There has been an increasing trend in the last few years toward city-inspired design. It has gotten the attention of Wired as well as HGTV and many others. Adding an urban feel to your space can bring a touch of sophistication, but with a slight edge. From exposed brick to cityscape images, people can't get enough of this trend. Let's take a look at some elements you can easily incorporate into your home.

Monument Chess

For those looking to add a bit of the big city to their living or game rooms, city-inspired chess sets are the next trend. Thanks to 3D printing, people can make customized sets. This way, they can play with elements from their home (or dream) city. London's Skyline Chess has released its own version with Big Ben as the Rook and the Shard as the Queen.

City-Inspired Lamp Designs

A variety of city-inspired lamp designs have begun to capture the imagination. Translucent lampshades featuring cityscapes are great for nightlights. They add a mature feel to any space, while also preventing painful bumps in the night. More abstract interpretations have also become quite popular. Companies such as Hubbardton Forge are showing aluminum and glass fixtures that represent minimalist interpretations of a skyline.

Travel Inspired Accent Pillows

If you want just a touch of that sophisticated city feel, accent pillows are a wonderful way to go. Whether you want to represent your home city, your favorite place to have traveled, or a location on your bucket list, this trend has something for you. Pillow Decor is currently showing throw pillows with the name of a city as well as its longitude and latitude. With vintage typewriter text, these evoke the raging 20s of the big city.

City-Inspired Coffee Tables

Coffee tables are also showing their love of the big city this year. The most widely publicized of these designs is from Mousarris, coming in at 8,500 pounds. However, other designers are beginning to pick up on this trend. We expect to see much more affordable variations coming out later this year. From lamps to pillows to chess sets, “the city” is inspiring many designers right now. If you're planning a renovation, you may want to consider adding in some of these architectural elements in a bigger way. However, if you just want a new take on your existing scheme, these smaller design elements can be easily incorporated. Now you can embrace city living without having to leave your house.