March 28, 2024

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Love your Curiosity

2022 home design colors, tile and other trends for the Pacific Northwest

Your once-makeshift home office is now probably all dialed in. Other upgrades made quickly to stay put during the coronavirus pandemic have also most likely been sorted out. Now it’s time for home improvements not decided in a hurry.

To inspire you, here are expected home design and renovation trends for 2022, as noted by designers with Neil Kelly, a design-build remodel and home improvement company that started in Portland seven decades ago.

Natural and Organic Style
The sculptural freestanding tub and reclaimed cedar wall paneling create a visual connection with nature in this master bathroom.

Design by Janel Campbell | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

The sculptural freestanding tub and reclaimed cedar wall paneling create a visual connection with nature in this bathroom designed by Janel Campbell.Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

People who seek tranquil, clutter-free homes are incorporating shapes, colors and textures found in nature. Warmer browns, greens and blues, as well as curving lines, visually bring the outside in and that “can help people feel more grounded,” said Neil Kelly design director Barbara Miller.

Idea: A sculptural, freestanding tub and reclaimed cedar wall paneling in a bathroom designed by Janel Campbell are nods to the natural world.

02 Nature Inspired Colors

Inspired by the outdoors, this kitchen’s color palette is unified by lush grey-green backsplash tile extending all the way to the ceiling.

Design by Therese DuBravac | Photo by Neil Kelly Company

Designer Therese DuBravac was inspired by the outdoors when creating this kitchen’s color palette, which is unified by gray-green tile used as a backsplash that extends to the ceiling.
Neil Kelly Company

The color trend is moving away from all-white or all-gray kitchens and bathrooms to the use of more color, especially nature-inspired hues of green, blue and brown. “Green is really having a moment,” said Miller.

Organic green was selected as the paint color of the year: Behr introduced sea-glass Breezeway; Sherwin-Williams’ Evergreen Fog is a green-gray with a bit of blue; and Benjamin Moore’s October Mist is a sage color that evokes the silver-green stem of a flower.

Other Benjamin Moore’s 2022 color trends include:

Idea: Designer Therese DuBravac was inspired by the outdoors when creating a kitchen’s color palette, which is unified by gray-green tile used as a backsplash that extends to the ceiling.

03 Black as Accent Color

Black cabinets add drama and sophistication to this kitchen design, especially when paired with brushed metal hardware.

Design by Mary Miksch | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

Black cabinets add drama and sophistication to this kitchen, designed by Mary Miksch, especially when paired with brushed metal hardware.Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

A trend Neil Kelly designers endorse is to add higher levels of contrast. One way is to pair black with other neutrals.

Idea: Black cabinets bring sophistication to a kitchen designed by Mary Miksch. The color really pops with brushed metal hardware.

  • Houzz, an online design source with more than 2.7 million active home remodeling and design professionals contributing ideas, has photos of black cabinets
  • See images of brushed metal knobs, pulls, brackets and other hardware
04 Cleaner Kitchens

Though they require precision to install, porcelain slab counters are becoming more popular because of their beauty and resistance to staining.

Design by Rob Barham | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

Porcelain slab counters seen in this kitchen designed by Rob Barham are stain resistant. Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

COVID-19 has increased interest in home hygiene and sanitation, and the demand for easy-to-clean surfaces and materials continues to grow.

People are installing non-porous counters as well as touch-less faucets, and creating sanitation-recycling hubs.

Idea: Although they require precision to install, non-porous porcelain slab counters such as the one in a kitchen designed by Rob Barham are popular because of their attractive appearance and resistance to staining.

05 Tile in Non-Traditional Shapes

More contemporary baths are incorporating square tile alternatives, such as the herringbone tile adorning this master bath.

Design by Kimithy Nagel | Photo by Malia Campbell

Herringbone tile was installed in this bathroom designed by Kimithy Nagel.Malia Campbell

Homeowners who are looking beyond classic gray and white subway tiles are exploring different colors, sizes and patterns. Tone-on-tone patterns deliver subtle visual interest.

Idea: A contemporary approach is to install square tile alternatives such as herringbone as specified by designer Kimithy Nagel in a client’s bathroom.

06 Bidets and Bathroom Safety

For homeowners concerned about the environment, bidet seats offer a more sanitary, more sustainable option for the bathroom.

Design by Fabian Genovesi | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

Bidet seats, such as the one installed in a remodel designed by Fabian Genovesi, offer a more sanitary, more sustainable option for the bathroom.

Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

Bathroom remodels that will serve well into the future include universal design principles such as wider access for people using walkers or wheelchairs, easy-to-reach and ADA-compliant vanities, and threshold-free showers with a bench and high-contrast tile.

Other aging-in-place features are architectural-looking grab bars and enhanced lighting.

Idea: Americans are discovering water-spraying bidets are more sanitary and create less waste than traditional toilets. Aging-in-place experts say a bidet may be the difference between independence and needing assistance.

For homeowners concerned about the environment, bidet seats, such as the one installed in a remodel designed by Fabian Genovesi, offer a more sanitary, more sustainable option for the bathroom.

07 Additions

In this SW Portland home, an addition added more space to the kitchen, and created an entirely new master suite on the second floor directly above.

Design by Byron Kellar | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

A two-story addition to a house in Southwest Portland that was designed by Byron Kellar expanded the size of the kitchen on the main level and created an entirely new primary suite above it.Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

People stuck at home to reduce the risk of COVID-19 converted underused areas of their property to flexible spaces to work, exercise and relax. Some also added onto their home to bring extended family members together.

More homeowners are expected to look into enlarging their existing house because of the tight real estate market. Options include a second floor addition, converting the barebones basement into finished living space, and constructing a self-contained apartment, also known as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU).

Idea: A two-story addition to a house in Southwest Portland that was designed by Byron Kellar expanded the size of the kitchen on the main level and created an entirely new primary suite above it.

08 Outdoor Living

With this glorious covered patio, which features its own kitchen, living room, and fireplace, the homeowners can experience the outdoors any time of year – even in the Pacific Northwest.

Design by Tonya Bellusci | Photo by Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

An outdoor living space designed by Tonya Bellusci includes a covered patio with a living room, fireplace and kitchen.Darius Kuzmickas/KuDa Photography

Outdoor entertaining may have started as a way to safely gather with friends and family during the coronavirus pandemic, but al fresco living is here to stay. And for many, relaxing outside extends to all four seasons.

Decks, patios, even an enclosed porch can became an extension of a home, in style and quality.

Today’s outdoor living spaces are decked out with comfort controls, smart media and built-in storage. Full-size appliances and a stocked wet bar make it easier to entertain.

Idea: An outdoor living space designed by Tonya Bellusci has a covered patio with a living room, fireplace and kitchen.

Due to higher demand, more interior building materials like Caesarstone’s Solaris exterior counters are being made to be approved for outdoor use.

— As told to Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

[email protected] | @janeteastman