Interior trends from the past decade

As we celebrate ten years of Temple & Webster, we've been having a ball reflecting on the interior trends that defined the past decade. From Scandi style to vintage vibes and coastal cool, take a trip down memory lane as we look back at the trends that made a splash in Aussie homes in the ten years since Temple & Webster launched. 

​2011: The global home

A decade ago, eclectic looks ruled supreme, with Moroccan style and Eastern-inspired furniture a prerequisite for on-trend homes. In keeping with the bold theme, primary colours such as canary yellow, cobalt blue and fire engine red were also popular. Hide rugs, from cowhide to zebra print, were the pièce de résistance for modern spaces—great for adding shape and texture to the straight lines of a living room.


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2012: Vintage vibes

Industrial vintage—think mismatched vintage furniture, exposed brick and concrete—has its roots in the early 90s, but by 2012 the trend had reemerged in a big way. The converted warehouse vibe called for high ceilings and raw surroundings, which provided a perfect backdrop to furniture with history like an aged leather sofa or reclaimed timber coffee table. 


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2013: Scandi style

This was the year that the clean, sleek lines and blonde wood furniture of Scandi modern design took off, with the work of revered Danish designers Arne Jacobsen and Hans Wegner providing plenty of inspiration for our homes. Modern country proved popular for those who leaned towards strong, clean lines and a minimalist colour palette but whose lifestyle necessitated a loved and lived-in interior style with rustic touches.

 
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2014: A return to glamour

Did somebody say Hollywood glamour? Luxurious velvet furnishings, gleams of gold, and the drama of graphic black and white highlighted our love affair with Hollywood homes. Naturally, this no-holds-barred approach created an appetite for opulent Victorian decor such as Chesterfield sofas and studded accents. A more relaxed type of jet-set glam also informed our interior style in 2014: boho chic. This free-wheeling trend favoured soft tones and natural textures that found their way across mismatched cushions, comfy couches and floor rugs.

 
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2015: Boldly personal

We saw a continued trend towards maximalist design, with playful, personalised style defining 2015. From moody florals mixed with marble to rose gold finishes and a Parisian-inspired knack for bringing together vintage and modernist cool, people became more confident in their approach to interior design. It's no coincidence that this newfound freedom coincided with the popularity of social media platforms. 

"The rise of social media, first with Pinterest, and then Instagram, has really changed the way people behave towards decorating and designing their spaces," says stylist Vanessa Colyer-Tay. "There's definitely more experimentation and a willingness to try new things. People can now discover trends much faster and adopt them quickly."


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2016: All about ambience

The word "hygge'' officially entered the cultural lexicon (that's Danish for cosy), and our passion for creating an inviting ambience at home flourished. As the Scandi sense of craft and balance merged with our Australian aesthetic, the coastal trend took off and "Boho coMo"—boho + coastal + mid-century modern—became an Aussie Christmas style obsession. On the colour front, rich greens continued to be big news and we traded rose gold for its serene cousin, rose quartz, Pantone's 2016 Colour of the Year.

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2017: From Scandi to Japandi

By now, Scandi style had cemented its spot as a leading interior trend, but 2017 saw it evolve into Japandi. This look maintained the clean lines and natural timber of traditional Scandi style, introducing darker touches of black and navy for added depth. Rattan was on the rise, emerging even for winter, as were luxe mid-century bar carts and another soft shade of pink: millennial. The unforgettable colour trend maintained its style stronghold until the end of the decade.

2018: Art deco 2.0

After igniting a craze for geometric patterns, gleaming finishes and opulent materials in the 1920s, art deco was all the rage a century on, finding new expression in homes that showcased glossy black finishes, framed prints and graphic wallpaper. An emphasis on natural materials also emerged, with the likes of stone, leather and timber combined and used to add authenticity to interiors.


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2019: Coastal cool

We dipped further into the natural look, trading sharp lines for curved decor and earthy textures. The coastal blues and creamy beiges of Hamptons style helped bring the outside in, as did tropical island motifs that appeared on everything from wall art to cushions. We found beauty in imperfection, embracing the Japanese notion of wabi-sabi, which made waves in the styling world by focusing on simplicity, coupled with items that show signs of life and character. 

2020: Form and function

Modular furniture had a moment in 2020 as our living rooms became offices, gyms, wellness spaces and more. Outdoor areas became increasingly important as people shifted their focus to creating tranquil escapes in their own backyard—and that yearning for harmony made its way into the home via shibusa, an extension of wabi-sabi and Japandi style. Post bushfires and amid COVID-19, shopping local to support Australian brands became more important than ever.

"Creating nurturing spaces became the top priority for us as we navigated our way through COVID-19 and our homes had to become offices, schools, gyms, playgrounds and whatever else they needed to be," explains Vanessa. "While making spaces beautiful is still important for us, functionality and versatility are just as essential."

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2021: Au naturel

In 2021, bouclé became mainstream as fuzzy mid-century furniture filled our feeds, while chocolate tones melted their way into interiors and made us question whether brown was the new black. Bathrooms got the spa treatment with terrazzo a go-to material, while bedrooms embraced the boho feel of woven rattan. International travel was off the cards, but that didn't stop us from taking a trip to Italy via vibrant Mediterranean tablescapes.