What Interior Design Will Be Trendy in 2026 – Designer Forecasts
25.07.2025
Interior design doesn’t shift overnight — changes unfold gradually. Those who work with homes are already laying the foundation for how they’ll look next year. It’s less about fashion and more about direction — what feels current and what quietly fades. New colors, materials, and shapes don’t appear out of nowhere: they’re shaped by global events, demand for comfort, and tech developments. Trends aren’t rules; they’re like markers that hint at where things are headed.
Color Trends
In 2026, sterile neutrals are being replaced by tones that feel warmer and more grounded. Think ochre, clay, soft sand — natural, stable colors that don't feel dull. You don’t need to paint entire walls; small touches in textiles or décor are enough.
Against that calm backdrop, rich hues like dark navy, burgundy, and mossy green are showing up more often. These shades work as a subtle alternative to basic black or gray. They help interiors feel more expressive without overloading the look.
Another noticeable shift is how warm and cool tones are paired together — like terracotta next to pale blue. At first glance, they clash, but together they feel thoughtful and handcrafted. In a 2025 survey, 64% of design clients leaned toward warm, earthy palettes over cooler gray-white ones.
Against that calm backdrop, rich hues like dark navy, burgundy, and mossy green are showing up more often. These shades work as a subtle alternative to basic black or gray. They help interiors feel more expressive without overloading the look.
Another noticeable shift is how warm and cool tones are paired together — like terracotta next to pale blue. At first glance, they clash, but together they feel thoughtful and handcrafted. In a 2025 survey, 64% of design clients leaned toward warm, earthy palettes over cooler gray-white ones.
In short, color is becoming less anonymous — it’s chosen for the mood it creates.
Materials and Textures
In 2026, touchable textures matter more than sleek finishes. Gloss and plastic are giving way to raw wood, grainy tile, and rough-weave fabric. The goal isn’t visual drama — it’s about having materials that feel real.
Designers are leaning into natural components: cork, bamboo, unpolished ceramics. These elements bring calm, without trying too hard. There’s growing interest in mixing materials with different densities — like pairing stone with glass or wool with metal. It’s not about contrast for effect, but balance through texture.
Designers are leaning into natural components: cork, bamboo, unpolished ceramics. These elements bring calm, without trying too hard. There’s growing interest in mixing materials with different densities — like pairing stone with glass or wool with metal. It’s not about contrast for effect, but balance through texture.
Furniture Shapes and Lighting
Sharp corners are becoming rare. Furniture is shifting toward rounded, soft forms — not just sofas and chairs, but also tables, beds, and storage. These shapes tend to fit more easily into homes, especially smaller ones where flow and comfort matter.
Lighting is no longer purely functional. Fixtures now double as sculptural elements — from oversized floor lamps to distinctive pendants. Unique and sometimes vintage, these pieces remove rigidity and help bring a lived-in feel, even to minimalist rooms.
Lighting is no longer purely functional. Fixtures now double as sculptural elements — from oversized floor lamps to distinctive pendants. Unique and sometimes vintage, these pieces remove rigidity and help bring a lived-in feel, even to minimalist rooms.
Patterns and Decor
Ornamentation is back — but with restraint. Instead of bold, busy prints, subtle patterns with natural or geometric lines are used in small doses: a wall segment, a chair fabric, a framed headboard.
There’s growing interest in combining styles: a modern art piece next to a classic molding panel, for example. It’s less about matching everything and more about telling a personal story. Clean, empty walls are giving way to layered visuals, though the result isn’t clutter — it’s intentional variety.
Sometimes one item is enough — like a wallpaper-framed panel — to change the feel of a room. It’s like clothing: the right single piece can carry the whole outfit.
There’s growing interest in combining styles: a modern art piece next to a classic molding panel, for example. It’s less about matching everything and more about telling a personal story. Clean, empty walls are giving way to layered visuals, though the result isn’t clutter — it’s intentional variety.
Sometimes one item is enough — like a wallpaper-framed panel — to change the feel of a room. It’s like clothing: the right single piece can carry the whole outfit.
