Advice from the Swedish furniture giant, pre-loved, versatile and space-saving products will take off this year

Ikea has revealed its trend forecast for 2022, decluttering tips will continue to be a priority for Australians this year as the pandemic forces them to spend a lot of time at home.

Christine Gough, head of furniture management at Ikea Australia, said Australians have adapted their living spaces to cater for more activity as they spend more time at home, and this will continue.

“With this shift in home living, we are seeing a need to maximize underutilized spaces in the home and move from single rooms to multifunctional rooms,” Ms Gough said on Tuesday.

“In 2022, we’ll see this hybrid home trend continue to grow, with the concept of mixed-use living integrated into new home designs.”

This trend has been aided by versatile furniture that’s easy to move around the home, such as the use of kitchen carts instead of stationary benches.

The decluttering trend has been around for many years, but most people never really got into it before the closings.

This became immediately apparent in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and forced us into our homes, with Japanese organization consultant Marie Kondo becoming a streaming hit.

“People are taking back control of their homes as a safe space from the uncertainties of the outside world,” Ms Gough said.

“Also, due to the evolution of multipurpose living, people have had to rearrange their homes to do the activities they want or need to do.”

She also predicted that natural fibers, tactile textures and items with recycled and sustainable materials would be trending this year.

The Swedish furniture giant launched its buy-back program in Australia in November, upgrading its in-store “Bargain Corner” section to “Circular Hub” featuring second-hand furniture.

It plays in a move towards pre-loved items, which London-based market research firm Euromonitor said were among the solutions found by shoppers facing global shortages in product supply.

Second-hand goods were also increasingly sought after for reasons of durability, affordability and uniqueness, Euromonitor said in its just-released Top Ten Global Consumer Trends 2022 report.

“The pursuit of the pre-loved has been prevalent in the apparel industry for years, but extends to other fast-moving consumer goods,” the report said.

Ikea is also going all out for play furniture and accessories to capitalize on another stuck-at-home trend, saying the 30-product line was its first launch last year.

“With an ever-growing number of gamers, around 2.5 billion worldwide, and a rapidly growing market, getting into gaming was a natural step for Ikea,” the company said.

Ms Gough said switching to smart home solutions would also be a priority for Australians in 2022 to make homes more connected.

“Smart lighting and sound integration will be a priority, as it allows a space to be transformed with the push of a button,” she said.

And as conviviality had grown, the need for private spaces, peace and relaxation had increased, so protection by plants and trees – especially on balconies – would be another trend. .