The concepts of "trends" and "sustainability" need not be mutually exclusive. It is certainly true that there are trends that we see come and go, some of which disturbingly quickly, so in our quest to move away from disposable fashion we like to give a deeper analysis to the "what's in" to make sure a design element does not find itself in the "what's out" list next year.
That being said, personal style has a massively important role to play in creating your perfect interior, so if you have fallen in love with a high fashion item that has a likely shelf life within the industry generally, you do you! Whenever I have clients that are leaning into a style I fear may age the design, I will always show them alternatives that I feel will both work, and better stand the test of time, but I also ask them to consider:
"Would you have loved this look 5 years ago?"
To answer that question, look at the colours and styles you were wearing 5 years ago, at how you decorated for a party, painted your nails or dressed your Christmas table. Would this look fit just as well with your tastes then as your tastes now? If the answer is yes, roll with it. If it makes YOU happy and at home in your environment, it really does not matter what anyone else thinks.
With that in mind, let us dive in to Zenterior's top 5 sustainable design trends for 2025!
#1 Colour Drenching
#Colourdrenching has become increasingly popular in recent years and is set to be a big trend in 2025. This design method essentially involves painting your woodwork, walls and ceiling all in the same colour. Why do we think this trend will stand the test of time? Because this is a fantastic method of making a space feel bigger, even when you are using this technique with dark paints. It gives the infinity feel, where the walls and ceilings essentially disappear and your attention is left to be drawn to the accent elements in the room. This is a technique designers have always used to affect the impression of a space, it is just gaining more mainstream traction at the moment.
#2 Natural Fibres
As a sustainability focused company, we are so excited to see that #naturalfibres are pretty much on everyone's top tips for 2025. Although it may seem that some elements of industry are moving at glacial speed towards a sustainable future, much of the design industry is determined to pioneer in this area, especially given that the textiles industry has been one of the major contributors to global warming thus far. We were very excited to see how much focus is being brought to this issue at the design trade shows this year.
You have probably seen logos for initiatives like BTC (Better Cotton Initiative), Organic Cotton and Recycled Cotton. These programs are endeavouring to tackle the dirtier aspects of the cotton industry that have tarnished the sustainability credentials of this fibre. There is also a rise in the production of fabrics made from hemp, bamboo, Ahimsa silk and aloe, amongst others.
We have always loved working with linens, wools and cottons, and are very excited by the new natural materials that are currently being brought to market. This trend is set to stay with the industry as a whole endeavouring to move away from materials that use damaging dyes, excessive water and chemicals with end of life waste that will be polluting the environment long after we have gone to the worms.
#3 Feature Lighting
The importance of good lighting design is really coming into its own. No dining table is complete without a statement pendant over it and we are finding feature lights playing a bigger and bigger role in adding height, layers and textures to all kinds of spaces.
#featurelighting does not end with attention grabbing lamps and pendants, but also includes subtle mood lighting and hidden source lighting that creates a wonderful atmosphere and literally highlights aspects of a design where you would like the viewers attention to be drawn.
This trend is going nowhere, mainly because of how much lighting design enhances a space and contributes to mood and ambiance. We are still learning new ways to use lighting in design and architecture. The days of sticking a bulb in the centre of every room are well and truly dead in the water. This is only going to evolve in years to come.
#4 Eclectic Interiors
This is another area of the "you do you" ethos. Very few of us live in homes where every item was procured all at once with one central design in mind.
One of the positive outcomes from our time in lockdown was that we were forced away from photographing perfectly constructed, polished interiors, and started sharing images from our own homes, with our loved possessions and accumulated furniture. This gave birth to a renewed appreciation for #eclecticinteriors. Items with their own personalities and stories behind them add something unique and special to your home that is fundamentally and essentially yours, and that is what makes them precious.
Eclectic style and sustainability go hand in hand as we find new and exciting ways to bring the old and the new together, creating unique and personal interior spaces.
Eclectic spaces have always existed, and will always exist, we are just falling in love with them with renewed passion in 2025.
#5 Biophilic Design
The term #biophilicdesign refers to design with the specific aim of reconnecting people with nature. Research over the last 40/50 years, perhaps most notably that of the late Stephen Kellert, examining the relationship between humans and the natural world suggests that greater connection to a natural environment increases physical and mental health as well as productivity. This concept always brings to mind for me a director I worked with during my time in Theatre who would always instruct the cast and crew to "go and look at something green" whenever stress was high and tempers fraying.
This clearly links in with the natural fibres trend, but further than that involves incorporation of natural light, trees, plants, water, wood, stone and so forth into the design brief. We did not evolve over hundreds of thousands of years in reaction to the natural environment to closet ourselves away in concrete boxes.
For our own wellbeing, the trend for biophilic design rising in 2025 should only be the beginning of a new approach to design. One in which we remember that we too are part of nature after all.
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