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20 Trends from the 1920’s to Watch in 2020

Glamorous. Luxurious. Sophisticated.These are typically the words used to describe interior design in the 1920’s and we’re excited to say that when it comes to home design, what’s old is new again! While the roaring 20’s were fun last time, we’re in for a real treat as we welcome 2020. Here are 20 home interior trends from the 1920’s that we see making return in the coming decade. 

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20 Trends from the 1920s to Watch in the 2020s

1) Bold Colors

 The Kardashian-West clan can keep their neutrals. The last few years have been filled with ubiquitous gray-walls-with-white-trim, so expect to see some real punches of color. Think less bright and in-your-face and more rich, luxurious, and deeply toned hues.

2) Metallic Surfaces & Accents

We thought the new millenium would bring chromed-out everything, but thankfully that was just some Hollywood fortune telling. There was a brief love affair with mercury glass and galvanized, especially galvanized corrugated metal came in with the farmhouse aesthetic of the 2010s, but expect more metal in the 2020s. We’re calling classy colors like gold, black and bronze in shiny or matte, but not weathered or worn, finishes. 

3) Freestanding Bathtubs 

Freestanding baths all but disappeared from the 1970s and 2010s in favor of shower/bath combos and jetted tubs, but the clean look and unparalleled luxury of a freestanding soaking tub will make this trend return in the 2020s. Plan on this new iteration having less of a clawfoot style and more of a sleek, minimalistic look. 

4) Large Velvet Furniture

We’ve been seeing velvet on smaller items like headboards and ottomans for years, but, really, what says “roaring 20’s” more than a full velvet couch in a bold midnight blue or luxe emerald green? 

5) Worldly Prints & Touches

The 1920s saw designers and stylemakers looking to far away lands for design inspiration — which led to some ethically questionable behavior in terms of sourcing, acquisition, and more. As globalization becomes more and more the norm, expect to see more of east-meets-west look in homes — but with an eye for ethical, humanely sourced, and sustainable goods. 

6) Earthy Prints & Textures

This one, too, has been going for a while, but don’t expect to toss your banana leaf print or hemp macrame quite yet. Do expect to see these more natural and bohemian items paired with the rich colors and metals listed above for a look that is all it’s own style in 2020. 

7) Form-function-forever

 After decades of consumerism, planned obsolescence and disposable single use products, we’ll see a return to higher cost, but higher quality, long term products. Multifunctional items that are built to last with a beautiful (some may say Instagrammable) aesthetic will dominate this decade — even if they come at a higher price point.  Think companies like Le Creuset (founded in 1925) and Rubbermaid (1920), but this trend isn’t just limited to the kitchen. 

8) Dramatic Design

The 2020’s, like the 1920’s, will be an era for gender-bending style fluidity (remember it was scandalous for ladies to wear pants at that time). This time around we’ll see norm breaking in home design — think lace mixed with leather and metal, rich wood with sparkling crystal combined with marble — a slew of feminine-meets-masculine-with-androgynous touches all done with a heavy flair for the dramatic and no time for minimalism. 

9) Tortoise Shell

While we’re not really sure tortoise shell patterns ever went away, expect it to come back in force in the 2020s. The typical black-and-brown color palette means it coordinates with everything and the unique, yet classic pattern gives it an exotic, yet familiar feel. Look for touches of tortoise shell paired with metallics and matte jewel tones in unexpected, yet charming places. 

10) Rugs, Rugs, Rugs

We’ve long said “ado” to busy, patterned linoleum and “adios” to wall-to-wall shaggy and oddly colored carpets in favor laminate and hardwood flooring, but unlike the sleek minimalist look of the 2010s, we’re calling for the return of rugs. Staircases and hallways will feature striking runners while area rugs will draw the whole room together. These aren’t your mother’s put-your-shoes-by-the-door floormats, instead these are designed to be statements of their own. Feeling extra bold? Try a LARGE circular rug for enhanced drama. 

11) Sunburst designs

The art deco that defined the 1920’s shines in sunburst designs. Often found in mirrors and wall art, this fun and sunny shape will find new life in the home and looks especially fresh being incorporated into a nursery!

