Make Your Space On-Trend with Cool New Designs

Adding a cool new design to your living space is the quickest way to jazz things up and make your home feel current.  More than just a simple refresh, incorporating a new piece of furniture, lighting or decor is a statement-making move. Cool designs are usually bolder  pieces that convey a sense of personality and are a focal point in the room thanks to their cutting-edge qualities. We’ve rounded up some of the most marvelous designs we’ve seen at this spring’s top shows and design fairs.

An Old-Fashioned Take on Music

These speakers add a retro touch to a space.
These speakers add a retro touch to a space.

In a very design-forward fusion of an old-time Victrola and modern sound technology, A for Ara has created these gorgeous solid wood speaker horns. Opening out like richly carved flowers, these standing speaker systems put the focus back on music appreciation in a way that earbuds can never do. The gracious visual is a perfect match for the strains of your favorite tunes that come from within. The retro design is particularly fitting also because old vinyl record albums are seeing a resurgence in popularity.

Geometry and repetition create some very cool designs.
Geometry and repetition create some very cool designs.

The geometric shapes that make up the Void collection by Azadeh Shladovsky are what make this set of chairs so appealing. A cushioned seat back above the round space in the bottom part of the chair is so eye-catching. The brass circle is an accent that looks as if it was carved right out from the lower section. The designer says that it is “inspired by the role of touch in visual processing,” and represents the letter “k” in Braille. The mix of deep yet earthy colors gives it a subdued look, letting the geometries be the focus. A variation on the same pattern in the mirrors echoes the set of chairs and table.

Rugged Luxury

Light your space with a ring of crystal fire.
Light your space with a ring of crystal fire.

Yes, crystals have featured in other designs before, but none are like this from Australian designer Christopher Boots. The Verdigris surface treatment was introduced at Collective Design in New York and Salone del Mobile in Milan. It is the first time Boots has introduced color into the surface treatments for his collections. This Prometheus IV lamp is alluringly rough and luxurious at the same time. The round shape of the fixture and the darker circular frame highlight the dramatic rose-colored crystals that ring the interior of the metal band.

Mesmerizing Geometry

A single component repeated many times creates a spectacular fixture.
A single component repeated many times creates a spectacular fixture.

While you might think that all of the lighting fixtures by David Trubridge are super cool designs, this new one — the Maru — really is exceptional.  The ringed design is actually made from 60 pieces that are exactly alike that attach together to create this mesmerizing form. The name derives from Japanese and New Zealand Maori and refers to the cycle of life. The spiral of light and color is nearly hypnotic and it is very difficult to drag your attention from this fixture. This one is definitely a conversation piece!

A Chic Natural Element

Nature suspended resin is an artful, natural addition to a space.
Nature suspended resin is an artful, natural addition to a space.

Lovers of nature or a rustic look will love the Brunelle Side Table from Double Noir. The Canadian company was founded by Catherine Bolduc and produces one-of-a-kind pieces using acrylic and locally sourced wood pieces that are mill extras or naturally felled trees. This particular table has seven slender birch tree trunks encased in the resin, lending a forest-like feel to the space. All of their pieces are great complements in a Nordic-inspired room.

Function with Flair

New twists on mundane objects create cool designs.
New twists on mundane objects create cool designs.

Brazilian designers are known for their innovation so it’s no surprise to see this cool design for a wall rack. Great for coats, jackets, bags — anything you need to hang. The best part is its modular nature. The unique looping configuration allows you to string together as many as you need for your family, or as space allows. The rack’s loopy design is also a decor element that is unlike the typical wall rack design and adds a creative edge to an entryway or mudroom.

Storage as Decor

Storage solutions are moving out from behind closed doors.
Storage solutions are moving out from behind closed doors.

Storage that is artful and attractive enough to serve as decor in and of itself has been trending of late, and Home Studios of New York has designed a variety of whimsical and artistic storage pieces. The base of this clothing rack consists of two fuzzy beachballs that are weighted for balance. The top is a rick-rack shape that is evocative of the trim that can be found on clothing. Together, the elements make for an interesting avant-garde style storage rack for coats or often-worn clothing…much more stylish than a coat closet.

