As 2022 fades away, life feels a bit lighter and brighter. After a few years of unending pandemic-induced stress, we are ringing in 2023 with more hope and light and a forever changed sense of how we do this life. We interact differently, more appreciative for the chance to simply hug those we love. We spend our free time differently. We think about our bodies and our health differently. And we utilize our homes differently than we did pre-Covid, which all contribute to the interior design trends that we anticipate seeing in 2023.
COLORS
While bright whites and cool grays dominated interiors the past few years, 2023 is welcoming creative expression through very different color palettes. Nature inspired earth tones in warm, deep hues are on the scene and ready to rock.
Pantone announced the highly anticipated Color of the Year - 18-1750 Viva Magenta, a descendent of the rich, bold, vibrant red family. Pantone also recognized the following trend colors for 2023: warm brown grays (i.e. greige), khaki browns, and warm, light blue.
When looking at the various Colors of the Year for 2023, we see a lot of depth and richness. These deep, saturated hues are bold and will change the feel of any interior.
These deep colors are not only trending in wall paint but also in wallpaper, tiles, and rugs. Wallpaper has been trendy the past few years, but this year, larger, bolder, more daring prints will be the focus. If you are wanting to try out wallpaper but fear committing to a large space like a living room, try starting with a powder room or laundry room. Or try framing a piece of wallpaper that speaks to you and creating a piece of one-of-a-kind art for your wall.
Or opt for a punchy, personality-laden, patterned throw or area rug that can serve not only as a rug but also as art for your floor.
Or these, fun, vibrant colors will be available in a plethora of home accessories - think viva magenta pots and pans, canyon ridge throw blankets, spanish moss duvet covers, raspberry blush & vining ivy napkins, or terra rosa & terracotta throw pillows. Simple ways to add small pops of color without the commitment.
Earth tones in 2023 will expand beyond tonalities of browns, tans, and off-whites to include other colors of the earth’s terra and flora including muted terracotta, calming shades of green and blue, mustard, and plum. Think pastel blue napkins and placemats, warm terracotta and greige vases, warm green stoneware pitchers, and natural landscape wall art.
With half of the colors of the year being shades of pink, it’s safe to say these colors will be popular this year. And they add so much elegance and sophistication to spaces. Think putty colored pillows or deep salmon tea towels.
NATURAL MATERIALS
The use of natural materials will be stronger than ever in 2023 as consumers have become more mindful of choosing sustainable, environmentally friendly options such as bamboo, cork, sisal, rattan and wood. Homes will become laden with bamboo soap dishes and spoons, cork coasters, sisal brushes, rattan chairs and trays, and loads of wood. Speaking of wood, we will see warm wood tones take center stage this year, trending away from the lighter wood tones and into darker hues, such as walnut and mocha.
GOODBYE TO FAST FURNITURE
Not only will a focus on sustainability influence material choice of interior decor, it will also strongly influence furniture choices as well. While fast furniture has been trendy for years, consumers are revolting after having to toss one too many collapsed bookshelves or cheap nightstands to the curb, filling landfills at an alarming rate. Instead of mass produced furniture, consumers are opting to invest in custom wood furniture that they can pass along from generation to generation or are opting to incorporate thrifted, vintage, antique, used or heirloom pieces into their designs. Not only are these pieces more visually stimulating, they are environmentally sound.
INDIVIDUALISM IN DESIGN
After spending the last few years in our homes, we have gained a different appreciation for the materials that make up the structure where we spend most of our time. We have gotten to know our spaces and furniture intimately, including all of the ways in which we want to change them. Cookie cutter design and furniture are behind us as individuals want their homes to reflect them - their personalities, their travels, their passions, their lives. They want to express themselves through their homes and voice their values through their purchases, leading to more custom- order furniture with beautiful inlays, custom finishes, or unique details. Consumers are boycotting pinterest-inspired perfect spaces and instead incorporate interesting art (even if it is kid-crafted), layered textiles (even if it means pulling out that afghan grandma knit years ago), and/or personalized collections (even if it includes mom’s glass flamingo collection). They want their homes to be a reflection of them and what makes them happy.
NATURE INSPIRED SPACES
Bringing the outdoors in trend of the past couple of years may not be a trend at all, but here to stay. We want to invite the smell of the ocean into our homes by lighting sea salt scented candles, see the rich darkness of foliage by buying textiles of the same hues, feel the sense of calm we felt watching the waves crash against the shore by purchasing an art print similar to that scene in our memory. Sights and smells of nature can be relived and reimagined through natural materials for the home. Live-edge furniture, seagrass or hyacinth woven baskets, and plants (faux or real) serve as a balm for our souls. Nature inspired spaces are not only soothing for the eco-conscious, but provide respite for us all.
CURVY LINES
While modern square edges and lines have dominated design in the recent past, things are softening up a bit for 2023. Curved couches and chair backs, arched doorways, circular coffee tables, rounded ottomans, and circular rugs are making a resurgence. Curvy lines and organic edges emulate nature and organically instill a calmness within us, whereas hard lines and straight edges are more rigid and formal. Though this trend has been seen in luxury hotels and high-end homes for years, it is now accessible for us all. Try adding a curved sofa or large curvaceous pendant lights for a luxurious touch to your home. On a lesser scale, smaller curvy details can be added. Try a round accent table, hang a round mirror, or pop a couple of round poufs in your home to create a softer, more inviting space.
TEXTURES & LAYERS
We are closing the door on minimalism in 2023, opting instead to saturate our spaces in layers of different textures to create warmth and an invitation of peace, coziness, and hygge. Different textures should start with the houses’ architecture - from textured lime wash walls to plastered range hoods, textured wallpaper to rich wood flooring, dramatically veined natural stone countertops to brick and stone fireplaces. Choose furniture of different textures including metals, plastics, soft fabrics, and natural materials. Then layer in different textiles to create not only a visually impactful space, but a space that feels like home to you including interesting area rugs, faux fur throws, window shades or coverings, throw blankets & pillows, towels & bed linens, as well as faux green foliage or pampas grass, vases, decorative items, and books. Finally, add different lighting effects to highlight and dramatize the spaces you’ve created, tailoring the lighting to the needs of the space. Consider ambient lighting or lighting that illuminates an entire space uniformly (can lights, track lights, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, etc.), task lighting or lighting that illuminates a specific task or area (pendant lights, under-cabinet lights, desk lamps, etc.), accent lighting or lighting that illuminates a certain point of interest (wall-mounted fixtures, directional recessed or track lights, etc.) and decorative lighting or lighting that functions as a decoration.
2023 will prove to be an exciting year in the world of design. Natural textures in earth tones will dominate the scene, replacing the stark whites and grays that have been popular as of late. Sustainability and individuality in design will become the norm. Layering of textiles to create warmth and coziness will continue strongly into the year and more exploration and riskiness with color will be seen. And it will all be so beautiful.