Maison & Objet: Elizabeth Leriche on This Year's Design Trends
What's new? The trend forecaster tells us about her Elements of Nature exhibit at the 2022 iconic Paris fair
Among the most anticipated moments in the March 2022 edition of the Maison & Objet trade show was Elizabeth Leriche’s What’s New exhibit, which highlighted the year’s trends. What’s New spanned objects, furniture, textiles and tableware, drawing on the new collections presented at the fair. This year, in a complicated situation where a number of exhibitors were unable to attend or present a new collection, the trend forecaster and founder of her eponymous style agency chose to unite the trends under the theme ‘Elements of Nature’. This is “a trend that is already entrenched, a clear value in our interiors, which we look to for comfort above all in this troubled time,” she says.
Elizabeth Leriche’s new exhibit, ‘Elements of Nature’, at Maison & Objet 2022.
- Essential nature emphasises the rustic, artisanal and local. Thanks to the contribution of digital artist Riccardo Fornoni and his talent in 3D design, Leriche represented this theme through the likeness of a contemporary farm lost among golden wheat. Natural fibres including linen, wood and colours anchored in the earth, from terracotta to sand, come together to help us through a worrying future.
Elizabeth Leriche’s new exhibit, ‘Elements of Nature’, at Maison & Objet 2022.
- Sculptural nature grounds itself in a mineral, almost brutalist universe. This colder, contemporary theme appeals to the strength of materials such as marble or travertine, to the sculptural aspect of furniture in totemic shapes, and to a telluric experience where colours emerge from the art of fire, from white to black passing through anthracite or even dark red.
Elizabeth Leriche’s new exhibit, ‘Elements of Nature’, at Maison & Objet 2022.
The big trends for 2022
Even for a seasoned trend forecaster, exhibiting trends is far from a simple exercise. “When summarising the trends and creating each of these decorative worlds, I always tried to reach the visitor on an emotional level because it goes back to the universal. I close my eyes in search of emotions and sensations and try to imagine the feeling of the materials and colours in order to be connected with the visitors, who will be in contact with these objects at the fair,” says Leriche.
Nonetheless, she can fall back on more than 20 years of experience in style agencies, where she analyses the buzz in the worlds of fashion, decor, design and technology. She likewise draws on her work as consultant at La Redoute Interiors, where she works on collections of furniture, decor and textiles.
The big trends for 2022
Even for a seasoned trend forecaster, exhibiting trends is far from a simple exercise. “When summarising the trends and creating each of these decorative worlds, I always tried to reach the visitor on an emotional level because it goes back to the universal. I close my eyes in search of emotions and sensations and try to imagine the feeling of the materials and colours in order to be connected with the visitors, who will be in contact with these objects at the fair,” says Leriche.
Nonetheless, she can fall back on more than 20 years of experience in style agencies, where she analyses the buzz in the worlds of fashion, decor, design and technology. She likewise draws on her work as consultant at La Redoute Interiors, where she works on collections of furniture, decor and textiles.
Brunante paint from the Horizon collection from Atelier Germain.
Mauve breakthrough
Because of this, Leriche has an unparalleled view on what our homes will look like in the coming months or more long-term, as she draws up trends well in advance. “Ten years ago I proposed rose-coloured sofas, at a time when beige was the most sold. We had to wait for 2020 for apricot, terracotta, khaki and eucalyptus to finally dethrone beige. In beds, the best-selling colours are still blue and mustard. And Art Deco motifs, which we already proposed five years ago, are still loved by the general public. From this season onwards, there is a notable increase in pastel colours, in particular [on the] mauve to violet [spectrum],” she says.
Mauve breakthrough
Because of this, Leriche has an unparalleled view on what our homes will look like in the coming months or more long-term, as she draws up trends well in advance. “Ten years ago I proposed rose-coloured sofas, at a time when beige was the most sold. We had to wait for 2020 for apricot, terracotta, khaki and eucalyptus to finally dethrone beige. In beds, the best-selling colours are still blue and mustard. And Art Deco motifs, which we already proposed five years ago, are still loved by the general public. From this season onwards, there is a notable increase in pastel colours, in particular [on the] mauve to violet [spectrum],” she says.
Designer Claude Cartier’s flat in Lyon, France.
Vintage, colours and curves
What other trends will be significant in 2022? “The biggest trend is to anchor the home in the authentic and essential, which makes it easy to borrow from nature. For the same reason, vintage speaks to people in their thirties, who have an appetite for the ’70s, second-hand shopping and recycling,” she says.
“Alongside this return to origins, we observe a more optimistic and regressive current, marked by the return of colour and curved patterns. It is a fantasy that almost tends towards transgressive luxury as evoked by trend forecaster Vincent Grégoire as a theme for this edition of the fair, which he entitled New Luxury.”
Browse stunning living spaces by Australian designers
Vintage, colours and curves
What other trends will be significant in 2022? “The biggest trend is to anchor the home in the authentic and essential, which makes it easy to borrow from nature. For the same reason, vintage speaks to people in their thirties, who have an appetite for the ’70s, second-hand shopping and recycling,” she says.
