2022 Interior Design Trends | Luxury Realtor Cristal Clarke

SANTA BARBARA HOMEOWNERS EMBRACE JAPANDI AND LAGOM

Lovely, clean Hope Ranch kitchen decorated with the interior design trends of 2022 that's currently on the market.

Interior design trends in 2022 focus on the love and joy of decorating, creating an opportunity to see the spaces in your home through a new lens. Based on the philosophy that your home should honor the past, acknowledge the present, and leave room for the future, two new design trends have emerged. Both Japandi and Lagom explore the idea that a good room is never truly complete. The emphasis for each is on artistry with the caveat of shopping local and utilizing raw materials that are more organic in shape.

As you can see in the image above from my Elegant Single Level Hope Ranch Home listing, creating a layered silhouette without too much stuff adds to the beauty of the space itself. With that picture in mind, I bet you’re wondering what interior design trends I’m referring to. The answer is two-fold: Japandi and Lagom.

READ: Hygge and Friluftsliving: Danish Lifestyle Trends Embraced By Santa Barbara Homeowners

Japandi

Sustainability could be referred to as the word of 2022, especially when it comes to 2022 interior design trends. I'm talking about consciously designed and responsibly manufactured products that every homeowner will be embracing in the coming year. That’s where the art of Japandi comes into play. Think of this new design trend as the combination of Scandinavian functionality and Japanese rustic minimalism infused to create a feeling of art, nature, and simplicity. It’s not hard to see why these two styles have been paired. Though they come from different sides of the globe, they share similar principles. Both are exercises in minimalism. They both emphasize the importance of creating function-driven spaces defined by a handful of statement pieces rather than an abundance of décor. Their differences help make this mash-up especially interesting.

It’s the perfect blend for Santa Barbara locals who are fully aware of the beauty that comes through function and form; focusing on clean lines, bright spaces, and light colors, giving each room space and fluidity. It’s a celebration of simplicity, which gives Santa Barbara homeowners an effortless way to introduce raw, reclaimed, and salvaged materials into their living space.

Living room of Hope Ranch home that's currently on the market with a wood burning fireplace, an element from the Japandi Interior Design philosophy.

READ: Tidying Up with Marie Kondo: It’s All About Choosing Joy

Another important part of the Japandi philosophy is to declutter. And for good reason. Clutter has significant downsides, undermining the comfortable, everyday experience of feeling at home that many people take for granted. According to Psychology Today, clutter causes stress in part because of its excessive visual stimuli. It also signals to our brains that our work is never done and creates guilt, anxiety, and the feeling of being overwhelmed. Makes sense when you consider that disorganization can erode an ability to find things, move safely throughout your home, and use your home’s spaces as they originally were intended.

Lagom

The translation of the Swedish concept of Lagom is “enough, sufficient, adequate, just right.” While the hygge design trend of the past focuses on getting cozy and staying home with family and friends, Lagom is all about balance, as in harmonizing your time both in your home and out, with others and alone. The trend is all about encouraging humans to live their happiest life by choosing a balanced and fruitful existence. Think moderation with functional possessions designed to create a congruent existence.

READ: 2022 Color Trends: It’s All About Green

Simply put, Lagom defines a sustainable way of living, which translates aptly into the context of homes and interiors. More than just a design trend, it’s an overarching philosophy to living with contentment and balance at its core. The key takeaway is the aspiration of taking just enough from life for yourself so that you leave enough for others to be happy too. Lagom encourages Santa Barbara homeowners to create a space that honors the past, acknowledges the present, and leaves room for the future.

Virtually staged image of the bedroom inside a Hope Ranch home decorated using key elements from the Lagom design trend.

The image of the bedroom above of from my Elegant Single Level Home listing encapsulates the look perfectly. The room is clean, uncluttered yet layered to perfection with accents that complement each other and call attention to the bright and open space. Think upcycling, recycling, and use of sustainable materials whenever possible. The idea is to create a space where you can enjoy the comforts of home you love, without taking too much from the planet, while leaving room for change and growth.

