Your Guide to Mindful Art and Colour Trends 2024
Every year, fresh trends emerge across fashion, design, cuisine, and music. Unsurprisingly, art is not exempt from this cycle. With each passing year, different artistic styles and mediums gain popularity among insiders. But for those not deeply involved in the art world as designers or gallery owners, it might seem challenging to keep up. In the projected trends for 2024, industry insiders anticipate collectors seeking artworks that radiate boldness. According to Audra Kiewiet de Jonge, the founder of Art/artefact, contemporary collectors are drawn to art that inspires wonder and invites discovery.
Here is a summary of my findings on the art and colour trends I've come across recently whilst reading press such as Vogue , Elle Decor and Architectural Digest. I’d love to hear if you have any more!
Art Cultivating Serenity
Air Collection, 2024
In the midst of our increasingly busy lives, art is beyond mere decoration. More than ever art is here to serve a deeper purpose.
The principles of mindfulness and wellness have taken centre stage in home decor as we learn the importance of living and working in a heralty space. In 2024, wall art presents serene landscapes, both gentle and bright colour schemes, and imagery that evokes profound calmness and tranquility. These artworks are made to reshape your living space into a sanctuary, fostering a lifestyle that nurtures peace and relaxation. Artworks that are not merely meant to be observed, but experienced. Art which brings an invitation to pause amidst our daily hustle and embrace moments of introspection and stillness.
Sustainable elegance
In 2024, the wave of eco-consciousness is sweeping through the world of wall art, and the rise of sustainable elegance. Thankfully, It's not just a passing trend. Increasingly, artworks proudly display their eco-friendly credentials, often responsibly sourced and recycled materials.
At Sanctuary Art Studios, we're dedicated to this cause. For every print sold, we plant a fruit tree, contributing to the support of our planet's well-being.
Dopamine decor
“62 per cent of collectors are purchasing bold, colourful artworks,” Nuria Madrenas from Tacit Collective says.
This ongoing trend appears to be an extension of "dopamine decor," which first emerged during the pandemic. "Dopamine decor" embodies vibrant hues and designs engineered to stimulate joy, positivity, and brightness, creating a sense of dopamine-induced delight.
Saniya Kantawala Design, founder of SKD notes,
“The dopamine decor trend is all about vivid colours, clashing patterns, maximalism and pure happiness. This trend brings back memories of a carefree childhood when the bedroom walls had your favourite celebrity posters, playful signages, eccentric lights and objects that elicit a deep sense of joy. Eschewing from the concept of minimalism, dopamine decor is about going all out. It is all about layering one’s space in umpteen textures, colours and patterns and anything that brings joy. While it may seem chaotic, it still ties together into an aesthetically pleasing design grammar,” says Saniya Kantawala.
Smaller prints are back
As the trend towards compact living, including apartments and townhouses, continues to rise, sales data reveals that 75 percent of initial art purchases predominantly comprise smaller-scale pieces, typically measuring 40 by 50 centimeters or smaller. The dimensions and style of acquired artworks are significantly influenced by the limited space available in these living arrangements. Additionally, choosing smaller prints presents a more cost-effective option, ensuring that art collections remain accessible even during periods of a cost-of-living crisis without imposing undue financial burdens.
Large, oversized wall art is still valid
The appeal of large, oversized wall art remains strong. Sizeable artworks have the power to completely transform a space, allowing for a bold expression that mirrors your individual personality and style. This grand scale of wall art not only adds magnificence to a room but also functions as a captivating focal point, anchoring the entire space. While oversized pieces are especially impactful in larger rooms or those with high ceilings, they can also instill a sense of grandeur in smaller spaces.
Mix it up
Why confine yours or your clients art collection to a single medium when we're many-sided individuals? The concept of art collection has evolved beyond traditional canvas paintings. Incorporating mixed materials introduces a newfound richness to your space, creating layers and depth. As one expert wisely notes, "A well-rounded collection embraces diverse mediums," encouraging exploration across various styles and expanding artistic preferences.
Reconnect with nature
In an era marked by growing environmental concerns and societal anxieties, the resurgence of landscape art has emerged as a profound narrative. This form of artwork functions as a visual sanctuary, providing solace and an avenue for escape. Imagine serene settings, with mountainscapes evoking majestic tranquility, seascapes embodying the calm of the ocean, and botanical images capturing intricate beauty.
Landscapes symbolise a collective yearning to be closer to nature, offering a visual focal point to escape the chaos of everyday life.
Portraiture
From the dawn of art, portraiture has been a constant, and its appeal is experiencing a revival. Contemporary portraits embrace a vivid and radiant style. Choose portraits that personally resonate with you; it could be an image of a local person from a place you've visited or someone with a captivating smile that brightens your day.
Folk art and craft
Folk art, in its diverse manifestations, is commonly defined as the expressive medium of ordinary individuals, capturing the stories of everyday life and cultural identity. Each community exhibits a distinctive style, utilizing various materials and techniques to craft art that vividly and authentically portrays local ways of life, rich with vibrant and delightfully imperfect details. These pieces are gaining recognition for their intimate storytelling and for the preservation of essential craft traditions within communities.
What about colour?
Peachy keen
In the color forecasts for home trends in 2024, peach and apricot emerge as the dominant hues—soft, sweet, and with a hint of tartness. Pantone has designated Peach Fuzz as its color of the year, described by Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, as "a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance." Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at trend forecasting agency WGSN, highlights the attention to orange, noting its rise as "a recharging near-bright in the wellness sector" and as a lively alternative to traditional pastels.
WGSN's color of 2024, Apricot Crush, is described by Riberti as a shade that "can be easily paired with neutrals and naturals, suitable for textiles, glass, bath, and bedroom products." She suggests that it can also be used to craft intriguing narratives by offsetting it with greens, purples, and blues for vibrant contrast.
Dark and Deep: Jewel Tones
The opulent shades reminiscent of precious gems are infusing the 2024 design trends palette with a luxurious sense of mystery. According to Rob Natale, Chief of Design at Sixpenny, this can be attributed, in part, to the recent prevalence of neutrals dominating interior spaces. Natale observes, "People are rediscovering color in their homes, which is a welcome shift from the all-neutral palette we’ve seen for several years, and jewel tones are at the forefront of that shift." He emphasizes the versatility of jewel tones, describing them as a perfect means to introduce richness, whether as an accent or as the focal point of a space, creating a robust contrast to almost any aesthetic. Watch out for my new jewel toned spring collection.
Hunt concurs with Natale's intriguing perspective, particularly noting the inclusion of amber as a jewel tone—a category that typically trends towards cool rather than warm. She characterises amber as "a stunning and versatile shade."
Original thinking
Collectors recognise the enduring value of investing in original artworks. While many emerging art collectors may begin with more affordable options such as prints, data indicates that 80 percent of returning buyers eventually transition from prints to original pieces. Additional data indicates that, even though a collector's first acquisition may be a print edition, their preferences undergo a transformation over time, resulting in them becoming repeat customers for original artworks. Original creations, encompassing paintings, sculptures, or similar forms, commonly maintain, and frequently increase, in value compared to prints.
Personal choice
When expanding your art collection, it's essential to favour pieces that resonate with your own personality and preferences, as these are the works you will live with in your home and they should bring you joy. However, for those new to the art scene or seeking to jazz up their existing collection, paying attention to upcoming trends in the art world can provide valuable guidance on your investments.
Would you like to talk about choosing the right artwork for your or your interior design client’s space? Whether it be residential, office or hospitality space, I’d love to speak to you about your artwork needs.