Decorating & Design
This Design Trend Is All About Letting Your Creativity Run Wild
Published on January 13, 2021
After the year we’ve all had, why not spark some joy in your home? One of our 2021 trends is “Get Happy,” which means embracing all of the good vibes and letting your creativity run wild. The key to mastering this maximalist, eclectic look? Layering to abandon with quirky art, statement rugs, vibrant fabrics and a punchy palette. Get inspired to design your happy place!
Design maven Justina Blakeney‘s sunny, global-inspired interiors are the epitome of the “Get Happy” aesthetic. Here, a woven armchair is the perfect place to curl up and read, thanks to palm tree wallpaper, a tasselled light fixture and a tiger rug.
In Justina’s 300-square-foot casita, a tangerine-hued sofa is made even more Instagram-worthy with piles of pillows in contrasting patterns. Built-in shelves display mementos, plants and beloved books.
Swathed in Persimmon by Benjamin Moore, this feel-good living room proves just how versatile orange can be. Embrace it in a small way with a velvet ottoman or go big with a statement wall!
Take a walk on the wild side with animal motifs in saturated hues, like this quirky zebra wallpaper from Scalamandré. Finish the look off with matching hand towels in a contrasting color.
This bold entryway may only be three by three feet, but that didn’t stop designer Cynthia Ferguson from taking the plunge with a cherry red color (Lyons Red by Benjamin Moore to be exact). A front door is a great place to take daring design risks!
The key to pattern mixing is varying the size: a small but impactful print on the drapery lets the striped green rug and painterly sofa command attention. Who says you can’t combine everything you love in one room?
“In a small room, repetition is important to keep the patterns from overwhelming,” says Cynthia of her bedroom’s twinning drapery and headboard fabric. Black walls highlight the beautiful architectural detailing and provide a place for the eye to rest.
Lime green chevron drapes? Pink grasscloth-covered ceilings? Bright blues walls? Cynthia proves there’s no such thing as too much in this maximalist living room.
This iconic Martinique wallpaper may be best known for lining the walls of the Beverly Hills Hotel, but it looks equally gorgeous behind a millennial pink hutch. Add beachy woven furnishings to feel like you’re on holiday.
There is no shortage of color and pattern in this sunny living room, and these sunburst baskets only add to the feel-good vibe. Who needs a TV above the fireplace when you can have these playful pieces instead?
H&H‘s Kai Ethier is beloved for her fearless design and it’s easy to see why. She transformed her stark white bedroom into a happy haven with dusty pink walls and upholstery depicting traditional Japanese theater masks. “I love the colors and drama of it, and it’s abstract enough that I don’t feel like people are watching me sleep,” says Kai with a laugh.
“The key to loving where you live is to plan and furnish based on how you want to live instead of having your furniture and decor dictate it for you,” says designer Beth Diana Smith of her bold living room. An enviable collection of art and a luxurious purple velvet couch make the space extra special.
In designer Sabrina Albanese’s fashionable condo, a punchy palm wallpaper in the kitchen creates a sense of depth with the black, white and rattan palette in the living/dining area.
Take a page from designer Judith Gougeon‘s handbook and create an accent wall with all of your favorite knick knacks. The pops of red complement the luxe patterned pillows and blankets on the bench.
“By combining my creative vision with my daughter Sienna’s interests and inspiration, I designed our dream girls’ pad,” says designer Jennifer Scott of her small heritage home. In the foyer, vintage treasures are layered with Moroccan-inspired textiles and her grandparents’ crystal chandelier.
If you need a little escape to a tropical island (no plane ticket required), create the illusion of starting your morning in the outdoors with this lush banana leaf wallpaper by Cole & Son.
“There’s so much room (no pun intended) to have fun with color and pattern in a small space,” says DIY expert Alexandra Gater. “Patterned wallpaper (like Carter + Main’s peel-and-stick Crane Migration print) or a bold color always stands out in a smaller home.”
Snob founder Denise Zidel’s colorful home exudes happiness in every corner. Exhibit A: Vintage loungers by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, a purple ostrich skin–covered side table and an eye-catching light fixture made out of stained glass.