12) Wallpaper

Another trend we’ve seen coming back in the last few years is wallpaper, especially the heavily patterned or textured variety. Unlike the cover-all-walls method of the 1920’s, this time around wallpaper will be used as an accent wall. Unsure you’re ready to commit or still waiting to purchase your own place? These days you can get the same luxe look with far less commitment by using peel-and-stick contact paper.

13) Displayed Smoking & Vaping Paraphernalia

The 1920’s was the golden age of cigarettes in America with many women picking up the habit during World War I. Coffee tables often displayed cigarette boxes or urns, match strikes, lighters, and opera length cigarette holders. Nowadays traditional cigarette smoking is in decline, but vaping and increasing marijuana legalization means in the 2020s you’re likely to see a renaissance of sorts of this trend.

14) Art Deco

The combination of modernist styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials make this style just as relevant today as it was in the 1920s. At its inception, Art Deco was meant to represent luxury, glamour, exuberance and optimism and had an international appeal — all things that make for good design today. Forget the opulence of, well everything, in the 1980s or the over-the-top design of the Tuscan kitchens of the 2000s, Art Deco feels both fresh and vintage, new and classic. 

15) Geometric Furniture

Kneeling to the Art Deco trends that shaped the 1920s, expect to see more clean lines and interesting shapes in furniture in the 2020s. Note that the new version of this look comes in new variations (lights, bookshelves, tables, you name it!) and to get the best impact for your effort you should limit items to having a fun shape or pattern– lest you take on a Peewee’s Playhouse feel.  

16) Grown-up Glitz

No glamourous style is complete without at least a little glitz and glimmer and the 2020s will not disappoint. Taking inspiration from glitzy “flapper” style of the 1920s, you can expect beaded upholstery, mirrored accents and even crystal fireplace glass rocks to turn up the shimmer in the 2020s.

17) Large Scale Items

The bold and patterned nature of design in the 1920s means that every piece in a room is competing with the piece next to it, so embrace it.While the last few years have seen a surge in the popularity of the gallery walls, in the 2020s expect to see bigger, singular pieces of wall art.

18) Horizontal multi-panel doors

After a decade, get ready to say “goodbye” to the barn door look and “hello” to solid wood doors with more interesting panels routed into them. Unlike the traditional 6-panel door look that has two rows of three vertical panels, this version may have different designs or windows added and aren’t just reserved for the front entryway.

19) Built-in Furniture

Built-in furniture all but disappeared in the last few decades as homes and buildings were purposely designed to have the greatest appeal to the largest amount of people. Gone was the character of the 1920s built in designs, but now we’re coming full circle. These days you can achieve the built in look without the built-in hassle by using smartly designed bookshelves.

20) Statement Fireplaces

During the 2010s we saw fireplaces all but disappear, that is to say visually disappear. While the function (usually) remained, the form was often painted over in an effort to blend the fireplace into the wall that held it. This decade, expect another throwback look to emerge with bold fireplaces retaking center stage in rooms. 

RealtyHive Wrap-Up

When designing your home, remember that trends come and go, but style is forever. Choose pieces that fit your style, your life, and your budget and you’re sure to create a beautiful space you’ll love for years to come.

Ready to start creating your perfect space in 2020? Whether you’re looking for a move-in ready Spanish-style home or you’ve got your eye on a vintage commercial building RealtyHive has you covered. Have a property to sell? Check out the great options available for sellers on RealtyHive!

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Move over Branding: The key to success in 2020 is not what you’d expect

It seems like some agents have all the luck. We all know someone that seems to have a pipeline of dream properties and buyers clamoring hand-over-(money-filled) fist to sign themselves into a new home while you sit and watch your listings grow stale. How do these agents do it? While nothing can compare to a well connected network, having a “secret weapon” in your real estate tool kit is the secret of success in 2020.

So what’s the secret? How can you get and keep more listings in 2020? It’s not about completely changing your method or reinventing the wheel, but rather it’s about having something different to offer your clients– something your competition can’t or won’t offer. It’s no secret we live in a global and tech-connected world, but have you thought about how you can merge your real estate business into the digital world? Event marketing is one of the best ways to do this.

What is event marketing?

