Here’s How to Get the Gallery Wall Look That’s All Over Instagram on a Budget
This Trendy Furniture Style Is Fresh, Fun, and Perfect for a Small Living Room
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It seems like tapered, leggy mid-century modern silhouettes have been all the rage the past few years. These features make for beautiful shapes, but sometimes you just want to mix things up a bit,. I, for one, have been so excited to see chunkier, more structural bases being brought back into the furniture design conversation.
Often referred to as plinth or platform furniture, these pieces boast solid bases (usually wood, but they can also be other materials like marble or brass) with no discernible “legs,” and are lower to the ground than their leggy counterparts. This type of base can instantly make your furniture feel more attention-grabbing, substantial, and luxe. It’s also a great way to play with a little designer trickery in your space, particularly it’s on the smaller or shorter side.
“Designing with low-profile furniture, as plinth and platform pieces usually are, is a great way to make your space feel taller,” says designer Alvin Wayne. “It’s a visual trick of the eye — in many cases, the lower your furniture is, the higher your ceilings look.”
Wayne also thinks the low-slung trend can be a great option for rooms with good views; peep the New York City skyline in Wayne’s own Queens apartment on display above his leg-less CB2 sofa in the image up top for such an example. They’re also great for open floor plans, according to Wayne, where taller furnishings could disrupt the flow and sight lines from room to room.
Though platform and plinth pieces aren’t exactly the same, furniture from both categories take up similar visual weight and space in a room. Platform furniture is often a more budget-friendly way to get in on the trend for now, as many plinth pieces are custom or on the pricier side due to the heft of their bases. Looking to add something low-slung to your living room layout or bedroom setup? Check out a few of our favorites below that span the categories of seating, tables, and even beds.
This eye-catching but simple design from Floyd combines birch or walnut wood with metal accents and a sleek, low shape for an industrial-meets-boho design I love. The option of a headboard for reading and hidden under-bed storage compartments on one or both sides of the bed also ensures you can customize this piece to your liking.
Buy: The Bed Frame, Starting at $745.00 for a Full/Queen Size with no headboard from Floyd
West Elm Plank Side Table
This do-it-all side table from West Elm is a true chameleon. Its graphic, blocky shape and plinth bottom give it a modern and minimalist feel, while the grainy reclaimed wood material lends it a rustic, natural edge. Translation: It will fit seamlessly with your home’s vibe, whether you self-identify as a Marie Kondo diehard or cottagecore enthusiast.
Buy: Plank Side Table, $599.00 from West Elm
Lulu & Georgia Harlowe Media Lounger
Though definitely on the pricier side, this pretty seat from Lulu & Georgia is a great example of just how timeless the plinth furniture trend can be. Hidden at the base of this creamy white chair is a blonde-finished acacia plinth that adds just the right amount of bespoke detailing. Plus, thanks to its unique shape (Is it a couch? Is it a daybed? Is it a chair?), this piece can go just about anywhere, from a media room to a studio apartment.
Buy: Harlowe Media Lounger, $1,998.00 from Lulu & Georgia
Bee 9 Design Shop Box Table
This Etsy vendor’s box table can be stained or painted to match your decor style of choice, promising truly infinite customization opportunities. Use it as a handy place to store your favorite reads or to house your record player and a few well-loved vinyls.
Buy: Bee 9 Design Shop Box Table, $197.47 from Etsy
For an eye-catching showpiece that’s sure to turn heads in any room, look no further than the Coyne Credenza from CB2. Made from stunning two-toned walnut wood and stacked atop a plinth base, the versatile piece can act as a buffet in a dining room, credenza in a hallway, or media console in a living room.
Buy: Coyne Credenza, $999.00 from CB2
The solid wood plinth base give this slipcovered gray sofa a few extra style points. Use it anywhere you want to show off what’s beyond your windows in a living room setting. It also comes in a white colorway.
HGTV Star Designer Leanne Ford Is Back With Her Second Crate & Barrel Collection
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“My inspiration is honestly my life,” says Ford, who left her just-renovated Los Angeles dream home for a farmhouse fixer-upper outside her native Pittsburgh to be closer to family. “Leaving the big city and moving to the country, I’ve embraced the simplicity and joy that’s brought our family, and I was inspired by the style, architecture, weathering, and age of where we’re living right now.”
An appreciation of nature’s beauty has always been an undercurrent in Ford’s aesthetic; in fact, she told me the best artwork is often the view right outside your windows. This time, that ethos is even more present in the new collection’s materials and palette: mixed woods, grasscloth, and Ford’s signature black and white shades punctuated with rust, ochre, brown, and hits of metallics like silver and bronze.
Some of Ford’s most popular pieces are even being introduced in new silhouettes and finishes, like the Fields Settee, which is a whitewashed, loveseat-sized version of a chair from the original collab. “For fall, we wanted to bring back those customer favorites but also extend the line with warmer tones, bleached woods, and things with a cozy, romantic fall vibe,” says Sebastian Brauer, vice president of product design at Crate & Barrel.
