Each generation brings about new trends and designs within the home. For traditionalist interior designers, this can be hard to accept, with a sense of tension brewing between older and younger residents. New trends can seem strange or even impractical, especially when compared with established and celebrated designs.
However, contemporary trends are inevitable and will eventually become mainstream whether conservative designers like it or not. As such, it is much better to accept new development in style and embrace the qualities that feel worthwhile.
To show you have the interior design world is changing in the wake of a generation sharing and creating predominantly online, we have five notable ways that Generation Z are changing living spaces.
More Colour
One of the biggest distinctions between Millennial and Gen Z households is the use of colour. Millennial homes embraced the understated design of Japandi minimalism, adorning white walls with the occasional house plant.
Now, however, homes in the hands of Gen Z are being filled with colour. From vibrant throws to bold wallpapers, a maximalist approach is being taken, with white, beige, and grey (especially greige) being thrown out in exchange for exciting expression.
Wellness
Therapeutic style and well-being-focused furniture are at the heart of Gen Z homes, with interior design being considered as more than simply aesthetic. Homes must, under the Gen Z eye, support happiness and health as much as they look good.
This means, spa-like bathrooms and indulgent aromatherapy sets, as well as rooms decorated with diffusers and incense burners, all with the intention of promoting a more tranquil lifestyle.
Nature Vibes
The home doesn’t need to exclude the outdoors. In fact, nature is being welcomed into lifestyles significantly. Gen Z are cultivating natural aesthetics inside and outside of the home, even extending their living space into the outdoors with the bridge of log cabins and other such outbuildings.
This biophilia also takes into account the shape and colour of furniture. More curves and fewer hard edges are being embraced, with a preference for earthen tones.
Nostalgia
There is often a hint of nostalgia in interior design, with each generation finding a previous era that they are fond of, working it into their home decor. However, more than many other generations, Gen Z are fully embracing vintage style.
There is no fixed era either, and art deco furniture pieces are being decorated with cultural artifacts from the 1980s. This contemporary fusion also adds to the culture of cluttercore that has taken TikTok by storm.
Sustainability
A home that is created from sustainable materials is a home that feels good. This mantra typifies the Gen Z home with a ubiquitous focus on upcycled and repurposed goods. Buying new items is only accepted in many circles if they are manufactured sustainably.
This environmentally friendly approach is motivated by a growing concern for the landscape we live in and is leading many to also begin composting and vegetable growing at home.