An Intriguing Silhouette

Organic forms are very welcoming seating designs.
Organic forms are very welcoming seating designs.

It’s an organic form, reminiscent of something you can’t quite put your finger on: A bean, a cellular form, a cartoon character. Whatever it reminds you of this is the award-winning chair called BaBa by JotJot. Winner of the “Seating, Contract, Lounge” category for NYX Design, it was created by Denmark’s Iskos-Berlin Design. And while the silhouette of this cool design might look simple, upholstering the form was a challenge that required the use of a special stretchy fabric. The company calls this chair “an organic soft-formed ‘furniture pet.'” We just call it really comfortable.

More Stylish Than a Nightlight

Backlighting transforms basic fixtures into special features.
Backlighting transforms basic fixtures into special features.

Kohler has launched its Veil sink that includes a swanky new lighting feature in all the bathroom components. With a single touch, you can turn on ambient lighting in a choice of warm or cool shades. The underlighting in the sink is particularly nice paired with the thin rim of this model. The illumination highlights the curve of the basin and emphasizes the thin, asymmetrical design that is a minimalist style with an organic touch.

Dramatic lighting is like jewelry for the home.
Dramatic lighting is like jewelry for the home.

Ever since Larose Guyon debuted their Otero lighting fixture, we’ve been hooked. In 2018, the studio added the Celeste, which is a larger, more zaftig shape featuring the same delicate style of chain construction. Inspired by the delicate character of Southeast Asian sky lanterns, the fixture can be used alone or in groups. The light emitted is reflected by the multitude of chains and shimmers like a jewel hanging from the ceiling. In fact, adding this cool design to your home is like adding jewelry to an outfit.

High Style With High Shine

Special materials and techniques produce stunning cabinetry.
Special materials and techniques produce stunning cabinetry.

The use of resin in new designs is definitely growing and among the best is the Blue Dandelion cabinet from Migaloo Home. The company uses a special technique to achieve the spectacularly rich blue hue of the cabinet. It is made of a proprietary material called migaloo rock, which combines natural cork and dyed resin. In addition, the modern round resin balls attached to the cabinet each feature a genuine dandelion puff inside, captured just before the wind would have scattered the seeds to the land. It’s a delicate feature, a fleeting thing suspended in time — or in this case in resin.

Pint-Sized Polish

Children can grow with cool designs like this convertible bed.
Children can grow with cool designs like this convertible bed.

Adults with fashionable interiors want the same for their kids and this cool design from Romina helps youngsters grow up with style. The company, founded in Romania, offers a wide variety of sustainable produced convertible crib models that expand as a child ages. This is the Pandora, which has an oak panel and four stages of conversion. The mattress can be set at different heights and can be converted to a day bed. Accessories like a toddler guard rail and full bed conversion kit add to the functionality and lifespan of the crib.

A Lighter Take on Slate

Paper-thin, flexible sheets of slate add drama to any interior design.
Paper-thin, flexible sheets of slate add drama to any interior design.

Like the look of slate but cringe at the thought of its cost…and weight?  Fret no more because Slate-Light can be used to add the character of stone to almost any spot in your home. Stone veneer options are many, but Slate-Light is not only thin but also flexible thanks to a special process that combines paper-thin slices of stone with fiberglass. The newest option is a translucent variety that can be backlit, either for wall accents, a bar front — anywhere your imagination desires. Perfect for DIY fans, the material can be cut with a hard-metal tipped saw and drilled or routed with tools for wood or stone. Moreover, it can be made more flexible using a heat gun.

New Nordic Inspiration

New twists on Nordic-inspired pieces are cool designs for any home.
New twists on Nordic-inspired pieces are cool designs for any home.

Nordic or Scandinavian design has staying power and current consumer desires for quality and sustainability are only fueling its popularity. The possibilities for cool designs in this decor style are many and this grouping from Suite NY is a great example. The classic chair shape paired with a slim console, round mirror with an unexpected placement, and funky table lamp make for a fuss-free design.

Minimalist, glam or tech-inspired, there are all sorts of cool designs out there that you can use in your home to create a space that is on-trend and personal.  The definition of “cool” means different things to different people and that’s its beauty.