‘Coastal Hues’ is Australia’s most preferred home design and style trend, according to new data revealed by Stockland, one of Australia’s largest residential developers.

Australian users of Stockland’s recently launched Dreamcatcher tool demonstrated strong coastal vibes in their design choices with 22,466 (26.57%) out of 84,085 people voting for the airy design and style trend. The Coastal Hues trend is associated with bright, open spaces, crisp white walls, warm timber flooring, natural jute, vibrant greenery and layers of organic linen.

Launched by Stockland in late 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Dreamcatcher is named after the 1.2 million Australians who are in the early consideration phase (dreamers) of the home buying journey. The tool was created based on Stockland research, which revealed that many Australians who were at home due to the pandemic were seriously considering home improvements and renovations.

The tool helps users navigate through Australian home design trends and immerse themselves in 3D virtual home tours and guided videos so they can better conceptualise their personal design style. With the help of Stockland-approved builders and stylists, users can also design their custom styleboard, be assigned their style DNA profile and uncover their unique interior design style.

Sophie Pickett-Heaps, co-head of design at Stockland, said: “Research shows 71% of Australians are rethinking what kind of home they wish to live in while just over a quarter (26%) are thinking about renovating.”

“With Australians also now spending $1 billion (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics) a month on home renovations and improvements, our Dreamcatcher tool combines design concepts with real images that prospective buyers can browse, share and pin onto an intuitive style board. 

“For the majority of Australians their home is their castle, and with the many frequent lockdowns over the past year, Australians have been investing more time and thought into their home environment than ever before.

“As such, we’ve seen a great uptake of our new Dreamcatcher tool.”

Key design preferences:

Hamptons Retreat styling with its cool whites, muted greys, ocean hues and warm timber stood second in popularity, with 20,311 (24.02%) Australians showcasing their love for this trend.

Urban Edit rounded out the top three, with 15,807 (18.7%) favouring a lower maintenance style of living with surfaces that are easy to clean and lots of natural light. 

Kitchen (25%), and Living Room and Bathroom/Laundry (20%) were the top trending room types with users seeking design inspiration for these spaces.

Timber was the most popular in palette preferences with its natural aesthetic the top favourite for over 31% of users; White (30%) came a close second followed by Grey (22%) among favourite tones.