Home - your sanctuary and safe space

Post Covid Interior Trends #Comfort-Centred

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaped how much time we spend in the comfort of our homes, and has brought on an increased desire for extra comforts and utilising our space in new ways. At the latest Seeff Fernkloof Ladies Event 2022, Patti di Ciccio - Interior Designer and Decor specialist (in collaboration with Mavromac and The Gatehouse) - spoke about loving your home and the latest trends in interior design forecasted for 2022. Forty years of experience has moulded this sparkling personality of an interior designer with an eye for home renovations that truly delights the heart.

As di Ciccio said, "We all went into lockdown, and discovered ourselves . . . Our home became so much more than the house that we live in. It became our sanctuary, our safe space where we laughed, and cried, worked and created. It became an extension of ourselves".

We suddenly took on more creative tasks, cleared out our cupboards, started playing board games and a host of other activities to pass the time within the confines of our homes. We were now having online meetings, half dressed for the webcam, in our dining rooms and bedrooms. Gymming took place in our living rooms, and lunch times were spent in those cozy breakfast nooks in the kitchen. The home dynamic changed with children at home more, having online classes. For most, these changes are still visible in their homes, with many working more remotely. Our homes have become an extension of our lives, and we - to a large extent - integrated into every nook and cranny thereof.

The home has become our haven, our respite from the stress of post-pandemic life. This need for comfort has extended beyond the pandemic, as well as ourselves becoming such an integral part of our homes and seeing our sense of self therein.

In the Chinese Year of the Tiger, di Ciccio says that the design industry forecasts decorating that is "bolder, zestier, feistier, and regal, a new era of playfulness - even whimsical":

• "Unpretentious comfort and fresh humor" are the order of the day. Top global designers are incorporating "natural textures, linens, cottons, cotton velvets, lots of luxury. Natural colours, white is also big! Green, any shade of green is very big. Back to nature but with a touch of fun".

• The pantone colour of 2022 have created a colour specifically for this year, Very Peri, "regal/playful and a statement colour"

• "Mirrors are huge this year, lots of reflection and light - mirrors of all shapes and sizes, paint finishes, natural wood, gilded mirrors..."

• "Books are on trend, your own library, coffee table books that tell stories..."

• "Statement lighting is very in, not only to create a mood, but to make a statement, it's become a piece of art, a glorious chandelier, art nouveau table lamp that you found somewhere, a modern table lamp, create a statement."

• "Wallpaper is in - was it ever out? - lots of textured wallpaper, grass, silk, texture."

• "Patio furniture is moving towards comfort - relaxing and inviting, patios have become our own restaurants."

• "Our bedrooms are a very big focus this year - the focus on luxury and comfort - [and] what could be more inviting than sleeping under Egyptian cotton, or natural linen bedding. Luxury layering of our beds. It is really worthwhile spending money on excellent quality bed linen."

The daring year of 2022 is about creating an intimate home, feeling at home in your space and adding a dash of "boldness, add that mismatched chair in a luxurious fabric, tell a story of who you are..." To be inspired and find elegant and resplendent furnishings and lifestyle, pop into The Gatehouse at 20 High Street in Hermanus. For a skilled touch to redecorate your home, have a chat with Patti di Ciccio +27(0) 82 822 2486.

Be bold, tell your story, make it your home. As for where to buy or build your home, why not look at picturesque Hermanus? Let Seeff Hermanus assist you in finding a home with tranquillity and natural elements all around you. After all, "Home is our Story".