Year in Review!

As the end of 2022 fast approaches, we’re sure to see editorials and social media blogs reviewing every trend and top 10 list from politics to film, to our own photos and most played songs. Since we at Fine Home Contracting spend most of our time obsessing over home renovations and remodeling, we thought it only fitting to review the biggest design trends we saw emerge in 2022.

This was the year we returned to sharing our home with friends and family, and we saw homeowners eager to update their spaces. Homes are becoming smarter with advanced technology and creative storage solutions. But the overall theme was a connection to nature. We saw pops of color emerge after many years of white and gray… I had seen this coming last year, but 2022 was most definitely the year of green! Especially deep forest, jewel, and olive tones. Even Sherwin Williams made Evergreen Fog their color of the year. Uncoincidentally, brass continued its dominance in hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures. And it’s obvious why – the warmth of brushed gold or champagne looks absolutely exquisite over a dark green. Black was also another color we saw in 2022, looking sharp and modern on cabinets as well as floor tile and hardware. These dramatic colors acted as the perfect anchor to balance whites and light wood tones. We continued to see soft white and alabaster brightening small bathrooms and creating visual space in kitchens, along with natural stone and white quartz, with warmer veining than years past. Inspired by Scandinavian trends from the last 5 years, lighter/ natural woods continued in popularity whether on floating shelves, a structural beam, or the entire floor. We also saw wall and ceiling treatments like wallpaper, board and batten, and tongue and groove paneling for added dimension and texture.

With all these natural elements, came more sustainable design choices as well. Light fixtures were switched out for LED, toilets that use less water, and energy efficient appliances just to name a few.

We saw a greater desire for unique storage solutions, hiding what is needed while keeping the space looking and feeling clean. It was all about creative accessibility: pull-out shelves, hooks behind doors in mud rooms, charging ports in drawers. Everything in its place, but easy to access. This left more room for open shelving at the site line, so even the smallest spaces appear larger.

Incorporating nature into our living spaces has become increasingly popular both inside and out. In 2022, we saw more homeowners investing in improved outdoor areas like pergolas and patios. As well as indoor/ outdoor space connections with wall-to-wall door openings (think Sun Room, but completely open to the back yard). It’s all about creating a brighter and more spacious area to enjoy the outdoors and amenities at the same time.

In the next post, I’ll discuss the trends I think will be big in 2023! Do you have any feelings on what you saw in 2022, or predictions for the new year? Share with us! We’d love to hear it.