“Alongside this return to origins, we observe a more optimistic and regressive current, marked by the return of colour and curved patterns. It is a fantasy that almost tends towards transgressive luxury as evoked by trend forecaster Vincent Grégoire as a theme for this edition of the fair, which he entitled New Luxury.”
Browse stunning living spaces by Australian designers
La Gare restaurant in Paris, France, designed by Laura Gonzales. Photo by Jérome Galland.
Mix and match
Nonetheless, Elizabeth Leriche points to how our relationship to trends has evolved. “Boomers from a certain social background are still using trends as rules. But Millennials take the liberty of creating their own style. I said that today there is no longer a diktat of trends. It’s the end of the total look and the advent of mix and match,” she says.
She cites decorator Laura Gonzalez as a prime example of this trend. Gonzalez is an aficionada of eclectic style, where uninhibited, on-trend fantasies collide with old traditions in an explosion of colours.
Mix and match
Nonetheless, Elizabeth Leriche points to how our relationship to trends has evolved. “Boomers from a certain social background are still using trends as rules. But Millennials take the liberty of creating their own style. I said that today there is no longer a diktat of trends. It’s the end of the total look and the advent of mix and match,” she says.
She cites decorator Laura Gonzalez as a prime example of this trend. Gonzalez is an aficionada of eclectic style, where uninhibited, on-trend fantasies collide with old traditions in an explosion of colours.
This renovated 120-square-metre apartment in Paris, France, by OUI Architecture, encapsulates the current trends for embracing natural textiles and comfort at home. Photo by Thomas De Bruyne.
Love of unique pieces and natural materials
Besides eclecticism, Leriche sees bohemian style and a love of linen and other natural fibres is still going strong. As is our attraction to minimalism, with a preference for the quality of unique pieces of artisanal art rather than frenetic consumption. “In an increasingly digitalised society, materials and ceramics in particular have never been so attractive,” she says.
What about the future of the home?
We also asked Leriche about how she sees the home emerge over the next few years – a difficult question given that we seem to be at a turning point.
Streamlining essentials in our interiors
“It is up to us to have gratitude that we have a home,” she says. In this disquieting time full of global uncertainty, Leriche points to the re-centring of priorities in our interiors. “We prefer a healthy and comforting home that includes products whose origins and supply chains can be more easily traced and a reinforced connection with nature,” she says.
Love of unique pieces and natural materials
Besides eclecticism, Leriche sees bohemian style and a love of linen and other natural fibres is still going strong. As is our attraction to minimalism, with a preference for the quality of unique pieces of artisanal art rather than frenetic consumption. “In an increasingly digitalised society, materials and ceramics in particular have never been so attractive,” she says.
What about the future of the home?
We also asked Leriche about how she sees the home emerge over the next few years – a difficult question given that we seem to be at a turning point.
Streamlining essentials in our interiors
“It is up to us to have gratitude that we have a home,” she says. In this disquieting time full of global uncertainty, Leriche points to the re-centring of priorities in our interiors. “We prefer a healthy and comforting home that includes products whose origins and supply chains can be more easily traced and a reinforced connection with nature,” she says.
Photo from Libeco Home.
The trend forecaster also notes a recent tendency among certain families to move to the peripheries of towns, anxious for more nature as well as self sufficiency or energy independence.
She likewise sketches the portrait of a home that is at once a “cocoon and porous” and a place of “protection without disconnection,” imagining that technology will have a big role to play in allowing us to remain connected with the planet. She emphasises “the aspect of facilitating connectivity and private home automation to simplify our lives”.
Leriche also bets that working from home is here to stay, which will impose the necessity of including the best-possible office in the home. She also stresses “flexible, rather than set interiors,” capable of addressing the needs of different generations living under the same roof, creating homes that adapt to different people at different points in their lives.
She leaves us the keywords to writing the future of our homes: “comfort/consolation and inventiveness/creativity”. Let’s make good use of them!
The trend forecaster also notes a recent tendency among certain families to move to the peripheries of towns, anxious for more nature as well as self sufficiency or energy independence.
She likewise sketches the portrait of a home that is at once a “cocoon and porous” and a place of “protection without disconnection,” imagining that technology will have a big role to play in allowing us to remain connected with the planet. She emphasises “the aspect of facilitating connectivity and private home automation to simplify our lives”.
Leriche also bets that working from home is here to stay, which will impose the necessity of including the best-possible office in the home. She also stresses “flexible, rather than set interiors,” capable of addressing the needs of different generations living under the same roof, creating homes that adapt to different people at different points in their lives.
She leaves us the keywords to writing the future of our homes: “comfort/consolation and inventiveness/creativity”. Let’s make good use of them!
Pack sofa from Francesco Binfaré from Edra. Photo from Edra.
Your turn
Which of these design directions are your clients already asking for? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need to read more on the latest global trends? Get the latest here with 10 USA Tapware Trends for Kitchens and Baths in 2022
Your turn
Which of these design directions are your clients already asking for? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need to read more on the latest global trends? Get the latest here with 10 USA Tapware Trends for Kitchens and Baths in 2022
An ode to nature
Elizabeth Leriche’s iteration of Maison & Objet’s annual What’s New exhibit, entitled ‘Elements of Nature’, revolves around three themes. We can draw on these three decorative worlds to breathe new life into our homes and soothe the current international air of disenchantment.