At Midwest Home, staying up-to-date on industry happenings is what we do best—especially when it comes to trends. And even though they’re constantly evolving, our team has tacked down five design elements we expect to shine bright across interior and exterior spaces alike in 2020. From color schemes to outdoor living spaces and more, you can expect designs at the dawn of a new decade to look a little like this.
Black and White Designs
Black-and-white color schemes aren’t boring, nor are they plain and void of opportunity. In fact, the high contrast of the combination results in a striking-yet-timeless aesthetic that spans centuries. Interior designer Kailee Klevan of Beyond Kitchens agrees, deeming the simple color scheme a “blank slate” perfect for the addition of colorful furnishings and décor like florals, greenery, towels, and more. (Plus, a black-and-white palette allows you to swap out shades as new colors become “in” over the years.)
Family-Friendly Fabrics
Spills, last-minute guest arrivals, and puppy paws won’t have anything on 2020—especially when Brooke & Lou’s Life-Friendly collection of family-friendly and performance fabrics, designed by interior designer Bria Hammel, are involved. The product line features sofas and stools with wipeable fabric, dining tables that repel scratches, and pillows and rugs made with durable, easy-to-clean materials. (Far gone are the years of sacrificing function for aesthetic!)
Outdoor Living Spaces
In 2020, Minnesotan homeowners aren’t letting the cold force them inside for half the year. Instead, locals are opting to build three-season porches and additions for nearly year-round enjoyment. Shakopee-based remodeling and landscaping firm Mom’s Design Build has embraced this trend and, as seen above, often incorporates fireplaces, TVs, and even kitchens into their outdoor designs.
Bold Design Choices
Homeowners and designers aren’t afraid of color anymore. We’re seeing more spaces stray from monochromatic (usually white) color schemes to pursue bold, lively designs instead—particularly in spaces like powder rooms, closets, and pantries. They’re small, they don’t greet people right away, and they’re the perfect opportunity to stretch your creativity with color, pattern, or both.
One of the most impactful ways to achieve this is through wallpaper. Hygge & West, for example, offers a colorful collection of wallpapers and wall coverings to choose from, including Bloom, a floral-inspired pattern in six punchy colors; Palma, a green-and-gold diamond-esque design; and celestial Blue Starry Night—reminiscent of the 2020 Pantone Color of the Year.
Tile: For More Than Floors
Over the last year, we’ve seen in a boom in the popularity of tile, and quite frankly, we don’t see the trend going anywhere anytime soon. We’re still seeing tile in traditional settings like kitchen backsplashes, showers, and floor tiles, but in 2020, tile will be incorporated into unique, unexpected places far more often—like bar areas, kitchen islands, fireplaces, focal walls, and hearths.
Mercury Mosaics, a local artisan tile company based in Minneapolis, specializes in a lot of these trending tile colors, designs, and shapes, including Moroccan fish scales, diamonds (which, when designed strategically, look like three-dimensional cubes), hexagons, and more.
Associate editor Katelyn Bloomquist covered these trends on a recent Twin Cities Live segment, which you can watch here. Plus, expect to see all of these 2020 trends in the upcoming (and newly redesigned!) issue of Midwest Home, available on newsstands Jan. 30, 2020.