Similar to a traditional auction, event marketing starts with a property being offered for sale at an attractive opening price. This price appeals to buyers which creates competition and the deadline of an impending auction creates urgency, ultimately resulting in a higher sale price. In this model, the seller retains control of the final sales price and the transparency the process provides helps the seller see the true market value. For agents, this can help overcome objections to price reductions or avoid them altogether. Buyers benefit from being able to determine what their highest/best offer may be.

hands signing a contract 

For Signing New Listings: Bring something new to the table

Between working on your “personal brand” via social media and networking or making sure that your advertising fit your “brand image”, 2017 was the year of “branding”. Designed to make you stand out from your competition, branding is great for marketing, but results are what really pay off. To extend your listings or to sign new ones in 2020, you’ll need to offer something to clients more results-oriented than industry buzzwords. Offering a solution or tactic that your competition does not will be the key to getting ahead this year.

RealtyHive Tip: Make a list of all the services you offer clients and potential clients. Everything from creating a BPO to the individual marketing channels you use for your properties. Now go through that list and cross out anything that your competition can do as well. If the remaining items are pretty thin, consider partnering with RealtyHive to have a true “differentiator” in your back pocket.

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For Selling Your Listings: Show up and be successful

Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” While he probably wasn’t talking about online property listings, he could have been! According to the National Association of Realtors, 51% of home buyers found the home they purchased online, but the average NAR member reports that their website only brings in 1% of their business. In a sea of online noise, do your listings stand out or do they just show up like everyone else’s? With the market as strong as it has been you should be selling upwards of 90% of the properties you list–the key is to position those listings for success and having a strong online presence is the way to do that.

RealtyHive Tip: Do you know what your website traffic looks like? What about your search rankings? Where is the traffic coming from? Are they real buyers or junk bot traffic? If your online traffic isn’t where you want it to be, you might consider joining the RealtyHive marketplace to create additional exposure and make all your listings have a unique marketing presence whether or not you utilize the event marketing platform.

handshake business deal 

For Untapped Success: Branch into new markets

With housing prices up, inventory down, and demand through the roof it’s fair to say that parts of the housing market are on fire! However, for every can-barely-get-it-listed-before-accepted-offer there’s a stuck-on-the-market-for-years property. From land to luxury, FSBO to commercial, every market has its own hard-to-sell niche. While most agents will run from this segment, you can stand out by confronting these challenges and land the listing by offering a new, exclusive solution.

RealtyHive Tip: Look at your market to discover where a need isn’t being met. Has a local department store sat vacant for years or has the same plot of land set vacant for as long as you can remember? These are indicators that tradition processes haven’t worked and you can use the RealtyHive Event Marketing platform as a never-tried-before solution to help land these listings.

Want to learn more about how event marketing can take your business to the next level in 2020? Check out realtyhive.com for more information or to schedule a meeting with a RealytHive representative. In less than 20 minutes you’ll learn how RealtyHive’s event marketing platform can help your listings reach a global audience, extend your listings and avoid price reductions–all at no cost to you!

wellness spa mountain relax rejuvenate refresh home

Wellness at Home: Trends for 2020

From the hygge lifestyle to mindfulness practices, wellness is hot. What started with athleisure clothing, kombucha and yoga classes have come full circle to infiltrate every part of our lives. In 2020, we predict this trend will continue to take over our homes. Here are some of the coming trends in real estate wellness.

Home Gyms

Once a luxury, home gyms are becoming more and more popular. Traditional home gyms with large machines are being traded out for converted bonus rooms with a few, smaller pieces of equipment and the prevalence of online instructors means you don’t need to be a pro (or have a lot of space) to get a great workout.

Home gym

Steam Showers and Saunas

Not only do steam showers help relieve stress, but they also relax muscles, release tension, and improve circulation. These encapsulated areas are meant to trap heat and moisture and bring the spa experience to your own home.

Indoor/Outdoor Areas

We already know fresh air and sunshine are great for us, but 2020 will be the year we start to bring the outside in by blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor areas. So, you can expect to see more retractable doors and windows that allow for more integration of living spaces.

At Home Retreats

Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery to change your attitude. Creating a personal retreat, be it a meditation room, outdoor hammock area, or a putting green, can be a great way to care for your mental well-being.  There are lots of ways you can create your own personal at home retreat, just try whatever gets you into a relaxed frame of mind!