What's Catching My Eye in 2026 Interior Design

A lot of fabulous trends are coming our way (or maybe they never left)

I’m happy to report that a lot of my research into home style for this year is good news for my own personal taste. You’ve seen by now that my advice for small space design leans toward the eclectic and colorful, where modern pieces play nice with antiques. Many interior designers predict this proclivity is here to stay for awhile, and will soften the harshness that has dominated standard house style since pre-pandemic.

Like crazed farmhouse.

Or neo-vacation rental.

Nicole Fisher, an interior designer in Hudson, New York, sums it up like this: “The beige-on-beige, generic modern farmhouse details, and spaces designed purely for resale are losing relevance.” Things are getting more personal and doing anything that looks like a cosmetic flip house is not going to make you happy.

Home design trends are never entirely new. I think they are more about rediscovery of the things you love best, along with a fatigue with what’s been done over and over in the past. And even though it’s fun to look at what’s trending, it’s even more fun to align a new approach with the timeless things in your home you’ll never part with.

Here are a few open-ended ideas to use in your favorite rooms this year. They are meant to get your imagination revved up and maybe even encourage you to put some neighborhood house tours (or open a new account on Houzz) on your list of things to do for inspiration.

Layers of color

(Photo: Houzz)

You wouldn’t think that pale green, ballet pink, and several shades of blue would be a good idea in an apartment living room, but this space proves you wrong. Notice how well spaced and proportional everything is, from the patterned window valance (with playful fringe) to the Asian rug with just enough neutral color in its center.

Curves and waves

As a further move away from stark minimalism, high-level designers are introducing furniture with more curvy lines. C-shaped sofas, barrel chairs, arched headboards, and freeform coffee tables are having a moment in stylish living spaces. A word of warning: Going crazy with this trend might result in a cartoonish effect. The best approach is introducing curves and waves to soften the other hard edges of a room.

A clever motif on this pretty couch is the ruching around the bottom, which reflects the pattern on the curvy coffee table. (Photo: Veranda)

Clubby padded chairs like this one were considered dated not too long ago. But in this rather austere corner, its soft profile and silver-blue fabric is the perfect complement. (Photo: Darlings of Chelsea)

Brown furniture is back

In a win for old oak and mahogany furniture, designers and homeowners are frowning on too much IKEA-style MDF and white melamine. Consumers are getting more and more concerned with the detrimental effects of fast fashion and fast furniture, so even modernists are mixing their interiors with both old and new. Natural wood furniture from the past is going to be in high demand.

(Photo: Decor Pad)

Antique wood furniture comes in a large variety of colors, wood species, and finishes. It’s made of solid wood components, in a time when old-growth and exotic woods weren’t on the brink of extinction. You are also rewarded with impeccable joinery and solid metal hardware. Dressed with eclectic art and patterned rugs, brown furniture is a real room upgrader.

(Photo: Decor Pad)

Asian Pieces

I don’t have a lot of Asian pieces but I love looking at them in shops. People are noticing the craftsmanship and interesting designs of things like room dividers, small chests, and antique prints. They are easy to integrate into a variety of room styles.

(Photo: Rock Paper Scissors)

My favorite Asian furniture is probably the tansu (maybe because I grew up in a house with a couple of them and discovered a hidden compartment in one.)

Tansu chests are very handy and instill a striking Japanese aesthetic in a room. They are available new-made and antique.

Take some time to think about each of your rooms and how they reflect your style. Maybe it was just right five years ago and you’re ready for some change. Whether small or large, your efforts to improve the status quo will make you feel great about the place you live.