clutter and lost, there are several easy fixes to get that oh-so-cozy home feeling. With a focus
on design trends in 2025, this can be accomplished by prioritizing comfort, a flare of your own
personality, and a connection with nature.
Trends shift pre vs. Post covid
The pandemic influenced huge shifts in interior design and what people wanted to see and feel
in their homes. With the world shut down, people spent much less time out and about -
whether this be travelling or spent at the office and were confined to their homes. There is
nothing like spending 24/7 at your house to find out where your home lacks functionality. This
led the design industry to see a massive shift from desiring those picture-perfect showroom
style homes to functional, lived in, and most importantly cozy.
Societal influences
The world is wellness baby. Prioritizing mental, spiritual, and physical health has had a huge
influence on what makes people feel safe, comfortable, and at home. Including elements that
have a positive influence on your wellness can impact the level of comfort you have in your
home. Things like cozy blankets, pillows, candles, and even some plants can help to bring a
sense of wellness to your space.
Colour, pattern, & Decor
Taking 2025 trends into consideration there is a substantial push for warm, earthy tones like
sage, creams, and deep blues. Anything to give you a connection to nature, be it colour, decor,
or art can really enhance emotional influence. This is a trend that likely won’t become a fad
anytime soon either as it surged the market during Covid. Vintage and maximalist styles also
influence home decor in 2025. Lots of mixed materials, and eras (modern or transitional with
vintage decor pieces). It is also important to infuse your space with your own personality and
style so you truly feel at home in your space. Seeing pieces of yourself in your home can truly
help you connect to your space.
Lighting is everything
Before we talk lighting for aesthetic and wellness, let’s talk lighting plans. A plan for aging in
place might be something to consider if you’re suddenly told “you’re not that old” or are
considering retirement plans in your home. Aging in place lighting plans prioritize increased
brightness, even light distribution, and reduced glare to enhance visibility and safety for
seniors. Strategically placed path lights along walkways such as hallways and motioned
censored under-cabinet lighting can help to prevent slips and falls. Now onto the fun stuff!
Feeling at home in your house, is also very personalized in terms of wellness and what gives
you the comfy-cozy vibes. You may prefer lots of natural bright light, and others prefer warm
lighting from a smaller light source, like a lamp. Layered lighting is a new trend that uses
multiple light sources to illuminate a space, combining ambient, task, and accent lighting to
create a balanced and functional atmosphere. Mini lights and cordless lamps are also quite
popular in the design community to add visual comfort within your home. The best part about
lighting is you can kill two birds with one stone and not only, add ambience through lighting,
but use your lighting as decor also. Score!
Purposeful curated spaces
Not to be confused with Fung Shui, purposely curated spaces is creating each space with
intention and can really help you love your home again. Over the years your sense of home
takes a huge beating with the accumulation of clutter, busy schedules, and quite frankly lack of
interest. With how busy everyone is, the last thing anyone wants to do with their Sunday is
declutter, redecorate, and reorganize the furniture - but that could just be the key to happiness
in your home. Creating spaces with intentional colours, layout, and texture that enhances
functionality can actually influence the emotional impact your space has on your well-being.
Junk In the Trunk
More isn’t always more. Managing clutter is, dare I say the first step you should tackle in taking
your house back. This means that dreaded junk drawer, that one random closet in the hall no
one dares to open, your closet, and under-sink cabinets need to be cleaned out. Nothing like a
fresh, weight-off-your-chest feeling like gaining control against the clutter. Dust is something
that is often overlooked when talking about clutter. The more stuff you have lying around, the
more surfaces there are for dust to settle on, which can impact both the cleanliness and air
quality of your home. An aspect of clutter no one seems to address are plants… I know I said
plants help the emotional impact on your wellness BUT too many plants can add to the clutter.
Be mindful not to turn your house into a greenhouse.
Tackling a reno
Tackle one room or project at a time before starting another. There is nothing like the sense of a
never ending project in a borderline construction site to give you burnout. Trust us, keep your
sanity and keep your partner off your back and just focus on one room. Consider your storage
plans, this can help you take back your space and maintain it.
Remember this is just a guide and a renovation is a very personal experience so think about
what makes you feel at home and use that are your starting point.
Article by ACM Design
