12 Interior Design Trends That Will Be Huge in 2023, According to Designers
White walls are out, and honey onyx is back in!
BY JAIME MILAN
While we tend to eschew design trends
in favor of more timeless and personal furnishings, it’s still fun to hear what
designers think will be trending in 2023 and beyond. Over the last few years,
most of us have spent more time at home and it’s changed the way we view our
spaces, both aesthetically and functionally. For example, white kitchens and
neutral spaces had their moment, but designers are predicting that people want
to have fun with their interiors and create a more personalized space now that
they’re spending more time at home (after all, who wants to look at blank walls
and beige furniture when they could have interesting wallpaper and a colorful
couch?). From bold paint to textured walls to layered textiles, now is the time
to create a space that makes you smile. Here, the biggest interior design
trends for 2023, according to designers.
1. Pine Wood and Other Natural Materials
Potter and interior designer Jonathan Adler said during a recent
Caesarstone presentation, “Trends are an interesting concept. We live in an
‘anything goes’ era and I’m here for it…I think pine wood is having a moment, and
that’s unexpected.” He added that incorporating natural materials—such as other
woods, stone, and plants—into interiors will also be a huge trend for 2023.
2. Wallpapered Powder Rooms
Though wallpaper in powder rooms is certainly not a new or groundbreaking
trend, Lauren Robbins, founder, and lead designer for Lauren Robbins
Interiors, says that it’s only going to get bigger and bolder next year.
“Powder rooms specifically are a great place to execute pattern play and colors
that you may be cautious to put in larger spaces in your home,” she says. “We
like to call our powder rooms the jewel box of a home, as you can experiment
with layered colors, texture and unique decorative accessories that add an
element of surprise when you open the doors of the room.”
3. Personality-Driven Design
New York City-based designer David
Frazier says that many of his clients are shifting away from neutral,
Pinterest-perfect rooms and opting instead for cozier spaces that feature
personal collections, layered textiles, unique art, and a mix of old and new
furnishings. He says, “We have seen so much minimalism over the last few years;
our clients are now craving warmth, depth, and character in their personal
spaces.” Now this is one trend we can get behind!
4. Texture Everywhere
Lindye Galloway, founder and chief creative
officer at Lindye Galloway Design Studio and Shop, says, “In 2022, plaster
and lime wash started to make their way into design again—and I think 2023 is
going to be the year it is infused deep into the design of everyone's homes.”
While you could certainly opt for textured lime wash walls, even adding a plaster hood in your kitchen (one of the biggest kitchen trends for 2023) can create a major visual impact in your space.
5. Wellness In The Home
Several designers think wellness rooms could
replace home gyms in 2023—and they’re about to be a lot more chic. Instead
of hiding a Peloton in the corner of your home office, clients are asking for a
“more thoughtful focus on wellness at home,” according to Sherrell Neal,
founder and principal designer at Sherrell Design Studio.
Joshua Smith, founder and principal designer at Joshua Smith Inc., agrees. He says that since many of us are spending more time at home, we want our space to feel like an escape. “When it comes to space planning, clients are requesting intentional spaces for activities like meditation, yoga, exercise, and last but not least, home spas—hello, Gwyneth Paltrow!” Smith says.
6. Sustainable Design
Many of our designers agree that 2023 seems like the
year for sustainable design. Smith says, “Consumers are becoming more mindful
of choosing environmentally friendly options, and rightly so, as the
conversation and importance of sustainable design will begin to take center
stage. People are increasingly asking ‘where is this made,’ ‘how is this made,’
etc.”
Susan Hayward, founder of Susan Hayward Interiors,
notes that many folks will start ditching inexpensive (and cheaply made)
furniture in favor of antiques or other investment pieces that won’t end up in
a landfill after a few years. She says, “People are going to begin investing
more in quality products that will stand the test of time. Rather than buying
something cheap to get the look at the moment, people will be more selective about
what they put in their home in order to have it for years to come.”
7. Architectural-Inspired Interiors
Architecture will continue making its way to interiors
in 2023. Eddie Maestri, principal architect, creative director and owner at Maestri
Studio, says, “Along with the art deco-inspired spaces we've been seeing, we'll
start to see nods to other distinctive styles that are graphic and bold like
Brutalism and Bauhaus.”
8. Performance Fabrics
Many designers are being tasked with creating
beautiful, but still livable spaces—especially for families who have small
children, pets, or busy lifestyles. Brad Ramsey, principal designer and founder
of Brad Ramsey Interiors, says, “Everyone wants indestructible fabrics!”
Thankfully, 2023 will be kinder to those of us who are
prone to spilling red wine on the couch. Ramsey says, “There are now so many
options that mimic the look of natural linen, velvet and textural fabrics, but
they are outdoor-rated, stain-resistant, high-performance materials. Couple
that with stain resistant, washable rugs, and we can now design homes that do
not sacrifice function for aesthetic purposes.” Amen to that.
9. The Return of Dining Rooms
Open floor plans may have been all the rage the last
few years, but Ramsey predicts that dedicated dining rooms are making a
comeback in 2023. He says that while you don’t need to carve out a formal
dining room with a 12-seat table, you should have an intimate place to gather
together.
“We went for years blowing out all of the walls and creating large open spaces and now we crave cozy spaces that encourage connection,” he says. “Open concept living is still en vogue, but even within open spaces we are discovering creative ways to create more intimate niches, nooks and cozy corners.”
10. Honey Onyx
If you remember this material trending in 1980’s
interior design, we have some news: It’s about to be back! Geddes Ulinskas,
principal and founder of Geddes Ulinskas Architects, says, “Suffering from
overuse in ’80s style, honey onyx fell out of favor with designers. We see the
stone coming back strongly with striking, graphic veining. It will continue to
be seen as a classic material for design.” We love the idea of bringing in this
material through decorative accessories, or going all out with a tile
backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom.
11. "Soft Modern" Kitchens
Bob Bakes and Paul Kropp, co-founders of Bakes &
Kropp, say that they’ve seen a growing demand for modern kitchen design,
but feel that there’s “a gap for tempered design that offsets the cold,
impersonal feeling that deters homeowners from taking the plunge.”
To combat this, they’ve refined what they dub the ‘soft modern’ kitchen design. “In our ‘soft modern’ kitchen designs, contrast is key,” they say. “We might choose to use a very high-gloss finish for the cabinetry and offset it with a matte wood finish for open shelving or accent panels."
12. Lighting as Art
It’s time to play around with mood lighting! Creative Director and
Co-founder of House of Leon, Jordan Neman, says, “We believe lighting will
take center stage in a certain way [in the next year or so]. As people design
and build their dream homes, they'll come to learn the importance of ambient
lighting and the role it plays in giving a space a feeling. We believe lighting
will become more sculptural with mixed materials incorporated into the pieces.”