Design Trends for 2021: Wood & Metal

Author:

 

Despite, well, everything that’s gone on this year, people have still found ways to decorate their homes and find a new look that they prefer.

(Actually, considering how much time we’ve all spent at home this year, it makes sense that we all might get a little bored of staring at the same decorations all day.)

While a lot of home design trends have gone pretty back-and-forth on the whole “minimal design vs. maximal design” look, a constant theme has emerged for anyone looking to refresh their home a little bit: wood & metal!

 

Wood & Metal Home Design Ideas

 

Typically referred to as the “rustic look” or the “industrial look”, wood and metal home decor has been consistently popular among home designers recently. Many homes turn to it as sort of a way of breaking tradition in home decor; for decades, homes tended to use “smoother” looks that implied modernity and cleanliness, alongside brighter colors and styles.

The rustic look of wood and metal could be seen as something of a rebuke to this. Even in more suburban areas, this look brings with it feelings of nostalgia and nature, helping to get away from the smoothed edges and primary colors of a lot of home furnishings and electronics these days.

And, perhaps most importantly for any major design trend, it’s actually very easy to implement. Due to the nature of the two materials involved, the industrial look can actually be more reliable and versatile in certain situations than other types of home decor. Wood, already a fixture of most living room furniture, can be easily used in other rooms of your home to create extra storage, places to sit, or just a little decor.

 

Thinking about using wood and metal more in your home? Here’s a few tips:

  • Keep it practical: Extraneous decorations will only get in the way, and tend to clash with anything else already in your home. When looking for metal fixtures, try to look for something your home can actually use like bar carts or kitchen islands to create a more metal look while adding more storage and convenience to your home.
  • Use natural colors: The whole point of the rustic look is to use more untreated materials, without a lot of bold or bright colors to get in the way. When looking for wooden furniture like coffee tables, end tables, or buffet tables, look for something more stained or subtly painted to help establish the right natural mood.
  • Soften it up: One of the most visually interesting ways to use wood and metal decor in your home is to immediately pair it with something softer. If you have wooden seating, for example, try to line them with neutral-colored throw pillows to help offset the ‘harder’ look. Metal wall shelves really benefit from the addition of greenery and potted plants to create a more comfortable atmosphere, even despite the harshness of the material.
  • Don’t worry about babying it: A large part of the rustic look is how ‘well-worn’ it can look over time. If you use wooden tables, for example, the occasional nick, dent, or paint wear can add to its character over time. (Think of it like how people will pay a lot of money for “pre-distressed” jeans.)

 

With a little inspiration, you might just be able to use these tips to start 2021 off with a whole new look! (And when the new year comes around, we could ALL use a little change of pace, right?)