2021 Outlook and State of Interior Design

The ASID 2021 Outlook and State of Interior Design Report curates a comprehensive collection of critical knowledge needed to decipher the world around us, the changes impacting us, and the opportunities set before us.

The report reviews the state of interior design with key insights for the future of the profession, summarizes trends related to people and business with implications to design, and expands into key economic factors that impact construction and interior design services. The report concludes with diverse perspectives from professionals we partner with in the built environment on how trust is the fundamental key for propelling the profession into the future.

SECTION HIGHLIGHTS

STATE OF INTERIOR DESIGN

The interior design industry, business, profession, and practice show positive signs for recovery from the impact of COVID-19, emerging stronger and more adept in responding to critical issues that have emerged in 2020.

TRENDS & IMPLICATIONS

Health, wellness, and safety are the critical pillars of interior design and have become top priorities for individuals and institutions. Trends in understanding people and business, in general, have significant implications for designers to empathize and implement into practice.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

The U.S. economy in 2020 was tumultuous, but the overall economic outlook for 2021 and 2022 is positive despite the expected slower recovery. Spending in the residential market had sustained the industry overall, balancing the drop in the commercial sectors.

FUTURE INSIGHTS

Unprecedented times foster increased dependence on each other and our shared resources.  The pandemic has re-emphasized the need for trust in data, people, and physical spaces. Interior designers have been called to serve as essential advisors, not only to respond to COVID-19, but more so to lead and activate health, safety, and welfare for all.