a place to set up a coffee bar. There are boundless possibilities.
Advantages of multifunctional furniture:
- Helps you maximize the space you have
- Reduces visible clutter
- Limits the need to buy several furniture pieces, which helps save money
2. Minimalism done right
Minimalist home design isn’t a new concept. In fact, minimalism first made its way into interior design trends back in the 1980s. However, minimalist homes will look a bit different in 2024. It’s time to say goodbye to cold, lifeless spaces that lack personality and say hello to warm, inviting spaces that are functional and clutter-free. When considering a minimalist home, look to utilize natural materials and textures such as a wooden dresser or linen curtains. Additionally, avoid an abundance of straight lines by opting for furniture that features soft, rounded edges. Plants are also an easy way to bring nature and warmth into a minimalist space. Here are some other ways to add warmth to a minimalist space:
- Paint a room the same color (including doors, frames, and maybe even the ceiling).
- Choose solid-colored and patternless rugs, backsplashes and flooring for a minimalist look.
- Have fun with texture layering while staying in the same tones for a soft and warm look.
- Use warm and enveloping lighting.
3. Round edges
Studies show that humans are naturally inclined to prefer curves over straight lines and home design is no exception to that rule. From mirrors and side tables to couches and countertops, rounded edges are ready to roll in 2024. Luckily, there are countless ways to embrace this trend, no matter your style. When it comes to furniture, look for items such as a dining table with rounded edges or a round edge side table. In the kitchen, round edge countertops are an easy way to bring flow and movement into your space. Additional touches like rounded arch doorways and arched oven hoods are also excellent choices.
4. Energy-efficient homes
Whether you’re looking to save money on heating and air conditioning or are searching for the perfect energy-efficient siding, one trend that will never go out of style is sustainability. Practicing home energy efficiency helps keep your carbon footprint small and your monthly energy bills low. Additionally, energy efficient homes often have a better resale value for those looking to put their house on the market. There are several ways, both big and small, to embrace this eco-friendly trend. Here are some of our favourite ideas.
Energy efficient tips for your home:
- Replace old windows and doors
- Update your HVAC system
- Purchase a smart thermostat
- Switch to LED lighting
- Install green roofing and siding
- Upgrade outdated appliances with energy-efficient alternatives
- Opt for a tankless water heater
Install skylights in order to reduce the use of artificial lighting and save money.
Of course, making all these changes and upgrades at once isn’t always realistic. If you’re unsure about problem areas in your home, inquire about getting an energy audit to help you determine which renovation/upgrade to tackle first.
5. Homes made for hybrid work
Whether you work at your house five days per week or just one, having a dedicated workspace is a crucial first step towards working productively at home. At the height of the work-from-home boom in 2020, many of us were doing what we could to get by, setting up laptops at the kitchen table or carving out a little corner of the living room for video calls. Now, with millions of Canadians working in a hybrid model, it’s time to adjust your home to meet your new needs. Expect to see the following home office design trends in 2024.
Smart offices on the rise
Technology and design are working together in 2024 to create home offices that focus on both wellness and productivity. Additions including smart lighting, voice-controlled speakers and automated blinds are just a few of the smart tech touches you can expect to see.
Focus on work/life separation
Working from home, especially without a dedicated office space, often leaves us feeling like work never ends. In the coming year, home design will focus on separating work and home life to bring more balance to your life. An easy way to achieve this separation is with a backyard office addition. A backyard office is exactly what it sounds like, an office in the backyard. Going to a separate building that’s “at home” but not actually in your home offers just the right amount of separation needed to leave work at the door when you sign off for the night. These backyard offices could be a heated shed or shipping container, a sunroom add-on or just your apartment balcony in the warmer months.
Emphasis on nature
It’s no secret that being in nature helps boost your mood and leads to a more productive state of mind. And although working outdoors every day isn’t possible in Canada, there are plenty of ways to bring nature indoors. Here are a few of our favourite ideas for 2024:
- Ditch the normal accent wall and install a living plant wall complete with lights and a self-watering system.
- Let the light in. If your workspace has limited natural light, it may be time to consider installing new energy-efficient alternatives.
- Incorporate natural materials (wood, bamboo, hemp) in your office furniture, walls, trim and shelving.
