Vogue.com, January 2023
Source: Vogue.com
Author: Elise Taylor
At first, “interior design trends” can feel like an oxymoronic term. Decor doesn’t tend to undergo seasonal changes or flash-in-the-pan fads—furniture, textiles, art, and wall coverings are too cumbersome, too expensive, too enduring to update frequently. When you design a room, as the saying goes, you need to learn to live with it. For a long time.
Yet the pendulum does swing, albeit over years and decades: 1970s shag-carpeted bohemianism gives way to 1980s glitzy excess, which gives way to 1990s palate-cleansing minimalism. So, as we enter 2023—and finding interior solutions that are kind to both our sanity and the planet feels more important than ever—a sense of permanence is key to understanding which way the 2020s are headed. What will feel timeless or au courant for several years to come, and what is on its way to feeling dated?
Vogue decided to ask 13 interior designers to find out.
For starters: earth tones—which, due thanks to their calming effects and associations with nature, increased in popularity during the pandemic years—still rule three years in. Shades of brown continue their decor dominance, while romantic mauve, Kathryn M. Ireland and Jake Arnold predict, is the color of the year to come. Meanwhile, multiple interior designers are opting for silver accents over gold or bronze. “Its captivating shine and texture lend an everyday sophistication to any space,” says Athena Calderone.
Certain design hallmarks from periods past are also making a return: after the dominance of the laid-back mid-century modern in the aughts and teens, for example, formal accents are now making a comeback. (As Robert D. McKinley surmises, we’re all craving a little more sophistication after spending all that COVID-era time in sweatpants.) A little more controversially, perhaps, brutalism is back in too. Concrete floors anyone?
However, preface this all with a “neo”. 2023 doesn’t copy the past, but merely uses it as inspiration—our newfound interest in brutalism, for example, makes sure to infuse the aesthetic concept with warmer touches. “That’s the cyclical nature of trends I suppose—they always stem from someplace in history, allowing for modern interpretation,” Calderone observes.
What’s falling by the wayside? It seems the “modern farmhouse” aesthetic has hit its saturation point, as have beds adorned with a million pillows. (C’mon, it just ends up being a lot of clutter.) We can also wave goodbye to fast furniture—unsurprising given that more often than not, it just ends up discarded on a curb. A more environmentally conscious approach to interior design is always in.
Below, the top interior design trends to know in 2023, as well as what’s on its way out.
What’s In
Earth Tones–Especially Browns and Pinks
“Mauve, peach, corals—I’m loving shades of pink right now. It feels feminine and a softer way to incorporate color.” -Jake Arnold
“Pink and mauve are next year’s colors.”-Kathryn M. Ireland
“I’m loving everything brown, and this year we’ll be seeing the use of creamier, warmer whites, and earth tones of taupe—and all shades of brown.” -Sarah Solis
“We recently took a deep dive into Darwin and the history of color at London’s Natural History Museum and fell in love with bird feathers and minerals in these warm, earthy shades of rust and caramel. These are the colors we’re loving for 2023.” -Robin Standefer, Roman and Williams
“Earth tones continue to dominate as we all recover from years of all-gray-everything PTSD. Earthy browns were my prediction last year, and that continues. But now red is coming back in spades. From rich oxblood to earthy terracotta red, these nature-inspired hues will continue to dominate design.” -Danielle Colding
“Moody yet still earthy color palettes feel new to me: rust brick, blue-green, creamy midnight blues.” -Erick Garcia, Maison Trouvaille
A room with neoclassical touches by Timothy Corrigan.Simon Upton
Neoclassicism
“The comeback of neoclassicism, with its focus on highly detailed and symmetrical lines, is a natural progression after the popularity of mid-century modern. The decor blends easily with other periods and styles, and focuses on elegance and sophistication, without being a conspicuous display of wealth.” -Timothy Corrigan
“I think after the pandemic and all its casual practicality there is a desire for formality and luxury.” -Robert D. McKinley, Studio Robert McKinley
Terrazzo
“Mosaic and terrazzo are trending strong instead of the full, book-matched slabs of marble that became ubiquitous in kitchens and baths during recent years.” -Timothy Corrigan
Paper and Fabric Lighting
“I am seeing a resurgence in lighting made from paper, fabric, or silk with a soft, ambient glow.” -Athena Calderone
Silver tables in a room by Athena Calderone. Jonathan Hokklo
Silver and Iron Accents
“Iron details inspired by Giacometti are in. We have and will continue to see iron details on furniture like side tables, coffee tables, consoles, and benches. It will make a more prominent appearance in 2023 within decor—think candlesticks, mirrors, decorative bowls, et cetera.” -Jake Arnold
“I’m feeling less excitement around materials like natural brass and more interest for polished aluminum, stainless steel, and nickel.” -Robert D. McKinley
“Bronze, gold, and copper have long been the design industry’s metal of choice and while their timeless allure will always be in favor, a new hue has galvanized our gaze: slick and polished silver. Its captivating shine and texture lend an everyday sophistication to any space.” -Athena Calderone, Eyeswoon
Stone Trims
“From door frames and window sills to baseboards and moldings, using marble and stone on surfaces around the home isn’t a new trend but has recently progressed to now being used to dress up architectural details. Seeing marble and stone in this way feels not only timeless and old world but also fresh, and breathes a new life into an overused material.” -Colin King
An interior by Mark D. Sikes where the same fabric covers the couch and the wall. Douglas Friedman
Mono-room Fabrics
“A big trend this year is applying one fabric to everything in a room. You would think that this might make a space feel busy, but it actually has a serene, cozy, and chic effect! In addition, it’s easy.” -Mark D. Sikes
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