Of course, the holidays call for a little bit of sparkle and shine, and Ford’s all for blingy tabletop and accent pieces, even going so far as incorporating a set of disco ball tree ornaments into this range. “Greenery may be my main holiday color, but I’m thinking a silver tree with disco balls on it this year,” she says. “After the holidays, you can even put the little disco balls into a bowl and use that as a table centerpiece year-round.” The line also includes a set of cute metallic bottle brush trees, which have the perfect vintage-inspired look to them if you want to get a little nostalgic for Christmas or the holiday season.
The line is available online and in Crate & Barrel stores starting today. Prices range from $9.95 for small accessories up into the thousands for larger pieces of furniture. You can browse the full collection at Crate & Barrel.
These Are the 7 Biggest and Best Design Trends of 2021 So Far
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As the end of the year approaches, it’s only natural to look back and see how far we’ve come. Now that summer’s over, you can reflect on your progress on your yearly goals — or you can think back on the home decor trends you’ve loved this year. We covered what was making waves a few months back (hello, custom wood details and working pantries!), and now it’s time to see what’s still around, what’s emerged in the months since, and what to expect as 2021 comes to an end.
It’s never too late to redecorate, and there’s plenty of fresh inspo below to help you hit your end-of-year design goals.
Neutrals will always have a place in design, but throughout this year (and into 2022), you can expect color to continue returning with exuberance into homes. “The pandemic has played a huge role in the reemergence of color,” says designer Travis London of Studio London. “People were stuck at home and realized their spaces had no color. The last few years of design have been ruled by neutral colors, and now we are seeing the shift into people wanting color in the home more than ever. They want a different environment — they want their rooms to tell a story.”
Amanda Walker from Dwell Aware agrees, citing an unexpected hue at the forefront of the colorful revival. “While neutrals have had a beautiful moment, deeper and darker colors are going to be showing up in a big way,” she says. “Red tones are circling back again, bringing with them energy and striking beauty.”
Designer Brenda Thomson of House Life Design also calls attention to jewel tones for homeowners looking to play with color in a saturated, trendy way. “Jewel tones are having a moment,” says Thomson. “When using color, it’s important to be intentional so the colors accomplish what you’re after. If you want to add depth to a space, add color to the furthest wall. To add interest, repeat the color around the room. Both options add warmth to a space and provided just enough interest for a custom look.”
Another by-product of the pandemic? The desire — and need — for homes that allow you to escape from daily life without leaving the safety of your four walls. “If we’ve learned anything recently, it’s that we have to find spaces and ways to retreat and relax at home,” says Walker. “Creating designated spots for this is important for our mental health — whether it’s a corner or a whole room, creating beautiful places to be free to rest and reset are key.”
While you might think of this trend as causing a boom in home exercise nooks, meditation rooms, or even dressing areas, don’t discount the power of a little cocktail or coffee corner either. “There’s never been more of a collective need to unwind at the end of the day than there has been this year,” says Molly Torres, designer and owner of DATE Interiors. “I’ve noticed a huge uptick in home bars especially, which we’ve found easy and affordable ways to incorporate into our clients’ projects.”
Things have been getting a little softer and sexier in 2021 — at least when it comes to furniture lines. From curved sofas to rounded display cabinets, these new shapes are surprisingly sharp for something with so little edge (see what I did there?). According to design pros, architectural features are getting in on the action, too. “Rounded shapes are having a moment, and one of the ways I see that coming to life is a resurgence of the classic archway,” says Walker. “Turning a traditional squared doorway into an archway is an instant way to add character and charm to your space.” Of course, this kind of a project requires construction, so you can always paint an arch or half arch instead.
A recurring theme throughout the past few years has been filling your home with things that matter to you and make you happy, and this directive has inevitably trickled over into the art people bring into their homes. “While art isn’t necessarily a trend, clients’ recent willingness to spend time and money sourcing and commissioning special pieces is, and I think it’s one that’s here to stay,” says Torres, who adds that boring white walls just “aren’t going to cut it anymore.”
“We are seeing more people than ever celebrate themselves and family with custom portraits and paintings,” adds London. “We live in a world now where we are always taking photos, and everyone is on social media. Clients now are taking that a step further and having portraits and paintings done of themselves or family and friends and hanging them in their home.”
Germs have been top-of-mind for many people in recent times, so it’s no surprise that design innovations and features have played into this ethos. “As a result of the pandemic, we want anti-microbial everything,” says designer Jeanne Chung, owner of Cozy Stylish Chic. “Thankfully, technology has been on our side, and many of the products and materials available have only gotten better and better. We’ve been seeing a lot of anti-microbial fabrics from companies such as Crypton, while hard surfaces have seen a bigger demand for porcelain, especially countertops. Porcelain is not porous like a natural stone might be, so no liquids can seep in, and it’s hygienic as well as durable and stain- and UV-resistant.”
