MAKE ANY ROOM LUXURIOUS WITH JEWEL TONE DESIGN TRENDS
After many months spent at home, Americans are looking for ways to mix things up. We are searching for ways in which to create spaces that better represent our personalities, express our dreams and recall our memories. As such, trends like Grand millennial, “Granny-Chic,” “Maximalist” and “Jewel-Toned” interiors have skyrocketed to the top of mood boards all across the country. With their saturated hues and fascinating histories, jewel tones make perfect sense for 2022 interiors. Follow below to learn more about 2022’s hottest interior decorating trend and how to make jewel tone interior design work in your home.
JEWEL TONES EMERGE AS STAND-OUT STYLE TREND AFTER DECADES OF MINIMALISM
In our recent post “Rustic Vogue Interiors,” we noted that minimalism might be a thing of the past. We explained that the Great Recession of the late aughts popularized minimalism as Americans tightened their belts and their wallets. Explaining how rustic vogue interiors captured emerged post-pandemic, we wrote “‘it became necessary and desirable to learn to rely on less’” after the Recession. In the last several years, minimalism has transformed and “rebranded itself as curatorial and high-class.” Instead of an exercise in restraint and humility, minimalism became curatorial.
Unfortunately, the “thoughtful, less-is-more approach” of the late aughts and early 2010s “morphed into ‘high-design’ — which in turn translated to ‘high-cost.’” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early 2020, many Americans turned from minimalism. They did so due to its inherent lack of comfort and allowance for self-expression. In March, we wrote that “focus on the livability and comfort of our homes became not only important but vital.” The cold, curated and clean nature of minimalist interiors no longer meshed with the lives we were living. Our new lives were lived entirely at home, in a space that did not speak for us. Today, our bold, exciting interiors fit our personalities! Jewel tone interior design expresses our vibrancy, our joy and our hope for the future as we look to the past for inspiration.
ALL THE REASONS WE LOVE JEWEL TONES
Jewel-toned accents are just as impactful as an entire space outfitted in citrine, yellow sapphire blue or ruby red.
Color is one of the simplest, most impactful ways to change how a room feels. Shades of yellow energize, while shades of gray soothe. One striking wash of navy creates an introspective mood, while red evokes hunger and passion. Much can be said with color. At Laura U, we like to bring natural and organic elements into our interiors, and we certainly do that with jewel tone interior design.
Jewel tones are lovely shades that resemble the precious stones of their namesakes: ruby, amethyst, citrine, sapphire, emerald, and garnet. Found in nature but brilliant in an otherworldly way, these colors add richness, femininity, and an undeniable dose of glamour to any space.
JEWEL TONE INTERIOR DESIGN IS IN FOR 2021
This bedroom designed by the Laura U Design Collective team features a wallcovering by ID Collection US, a custom headboard upholstered in Unika Vaev upholstery, a bedside table by Madegoods, and a rug by sustainable brand Jaipur Living. The multi-colored pillow is covered in fabric from Pollack Textiles.
Countless designers and trend-watchers have declared jewel tone interior design as a stand-out trend for 2021. In her December 2020 article “These Are the Hottest Color Trends For 2021” for Apartment Therapy, Jessica Wang pointed to jewel tones. According to Wang, “designers have declared jewel and warm earth tones to be the hottest color trends of 2021.” This turn indicates “a preference for cozier hues.” Wang writes that “emerald green and cobalt blue” are most popular this year. She expects this to be especially true during the Autumn and Winter months as the seasons begin to change. Quoting interior designer Gil Melott, Wang elaborates. Melott notes that “‘the use of color in design is often a sign of the times as much as of the inhabitants.’” After the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are in far different places — both metaphorically and physically. Jewel tone interior design allows us to revisit the simultaneously joyful and deep parts of ourselves.
Writing for Veranda in her article “Top Interior Designers Predict The Biggest Color Trends for 2021,” Lauren Wicks agrees with Wang and Melott. Wicks identifies jewel tones like ruby and sapphire as the perfect colors to encapsulate this year’s hopeful and present attitude. Speaking with Allison Caccoma, Wicks writes that homeowners are searching for “‘feel-good happiness’” in 2021. As such, Caccoma anticipates interiors this year will continue to be “‘all about refreshing and reinvigorating color.’” Clearly, jewel tone interior design resonates with homeowners and designers alike.
HOW TO COMPLETELY TRANSFORM YOUR INTERIOR WITH JEWEL TONES
Sapphire blue, teal, and citrine welcoming and relaxing bedroom space
While many design rules are meant to be broken, one thing is true: jewel tone decor instantly transforms a room. From accent walls to area rugs and mirrors, these deep hues work just about anywhere. Here are our top tips for how you can use jewel tones to add interest and glamour to your home’s interior design.
#1 USE A TONAL COLOR PALETTE TO MAKE A STATEMENT
Shades of pink and touches of gold turn this master bedroom into a chic feminine primary suite
At its core, interior design is about making a statement through color, contrast, and balance. Using a tonal color palette is a great way to add depth and dimension to your interior. Tonal colors have the same hue, brightness, and intensity. They coordinate with each other effortlessly, with their slight differences providing pleasant, albeit subtle, contrast.
