5 Key Trends to Watch in 2022, According to Etsy

In 2021, we saw the rise of Japandi, wavy designs galore, and checker-print everything. And there's an easy answer to the question of who could have seen it all coming: Etsy.

Every year, the shopping platform’s trend experts use search data to predict the top trends of the coming year. Last year, Etsy knew we’d all be trying to DIY squiggly mirrors and imitate Japanese design style, and that was before it ever even started trending on TikTok.

Ready for 2022? Get ahead of the decor curve and check out Etsy’s key trends to watch for the year ahead.

1. Emerald Everything

Color us anything but surprised, Etsy expects a shade of green to be the big hue of 2022. With their color choice, they follow in the footsteps of Sherwin Williams (Evergreen Fog), Benjamin Moore (a soft sage called October Mist), PPG (Olive Sprig) and Behr (a silvery green called Breezeway), who all chose various shades of green for COTY.

Etsy’s choice of emerald is a fun one. The deep green hue is rich and royal, and manages to go with everything from earthy neutrals to brassy bolds.

2. Statement Lighting

Lighting will get a spotlight of its own in 2022. Pendant lamps will depart from the classic bulbous shape, and table lamps will be anything but drab. There’s already been a 344% increase in searches on Etsy for ‘70s lighting (a sign that the ‘70s trend isn’t going anywhere!). Instead of buying a lamp and a decorative accessory, you’ll just be buying one piece lighting that will do double-duty as sculptural decor.

3. Fairytale and Fantasy Rooms

Kiddos will retreat to rooms of dragons, castles, and magical realms. After a few years of screens everywhere, parents are looking to emphasize make-believe and imagination in kids’ bedrooms and play spaces. Already in 2021, searches on Etsy for fairy items are up 51%, and mythical creature and magical beast themed items are up 39%.

4. Lagom

This Swedish philosophy of striking the right balance—loosely translating to “not too much, not too little”—will be big next year. In the last year or so, we’ve pivoted quickly from minimalism to maximalism in our homes and our personal style. Lagom represents how we’re going to land somewhere in the middle.

5. Sculptural Shapes

After a year of organic-shaped decor, we’ll be making a switch in 2022 to harder edges and lines with more sculptural decor. There’s already been a 27% increase in searches related to sculptural or decorative lighting. The trend will find its way to our closets as well, as the strong shapes of spiked collars (up 879% in searches) and studded belts (up 34%) go mainstream.