Top Interior Design Trends: 2023
Reimagining a space in your home — whether it’s a living room, bathroom, bedroom, or even a hallway nook — can be equal parts delightful and daunting. There’s a lot to consider: How much do you want to change? Which elements should you add? Which color palette will work best? What’s “in” right now?
While interior design is largely focused on current trends, we don’t advise making alterations solely for the sake of what’s popular at the moment. You want the space to be a reflection of your story and your life. So, when wondering where to begin, think about what’s trending — but also what will appeal to you for more than five minutes.
We’re fond of the six design trends below because we’re confident they will stick around into 2023 and beyond. Let’s take a look at each…
Thrift & Ye Shall Find
A new kind of mindset is making its way to the forefront of society: the conscientious consumer. Thrifting, or buying secondhand furniture and accessories, is a more sustainable way to shop. It also makes for a fun and creative way to add a layered, collected look to any room. The phrase “They don’t make ’em like they used to” speaks to craftsmanship and especially applies to vintage furniture, which has already stood the test of time. You can leave it as-is, strip it and add a simple clear coat, or paint it an unexpected color.
Made in the Shades
Speaking of color, it’s making a comeback. We’re seeing this trend across all areas of interior design: from throw pillows and blankets to wall color and artwork. Start by perusing the various “Colors of the Year” for 2023. Frame hack: When you’re customizing frames on Frame Destination’s website, you’ll find close cousins to these 2023 hues in our mats:
Pantone’s “Viva Magenta” ~ See our “Peony” 5648 mat.
Krylon’s “Spanish Moss” ~ See our “Deep Woods” 9538 mat.
Sherwin Williams Redend Point ~ See our “Bandage” 9571 mat.
Behr's "Blank Canvas" ~ See our “Glow” 9614 mat.
Wallpaper is another way to express yourself through color. No longer just the purview of powder rooms, we’re seeing printed wall coverings in larger spaces of the home — from bedroom ceilings to fireplace mantels to kitchen backsplashes. Many peel-and-stick options save you from the messy applications of bygone days, so whether it’s bold wall paint or wallpaper, be brave and be you!
Earthy Vibes
In the interior design world, natural elements create a relaxing, restorative ambience. Think of bringing the outdoors indoors. This could be a cane coffee table, wood or cork floors, and honed rock or marble countertops. Natural wood with an unfinished edge can bring in beautiful warmth, especially above a fireplace, while stones in a bathroom floor or shower bring the feeling of an everyday spa getaway. Plants are one of nature’s staples that really freshen up any space. Earth tones such as taupe, brown, blue, and green are colors that play nicely with this design approach.
Personal Touch
Here we have personalization potential at its highest. Unique accessories are just that — pieces that express your story rather than curating everything to someone else’s idea of perfection. To incorporate this trend, think one-of-a-kind: anything from old family heirlooms to a modern dining table built to your specifications. It can be furniture, a lamp, a piece of artwork, or a clock. The possibilities here are endless and, dare we say, timeless.
Ode to the Past
While traditional can mean many things, we’re thinking specifically about the “Coastal Grandmother” interior design trend. Not sure what that is? Grandma’s home has texture. Scalloped chair skirts, reeded cabinets, fluted walls, linen curtains, jute rugs. Anything you’d find in Nana’s home but with an elevated, coastal flair. (A more casual take on Coastal Grandmother is the Grandmillennial look.)
Wall-Free Freedom
Open floor plans entered the interior design world in the 1970s and never left. Typically, two or more rooms that would traditionally be used for different functions are not separated by walls. Instead, space, light, and life all flow beautifully. Of course, no one wants an open area to feel vast and formless. That’s where the creative use of lighting, flooring, color, borders, and furnishings can help define specific purposes within a larger space.
Remember, with interior design trends, staying true to your own personal style is the best thing you can do. Your home is your safe place and a reflection of your life. Make it what you want, and don’t forget to have fun in the process!
Last updated January 15, 2023
Written by Joely Rogers
Joely C. Rogers is an artist/illustrator and writer living in the mountains of western North Carolina. She has professional training in both natural science illustration and the culinary arts, as well as graduate academic training in education, sociolinguistics, and folklore/storytelling. She is a Blue Ridge Naturalist candidate with the North Carolina Arboretum and a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.