The worst of January is behind us and, dare we say it, we seem to be getting into our stride as far as this new year business is concerned. So what if we haven't hit all our health and fitness goals? We've mastered writing '2022' instead of '2021'. It's the small wins, right? 🙌

Now that we've got our feet under the desk, as it were, it's time to turn our thoughts to the hottest looks for interiors this year. Back in November, we gave you a round-up of the Top Interiors Trends For 2022, but things have moved on a bit since then so it's time for a revisit. 

In particular, we wanted to find out what industry experts think about the new directions for interiors this year. Turns out it's good news. While home is still our sanctuary, there's a fresh feeling of positivity in the air as we start to ease our way out of the pandemic. This new sense of joy and freedom is being expressed via vibrant colours, bold patterns and a strong connection with the natural world 🌿

BIG & BOLD MAXIMALISM

As we move into a year of renewed optimism, one of the major trends for 2022 is to embrace bold colours and daring patterns. Going big and bold is a surefire way to bring joy and vitality into your home 🤩

"After two years of depression and negativity, the world is crying out for a big injection of positive attitude," says Ben Spriggs, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Decoration magazine. "Interiors will be where this seismic shift is most apparent, with even the most conservative consumers embracing bright colours, bold patterns and exaggerated proportions."

We couldn't agree more, and loud colours such as our tangerine-toned My Island and vibrant turquoise Pool House are the perfect match for this gutsy aesthetic. The latest addition to our colour family, vivid lime green Plant Power, also packs a zingy punch of uplifting colour. Pair it with some of our best-selling dark shades such as The Drink or David Rose, or combine it with contrasting neutrals such as And Breathe or Pampas 👌

GOING GREEN

You couldn't get enough of our green paints in 2021, and nature-inspired colours are set to be more popular than ever in 2022. But don't just take our word for it. Ben White, design expert at sofa company Swyft, reckons that 2022 will be THE year for the 'Bringing the outside in' trend. "We will see green and natural tones blended into our interiors through the use of plants, timber and terracotta," says Ben. "We might also see the use of green velvet sofas, sage or olive painted walls and jute textured rugs.'

With an increasing awareness of the benefits of spending time in nature, greens speak to us more directly than ever in 2022. Our pale green shades such as light teal Hamilton and medium green Homegrown take their cue from recent catwalk looks, and our dark greens such as Ditch The Tie? and Brewer are also bang on trend. And did you know our paints are kind to the planet as well as to you because they are sustainable, solvent-free and non-toxic? 🌎  Just sayin'!

In fact, we love greens so much here at COAT, we're pleased to say we have some new green paint babies due to join our family very soon! 💚

"We really wanted to expand the number of greens we offer, because green is such a versatile colour and we know how much our customers love it," says COAT's Lead Colour Consultant, Aaron Markwell. "When you combine green with a yellow or blue undertone, it creates such a difference in the resulting aesthetic – one that you don't get with a lot of other colours. I also love the way greens reflect the natural world, so it gives you the chance to bring life and growth into your home."

CURVES & SOFT SHAPES

Curves were everywhere at the latest design shows, bringing a soft, reassuring shape to everything from sofas to headboards. “A curved form is subconsciously read as safe, friendly and welcoming," says interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel. "I think those softer shapes and angles will still be a big trend in 2022 in furniture as well as architecture.” 

Bring painted curves into your interior with on-trend arched shapes and circular blocks of colour. A good decorating tip for creating circles is to sketch out the line with a pencil attached to a length of string. Colour it in with green avo Home Grown combined with pale pink Granny Chic for a cheery, neopolitan vibe 🍭

Home Grown x Mindful for @thenorthernhome nursery. We LOVE.

Or if you'd rather introduce curves to your space via furniture and accessories, why not choose a rounded sofa such as Love Your Home's Vita or a beautiful rug like Bodhi from Made.com which features abstract, curved shapes?

RETRO 70s NOSTALGIA

"Seventies decor and colours are back," says interior designer Malka Helft from Think Chic Interiors. "We will be seeing more terracotta, sage and mustard colours as well as mid-century furniture trademarks – peg legs on cabinets and tables, teak wood tones and highly textured fabrics." 

Yes, 70s style is making a comeback in 2022 whether you like it or not! But if shag pile carpet and avocado bathroom suites aren't your thing, you can still get the hippy vibe by going for 70s-inspired fringing (check out this gorgeous lampshade 😍), geometric patterns and macramé plant pot holders. 

When it comes to colour, our dark red The Old Corset Factory and grubby yellow Moritz are pretty groovy ✌️  And our range of heritage colours developed in collaboration with high end retailer Heal's has some seriously cool, retro shades 😎

@ginandhome rockin' Moritz as the perfect backdrop for her retro home reno.

EARTHY TONES REFLECTING NATURE

Climate change and the natural world will never be far from our minds in 2022, which is why earthy, cocooning colours are set to be a big trend this year. 

“Neutrals will take a bit of a back seat in 2022 as people start to experiment with colour again, but the palette will stay very close to hues you’d find in nature," says Athena Calderone, interior designer and author of Live Beautiful. "We predict paint rollers will be dipped in rosy, terracotta tones, swathing rooms from wall to ceiling for a complete monochromatic moment that envelops you in its cosiness.”

While we're not yet ready to say goodbye to neutrals, we do agree that earthy colours will be hot property this year. Terracotta and taupe shades are warm, welcoming and cosy. And that's exactly why they are set to join the COAT Paints family very soon! Watch this space for some exciting new earthy colours launching next month as part of our new colour collection 🌈

Fancy taking your home in a new direction? Check out our range of quality, eco-friendly, on-trend paint colours