6. Zero waste homes
If you’ve never heard of the concept, a zero waste home is exactly what it sounds like: it’s an attempt to lower or eliminate the amount of waste you produce at home. This can include everything from food packaging to building materials. Aiming for zero waste may sound ambitious, but there are plenty of zero waste ideas for home that are easy to get into. For starters, when you’re planning a new home renovation, opt for eco-friendly, locally sourced and recycled materials whenever possible. Next, consider the adaptability of your design–can your house be easily expanded to meet your evolving needs? The easier spaces are to adapt, the less effort and materials you will need moving forward. Other, more subtle ways to embrace a low-waste home include:
- Build custom food storage drawers in your kitchen or pantry to keep items like onions and potatoes fresh for longer.
- Install under-the-counter waste bins to make recycling as easy and accessible as possible.
- Add a greenhouse addition to your backyard and include a place for compost.
7. Empathetic design
Empathetic design is a term commonly used in technology and automotive industries. Essentially, it’s a design technique that encourages developers to design products (or in this case, houses and rooms) with the user’s needs and feelings as the driving motivation behind each choice. When it comes to interior design trends for 2024, empathetic design will play a major role. Everything from the way a space makes you feel to the way it sounds is considered in this design style to ensure the final product meets your needs. Empathetic design often includes elements from biophilic design as well.
8. Hidden lighting
From simple LED lights discretely positioned under cabinets to more detailed architectural lighting, the hidden light trend is a fun and easy way to subtly highlight the best areas of your home. Sometimes referred to as concealed or indirect light, hidden lighting adds warmth, light and ambiance while concealing the light source. This means you can achieve cozy lighting without wasting precious floor space on a lamp or other lighting fixture. Another benefit of hidden lighting is that it cuts down on harsh shadows and excess glare, which can be unpleasant to look at. Hidden wall lights can be placed behind headboards, couches and bookshelves to illuminate them. Other hidden lighting ideas include:
- Add hidden lighting to your staircase to make late-night trips to the bathroom safer. This is a great idea for outdoor stairs as well.
- Hide lighting behind the bathroom mirror to give yourself the glow you need to get ready each morning.
- Add lights to the wall around your bathtub and shower area.
- Tuck some lights away in your closet or dresser drawers so you can easily find what you’re looking for.
- Build custom shelving with hidden lighting to highlight books, artwork and knickknacks.
9. Unique tiles that make a statement
Tired of seeing plain white subway tiles in every bathroom and kitchen? Have no fear… patterned tiles are here. From the walls to the floor, you can use unique tiles to create a statement in your home. Tiles that feature bold colours, interesting shapes or patterns add visual appeal and when used correctly can make any space look cool and sophisticated. Not to mention, the handmade glazed tiles zellige, which will be in high demand this year. If your house already has a neutral pallet, don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone with unique tiles in 2024.
10. Embracing natural light
Natural light is as much a part of being alive as air, water and food. And when you increase natural light in your home, you also increase things like productivity, creativity and overall well- being. Additionally, embracing natural light helps with your internal clock and can improve your sleeping habits. Here are some of our favourite ways to maximize natural light in your home:
- All glass everything. From increasing the number of windows in your home to opting for glass doors and skylights, embracing glass is one of the most obvious ways to increase natural light.
- Reflective surfaces such as mirrors near windows, glossy countertops or wood floors with a natural sheen can help amplify the natural light your home already receives.
- Painting rooms in light colours can also help reflect natural light and brighten your space.
What is out
Trends cycle in and out as our tastes and needs change. And although most of them eventually come back around, here is our list of trends that are out for 2024.
- From quiet neurodivergent nooks in office design to defined gathering spaces at home, open concept is out and closed-off spaces are in.
- Tearing down old homes is out. Finding beauty in the quirky and old is in.
- Using shiplap for the shabby-chic aesthetic is out. Instead, try repurposing shiplap for other spaces like for ceilings and smaller accents.
- Waterfall counters are out. Millwork on the sides is in.
- Painted brick is out. Natural brick is in.
- Painting over wood furniture is out. Natural wood furniture is in.
- Farmhouse is out. Small countryside/provincial aesthetic accents are in.
- Large kitchen islands as a centrepiece are out. We prefer an island with more storage or more seating space.
Whether you’re looking to embrace the latest home design trends for yourself or are hoping to maximize your ROI on renovations ahead of selling your home, hiring an interior designer can help. Working with a professional ensures your home renovation, no matter the size, goes smoothly. Looking for more inspiration? Take a look at our completed projects and get ready to make your house a home.
Amber VanWort is a freelance content writer with a degree in journalism from Durham College. Amber’s work has been published in Narcity, Chicago Tribune, The Belleville Intelligencer, Best Reviews, and more. Her passions include food, travel, and real estate. When she’s not busy meeting her client’s expectations, you can find Amber in the kitchen, elbow-deep in a bag of flour.
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