The impact of this health-conscious attitude can also be seen in the emergence of touchless appliances, chic hand sanitizers, and more, says Chung. “While touchless and voice control features have been around for a while, they have gained popularity in the past 18 months as a result of the pandemic,” she says.
If you’re one of the many (many) homeowners who adopted a dog or cat during the pandemic, you’re not alone. The ASPCA reports a staggering 23 million American households added a new fur baby bestie to their homes over the past 18 months, and with that can come changes to decor. “Many people became new pet owners during the pandemic, while others became closer to their pets during this time,” explains London. “Due to that, we’re now seeing a home trend where the pets have their own space.”
Consider carving out an under-the-staircase hideout for Fido or a bookshelf hangout for your kitty. Not in the budget? Don’t worry — loads of stylish solutions out there can still make you and your pet happy, from sculptural cat scratch posts to mid-century inspired food bowls. “Now, pet products aren’t just stand-alone solutions but stylish extensions of your home decor,” London says.
Practicality (and longevity) will never not be important to homeowners, but gone are the years where we expect our countertops and finishes to remain pristine for decades. In fact, that ethos has almost switched entirely now, with many embracing a new version of permanence and livability that emphasizes a well-worn, patinated aesthetic.
“We have been seeing a big shift towards more honed, matte, and leathered ‘lived-in’ finishes,” says Chung. “Polished finishes can be a bit harsh, so we prefer going with a softer look. It’s about achieving balance — in a recent modern French kitchen that we completed (pictured here), we opted for a leathered white marble island but used a polished Alpi Verde stone (it read as black but is actually green) on the perimeter.” The idea is for these materials to show their age and just feel more causal in general.
This Is the New Living Room “It” Pillow
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Velten-Lattrell’s designs are rooted in what she calls “aesthetic curiosity” and tap into things the inner child would love. Her vision revolves around “play,” and she prefers rooms to have a few high-impact pieces rather than a jumble of furniture and tchotchkes. That’s where her Big Sur Cushions come in, which are inspired by the California waves and hills of her youth. A third-generation Californian, Velten-Lattrell is now raising her family in New Jersey. Because of that, her work has a hint of nostalgia in it. “I try to instill the romance of my home state in what I do,” she says. “I miss the landscape — the rolling hills, the rolling waves, and both the irregularities and routine patterns of nature.”
The Big Sur Cushions first launched during the start of the pandemic in 2020 and are meant to tone down statement headboards and replace “cluttered sofas with something both sweet and strange,” according to Velten-Lattrell. These cushions also touch on nostalgia. “Nostalgia definitely trends in times of hardship… it just triggers comfort,” Velten-Lattrell says. “Without leaning too far into a single trend, scallops and wavy lines have been a part of my design aesthetic for some time and remind me of my childhood room.” Maybe that’s the case for you, too. Either way, there’s something so happy and whimsical about these silhouettes; they don’t take themselves too seriously, and they come in a bevy of patterns and colors, which means something is bound to work with your decor.
Rose Greenberg’s comb and squiggle pillows illicit a similar reaction. Greenberg, who sadly passed away in 2020, saw her pillows as more than just decor. They were “half home accessory, half entertaining friend,” according to her. In honor of Greenberg’s memory, both Greenberg’s mother, Zoe Friedlander, and two friends, Anna and Bailey, continue to make her sculptural cushions. Greenberg first made the comb-shaped cushions for her own apartment, but she loved the way her friends interacted with the cushions. This made her think others would love a squiggle pillow of their own.
“Rose started with the comb pillows, and because they kind of have limbs and are often made from tactile fabric, people were literally embracing them,” says Friedlander. “As more and more people bought RG pillows, they would often send photos of themselves tangled up with their pillows or of their friends snuggling with the pillows and, most often, of their pets with the pillows. People were DMing saying, ‘Your art is the universal friend’ and ‘My dog truly only sits next to or under your pillow.’” Greenberg loved these stories and to expand upon the role the pillows could play in others’ lives, she began brainstorming what other interactive shapes she might create, which led to her making squiggles and spirals.
All of these shapes bring a lot of comfort and joy, and these last couple of years have made many want to pad their homes (pun intended!) with fun pieces that bring delight. “The COVID lockdown caused people to stay home a lot more,” says Friedlander. “Rose saw that people were lonely and needed comfort. Her combs, squiggles, and other sculptural pillows are uplifting, therapeutic, and also fun to look at, which is just what people need now.”
So if you’re looking for a playful piece that’s defiantly happy in the face of today’s trying times, either of these designers’ designs just might be it. Handmade and unique, they’re all very much splurges, but if something as simple as a squiggle pillow can put a smile on your face and give you something comforting to cuddle, you can’t put a price on that.