«Minimalist interiors are giving way to something deeper — not just in appearance, but in meaning. People want their homes to reflect who they are. That shows up in unexpected textures, furniture with history, and color choices that don’t follow the crowd but strike a personal chord.»
Designer Opinion
— Alsu Agisheva
— Alsu Agisheva
Styles and Directions
Style labels matter less now. More often, rooms are built around a feeling or association. Terms like “loft” or “Scandi” are losing ground to a more open approach. It’s normal to see classic forms alongside minimalist finishes or ethnic elements — if they all reflect the person living there.
Old and new are blending more — not for effect, but for personal logic. People are willing to spend time searching for objects with stories: a vintage armchair, a framed family photo. The mix of eras makes a home feel developed, not staged.
Old and new are blending more — not for effect, but for personal logic. People are willing to spend time searching for objects with stories: a vintage armchair, a framed family photo. The mix of eras makes a home feel developed, not staged.
Functionality and Adaptation
The way we plan homes is also changing. Spaces are more flexible. One area might serve as an office, a dining nook, or a reading zone depending on the time of day.
Furniture is increasingly chosen for how it functions, not just how it looks. Foldable, modular, and mobile pieces are becoming standard — especially in smaller homes where every meter counts. Comfort now includes how a home adapts to daily life, not just how it looks.
Furniture is increasingly chosen for how it functions, not just how it looks. Foldable, modular, and mobile pieces are becoming standard — especially in smaller homes where every meter counts. Comfort now includes how a home adapts to daily life, not just how it looks.
Home Art and Personalization
Homes are becoming less generic. People are bringing in more personal items — not just store-bought posters, but children’s drawings, film photos, and personal keepsakes.
There’s a rising interest in one-of-a-kind artwork, not necessarily expensive but meaningful. Objects with history or character — a handmade shelf or secondhand vase — bring warmth. Even one personal detail can shift the tone of a room.
These elements make the home reflect a person, not a catalog.
There’s a rising interest in one-of-a-kind artwork, not necessarily expensive but meaningful. Objects with history or character — a handmade shelf or secondhand vase — bring warmth. Even one personal detail can shift the tone of a room.
These elements make the home reflect a person, not a catalog.
Design Accents
Bolder accents are becoming more common — not as centerpieces, but as precise details that shift the room’s dynamic. A red baseboard or a green ceiling in a neutral space might seem odd, but it adds rhythm.
Smaller zones — hallways, bathrooms, utility rooms — are getting bolder. Rich tile, dark paint, or patterned wallpaper add energy without overwhelming the rest of the home.
Texture mixing plays a role too. Matte walls next to glossy tiles or metal surfaces create depth. Lighting plays across those contrasts, producing highlights even in minimal palettes.
Smaller zones — hallways, bathrooms, utility rooms — are getting bolder. Rich tile, dark paint, or patterned wallpaper add energy without overwhelming the rest of the home.
Texture mixing plays a role too. Matte walls next to glossy tiles or metal surfaces create depth. Lighting plays across those contrasts, producing highlights even in minimal palettes.
Kitchen Trends 2026
The kitchen is less defined by function. It now flows with the home’s overall design. Traditional cabinet fronts are disappearing, replaced by flat surfaces that resemble living room furniture.
Color schemes are becoming more monochromatic. Walls, cabinets, and countertops all follow a similar hue, just in different intensities. This creates a cohesive look, even with everyday items.
Natural materials dominate: visible-grain wood, warm metal, matte stone. Appliances are hidden behind panels. Open shelves are still around but now hold just a few curated items — more mood than storage. The kitchen blends in rather than stands out.
Color schemes are becoming more monochromatic. Walls, cabinets, and countertops all follow a similar hue, just in different intensities. This creates a cohesive look, even with everyday items.
Natural materials dominate: visible-grain wood, warm metal, matte stone. Appliances are hidden behind panels. Open shelves are still around but now hold just a few curated items — more mood than storage. The kitchen blends in rather than stands out.
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Conclusion
In 2026, interiors will be more tactile, flexible, and personal. What changes most is the mindset — it’s less about sticking to a style and more about building something that feels right. Decor isn’t chosen for show, but for how it fits daily life. Colors warm up, furniture adapts, and homes become clearer reflections of who lives in them.