Photo Getty Images Whitney Laws Gallery Stock OUT Lab-Like Bathrooms While we still need me-time in the bath to maintain our sanity the white-on-white loo has lost its allure Bathrooms have become less austere less like operating theaters said Boston designer Mally Skok Once-popular materials are faltering Bookmatched marble is so beautiful but its almost echo-y white It feels cold said Ms Skok And Sara Hillery a designer in Richmond Va finds fabricated quartz looks too manufactured Design trends are headed toward a softer more natural look and these man-made options fall short IN Open-Air Showers Meanwhile the al fresco shower has acquired powerful appeal part of the continuing push to make the outdoor as well-designed and comfortable as the indoor as New York architect West Chin put it San Francisco designer Jay Jeffers who often installs showers like the one at right on clients properties in Napa Valley points to the dreamy sense of escape they conjure Youre almost in a different world Mexico or the Cayman Islands or Anguilla somewhere else thats not your home Photo Shutterstock Arhaus OUT Glitzy Textiles Miami designer Allen Saunders among others foresees a rejection of slick surfaces in general Mr Jeffers zeroed in on shiny fabrics a played-out way to bestow a design scheme with glossy glamour They give this connotation of a dressier room which people are just not as excited about these days he said As pillows or upholstery these light-catching lamés and shimmery satins not only look chilly they skimp on tactile comfort Theyre a little harder in terms of their touch and hand he said IN Fabrics That Feel Good Were gravitating to touchable textiles like velvet mohair and soft bouclé said Robbie McMillan co-owner and lead designer of AubreyMaxwell in San Francisco Bouclé is everywhere concurred Mr Kline We have nowhere to go in our Chanel blazers so were translating the look to sofas he said Elizabeth Cooper another Bay Area designer highlighted furry alternatives such as alpaca see the Arhaus pillow at right while Bethesda Md designer Marika Meyer likes the tactility of crewel embroidery Photo Shutterstock LANSERRING OUT Chaos-Courting Open Shelving Sure floating shelves look great in photos when styled by a pro or even by a layperson with a good eye The rest of us struggle to keep exposed tableware looking organized and pretty which has scuttled this deconstructed kitchen trend For some open shelving always felt too cluttered said Kobi Karp principal of the eponymous architecture and interior-design firm in Miami Another reason to shelf open shelving Dishes end up covered in unappetizing time-consuming dust and grease IN Neat Cabinets Sans Hardware Since cabinetry usually takes up most of the space in kitchens a ton of exposed hardware can create an eyesore said Houston designer Nina Magon For a serenely seamless facade and an open-sesame effect look for push latches Also good drawers with grabbable undersides like the ones at right made by London kitchen company Lanserring The result is a decidedly more tidy kitchen It expresses the less-is-more approach and helps focus on the beauty of the cabinetry and surfaces said Ms Magon Photo Shutterstock Brizo OUT Matte Black Fixtures Industrial and farmhouse trends ushered in flat black faucets but theyre now heading out Black is one-dimensionalreally visually bold and heavy said Indianapolis designer Whittney Parkinson The color immediately draws your eye to an element that shouldnt have much relevance Ms Parkinson also noted that some manufacturers spray on the black finish which means it will eventually scratch off People want pieces they feel will age really well she said versus ones that must be replaced in a few years IN Faucets You Can Talk To Want to minimize contact with germy handles and taps Just connect Siri or Alexa to a voice-activated fixture You can say Faucet two cups of water You put the pan under and it dispenses two cups said Sacramento Calif designer Kerrie Kelly You can also program the flows temperature and duration for say rinsing dishes Designer Dennese Guadeloupe Rojas in Silver Lake Md points out that touchless faucets dont get dirty in the first place so finishes like matte white as on the version at right by Jason Wu for Brizo stay looking clean Photo Shutterstock Mali Azima OUT Modern Farmhouse With apologies to Chip and Joanna Gaines who popularized the farmhouse look on HGTVs Fixer Upper its white shiplap walls fauxtiques and dark metal details are being sent to pasture People want home to represent who they are and the life theyve led said Dallas designer Michelle Nussbaumer Farmhouse is too quiet too not-real Another agri-feature getting the ax sliding barn doors Even closed they leave gaps so they only work in places where sound and privacy are not an issue said Mr Karp Places like a barn IN Dusky Rooms Design pros are noting a shift to darker moodier spaces like this emerald-enveloped bar at right by Atlanta designer Melanie Turner and found in her coming book Inviting Interiors A Fresh Take on Beautiful Rooms Rizzoli 2021 Ms Kelly noted that in kitchens warm woods are being mixed with deep green or blue paint Mr Jeffers predicts those colors plus dark gray will also surface in bedrooms Deep tones evoke calm and make the perfect sleeping atmosphere Andrea Goldmans team in Chicago creates at least one cozy relaxing space per project We start with wall color using darker jewel hues SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS What 2021 design trend are you most looking forward to implementing in your home Join the conversation below More in Design Decorating