When it comes to interior design, here’s what you will be noticing in the new year:

Locally and sustainable sourced furnishings
Curved furniture silhouettes
Decorative cabinetry
Innovative products and designs
Layers of texture
Parisian inspired interiors
Home bars
Fun foyers and mudrooms
Nature inspired hues, especially green
Warm neutrals
Mixing vintage and reclaimed with new
Closed floor plans
Colorful tableware
Wallpaper
Biophilic design
Indoor/outdoor living

Do you have any 2022 interior design trends to add to my list above? I’d love to hear your ideas. Meantime, if you’re in the market for a new home in one of the Santa Barbara area's upscale communities, where you can explore the 2022 interior design trends of Japandi and Lagom, please contact me for help. Just call me at (805) 886-9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com. I can also add your existing home to my portfolio of fine properties to make the buying and selling process streamlined, much like the two design trends explored in this blog post.

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Client Reviews

“Cristal Clarke has conducted numerous real estate transactions for me beginning 13 years ago with the purchase of a Lemon Ranch. She has handled both large and small purchases and sales with equal dedication. As a negotiator, you can’t find anyone better. Her transactions are always conducted in the most appropriate and professional manner. Cristal has considerable knowledge of the Santa Barbara market.”

- S.N. Decker Ph.D.

“Living in Europe, we were to say the least, unaccustomed to the nuances of Real Estate acquisition in California and Cristal steered us through the process with absolute professionalism and personal attention to detail at every turn. Her in-depth knowledge of the market place combined with enthusiasm and drive was the only reason we secured the property of our dreams and will be forever grateful. If you are looking for personal discrete and private representation of the highest quality we suggest you look no further than Cristal Clarke.”

- Johan and Paula van den Berg

“Cristal is very straightforward, cheerful, helpful, professional and trustworthy….we felt very lucky to work with her.”

- John and Lacey Williams

“After considering our many choices, we are grateful it was Cristal Clarke of Sotheby’s International who represented the sale of our Montecito cottage. We are familiar with Cristal’s reputation of hard work and dedication to clients, but it was her attention to detail that made our experience so positive. She offered suggestions for staging the property, worked in harmony with potential buyers and was even able to secure back up offers. The sale of our cottage was completed much sooner than we expected, due in great part to Cristal’s professional skills and support. We highly recommend Cristal as a first choice for anyone needing representation with real estate.”

- Michael & Nancy Lee

“Our experience in working with Cristal Clarke resulted in the successful and discrete acquisition of a property which was not yet on the open market. Her knowledge of the Montecito/Santa Barbara area and vast expertise blended with her passion for real estate and architecture, provided us with the very highest level of professionalism and personalized services. Cristal exhibited a rare combination of excellent communications, attention to detail, creativity and patience.”

- Richard and Catherine Frinier

“Cristal really breaks the mold. She knows every nook and cranny of this real estate market, understands value, and follows up on everything, all the time. She was incredibly patient with our two year quest to find the perfect house. Every house hunting trip from across the country was well planned, and our time was never wasted. On top of her professionalism and expertise, she is delightful to spend time with. We are thrilled with the home we purchased, and grateful to Cristal for so wisely advising us through this process, right through to the close and beyond.”

- Laurie Siegel

“We met Cristal first in the course of renting a winter home (for three years), then buying a house using her as our agent. She was amazingly good at listening to our wants and showing us homes that fit our needs. Her mastery of the paperwork was perfect. Most importantly, there was never a situation where we doubted her straightforwardness or integrity. If we do another real estate transaction in Montecito (which I doubt, we’re happy with what we purchased), without question we’d use Cristal again.”

- Ken Saffir

“Susan and I just want to thank you for your efforts in the sale of our home. You are really quite amazing. Your competence, persistence, optimism and humor made the entire process effortless. Every problem that arose, you somehow fixed; any obstacle, you overcame. We have bought and sold many homes. It has never been such a painless and enjoyable process!”

- Michael & Susan Marquart

“A little something about “our” realtor, Cristal Clarke. My wife and I came to Santa Barbara about fifteen years ago looking for a seasonal home from which to enjoy the weather and amenities of the central coast. Being in the real estate business myself I was familiar with agents and brokers so entered the market with open eyes. We “flipped” a few houses in the early years, dealing with various agents and finally ended up in Montecito. That’s when good fortune put us together with Cristal. To say we were impressed is to put it mildly. Cristal really knows the market. She is familiar with the area, its history and trends. When we have questions about a particular property she either has the answers immediately or gets back to us by phone or email. There is no waiting or wondering with Cristal. She is an agent who is “on top of it.” Her recommendations as to price points, contractors, inspectors and title agents have proven to be exceptional, showing great insight and the highest professional standards. We consider ourselves exceedingly fortunate to say that Cristal Clarke is our realtor and would recommend her services to any serious buyer or seller.”

- Rob & Judi Kelch