When you first look at this primary suite, the tonal pinks will certainly catch your eye. Slight variations from fuchsia to salmon, are thoughtfully centered on the showstopping bed. The rest of the room is a mixture of white, pale blush, taupe, and espresso. It creates a backdrop that is subtle, textural, and neutral, providing a gorgeous base for the pops of bold pink. The gold in the rug, the pale pink quartz accent pillows, and fresh flowers create a lovely balance. The area rug unites the pinks in the space, bridging the palest tones to the deepest ones.
#2 INCORPORATE A JEWEL TONE…OR THREE
This jewel tone bed frame creates a beautiful focal point in this playful bedroom
Jewel tones are stunning on their own, but they take on new life when paired with other jewel tones. While one statement piece can make a splash, sometimes you want the whole room to exude color, energy, and brightness. Don’t be afraid to make a bold statement and dress the room from top to bottom in color.
In this chic bedroom, a neutral color palette with pops of sapphire, turquoise, and citrine turn the bed into the room’s focal point. Softer hues in the rug carry the color palette through the design without it becoming overwhelming. White walls, touches of metallic gold, and beautiful lines of symmetry give your eye a place to rest.
#3 SOFTEN JEWEL TONES WITH NEUTRALS
Another way to design with jewel tones is to pair them with neutral colors. Though it makes a more subtle statement, the jewel tones will definitely pop. Homeowners should keep in mind that jewel tones need not be punchy in order to have impact. The soft citrine fabric of the throw pillows pictured above works perfectly with the muted sapphire of the headboard and bed frame. Homeowners might combine classic patterns and unexpected textures — e.g. chinoiserie and velvet — with jewel tones. This creates a rich, elegant space that is as current as it is timeless. This room is a stunning example of how neutrals and jewel tones can be paired together for a powerful yet understated space.
#4 ADD METALLIC TOUCHES TO MAKE JEWEL TONES SHINE
Jewel tones and brushed brass add richness to this light and bright office
Like a gorgeous piece of jewelry, the best way to make your jewel tones sparkle and shine is to pair them with warm metallics. In our recent post “7 Unusual Laundry Room Ideas,” we noted that metallic wallpapers create dimension. They do so while bringing a glamorous, luxurious feel to the space. We wrote that “this shine will bounce light around the room, making the ceilings seem more vaulted than they actually are.” Metallic elements in interior design can also “make the rest of the space feel airier than it really is.” Gold and brass are perfect for warming up a room, while the sleek finish of polished nickel and chrome offer the perfect finishing touch.
Though you can’t see it in this photo, our client’s recording studio is around the corner. We wanted the energy and life that happens in the studio to come through in the design of their music room. Grounded in a neutral color palette of beiges and creams, the accents of pink and citrine add richness to this bright office space. This colorful study was featured in Modern Luxury Texas Interiors. For this space, we selected a few other rosy-hued items for capturing the same feel in any interior. Beige walls, white drapery, and a pale pink desk chair provide a calming balance to the deep pink and rich citrine. The jewel tones in the rug and ombre velvet chair add a sophisticated, feminine feel while accents of brass create depth and drama. Brushed brass legs on the desk, light fixture, and edging on the footstools bring out the room’s luxe factor in a subtle way. A magenta accent chair adds just the right touch of jewel tone to this living room.
#5 ACCESSORIZE WITH JEWEL TONES FOR AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
The Dumbarton Residence family room includes a Columbus Trunk Console from Four Hands, a bench-made sectional fabricated by our House + Town, pillows upholstered in Seema Krish fabric, and a gorgeous emerald green Sherrill Furniture lounge chair.
Another way to incorporate jewel tones into your interior design is with your accessories. A few touches of jewel tone decor bring depth and richness to the design that light colors can’t. Create a bold accent wall or coordinate with your drapery or your favorite work of art. The accessories don’t have to be the room’s focal point, but they should complement the other pieces.
One of our favorite projects to utilize jewel tones in an unexpected way was our Dumbarton Residence project. In our “Final Reveal Friday” post about the project, we delved into the inspirations behind the color palette of this gorgeous space. Inspired by sapphire and emerald jewel tones, we brought the beauty of the Irish coast to life through a bold color palette and thoughtful accessories. This is most apparent in the home’s family room, where we paired neutral warm white walls with dark brown reclaimed wood for a “collected feel.” In the family room, we added pops of playful color for an unexpected twist on this warm and rich space. We added an emerald green Sherrill Furniture lounge chair and pillows upholstered in sapphire blue Seema Krish fabric.
JEWEL TONE INTERIOR DESIGN IN YOUR HOME
The emerald jewel tones in this laundry room are perfectly set against silver and brass accents.
You can use jewel tones to accent the design or as your overall color palette. A touch of jewel tone decor adds a subtle hint of drama and acts like a piece of jewelry for your room. Using jewel tones all over transforms your room into a stunning refuge and makes a bold statement. Even in the laundry room pictured above, jewel tones can transform a space from ho-hum to absolutely spectacular. Don’t be afraid to pair jewel tones with metallic elements or patterns. No matter how you use these gemstone shades, they’ll make your room really shine!
