154 Designers on 2025 Home Decor Trends — These Are Their Predictions
The one constant in home design is change. Trends emerge, and different colors come into focus. Old design elements get reinvented for new contexts, and social media creates viral decor and interior styles. As another year comes to an end, it’s time to look back at where design took us in 2024 — and how it’s evolving for 2025. That means it’s time for our annual designer survey, which we call The State of Home Design.
Halfway through the new decade, people are prioritizing highly personal, unique spaces. Vintage furniture is more popular than ever, with shoppers buying pieces with patina not just because they’re readily available, but because they’re more sustainable and special. Mixed in with new furnishings, these items tell a story, a chief quality of the “layered” look — one of several words designers predict will dominate home design in 2025.
Another term that defined our results last year and has continued to bubble up? “Cozy.” This might have something to do with the current global uncertainty, but it’s also the increased understanding that you can nurture your well-being by surrounding yourself with what comforts you. That looks different for everyone, but one thing’s certain: Bolder color is now an important part of the cozy equation, as entire rooms, floor to ceiling, have become cocoons of jewel tones and warm, earthy neutrals.
Despite the increased moodiness and whimsy in home design, nature hasn’t totally lost its foothold as inspiration, either. Designers and dwellers are doubling down on biophilic elements, with natural touches showing up in color palettes, finishes, prints, and materials. Again, this plays into the dimensionality of design — having rooms that speak to the senses with textures of all kinds.
The 154 interior designers we polled for Apartment Therapy’s annual trend forecast might not agree on everything when it comes to homes — or the answers to the 30 questions posed to them. Despite working across the U.S. and Canada (and with all different kinds of clients), though, clear patterns emerged in their responses. Traditional elements are meeting modern conveniences, and eclectic, curated spaces are pushing the design conversation forward into the future.
These findings will shape the design that’s to come in the back half of the 2020s. There’s so much to say about interior styles, rooms, colors, materials, and more that we’re providing a snapshot of the report here. And all throughout this month and into 2025, we’ll be sharing even more specifics. If you don’t want to miss a beat, you can see it all here.
Parisian Design Remains En Vogue
Thanks to platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok (and our very own house tours), clients are savvier than ever about asking their designers for specific styles in their homes. And those aesthetics have shifted in popularity over the years — and transformed somewhat themselves.
Cited as an emerging style in 2023’s survey and as one expected to stick around this year, Parisian-inspired design has officially entered its golden age: 91% of respondents identified “Parisian Pied-à-Terre” as a style that will continue to dominate in 2025. What’s different about this iteration of French interiors? You’ll find bolder color and more contemporary lighting used alongside the typical moldings, gilded mirrors, and marble mantels you’d find in a classic Parisian apartment.
Trim work is moving up onto the ceilings, too, while French Art Deco influences are growing in popularity. “I’ve loved the resurgence of the Parisian Art Deco style in the past year,” says residential interior designer Lindsey Gregg of Big Sky Design in Wilmington, North Carolina. “It’s so interesting paired with antiques and traditional fabrics, but it’s elegant enough to stand on its own without feeling cold.”
Designers remain divided in the minimalism versus maximalism debate and predict warm minimalism and maximalism will both be equally prominent in 2025. Mid-century modern and Scandinavian styles are experiencing something of a revival, too, with their staying power increasing from 43 to 66% and 41 to 64%, respectively, year over year.
These shifts might be due to a refinement of these styles. MCM is taking on a softer, European-inspired form over the clean-lined American tradition, while Scandi has traded its cooler colors for a warmer palette and slightly darker, more sophisticated-looking woods.
Secondhand Style Comes in First
In interiors, everything that’s old is new again at some point, and that’s what we’re seeing in emerging design styles. With people craving coziness and familiarity, the “Contemporary English Cottage” aesthetic has totally upended the Modern Farmhouse style, thanks to its mismatched quirkiness, charming pattern clashing, and pillow-covered, sink-in sofas. English kitchens also seem to never go out of style because of their simplicity and excellent craftsmanship.
For all of these reasons, 60% of designers voted for this perfectly imperfect, maximalist-minded blend as the top aesthetic for 2025. “We all still crave the comforts of home but with a bit more personality,” says designer Susan Knof, owner and creative director of Knof Design in Towaco, New Jersey. “That is why I think the country English aesthetic, with colorful interiors and details, will be the new home look. We all need to feel comfortable and cozy but never boring!”
The English look is also known for its darker colors and antique furnishings, which dovetails nicely with the second most popular emerging design style, voted for by 59% of respondents: “All Things Vintage.” This all-encompassing aesthetic has everything to do with sourcing older wares from any time period — what designer Kristin Wiens Keyes, owner of Kristin Keyes interiors in Nashville, cleverly referred to as “Secondhand First.”
Rounding out this collective love affair with historic design? A quietly luxurious, mash-up design style we’re calling “Retro Nouveau” (think: darker finishes, more stylized shapes, gilded accents, and organic florals alongside geometric prints, almost as if Art Deco had a baby with Art Nouveau and threw in some contemporary silhouettes for a modern edge). About 44% of designers predicted this will be a style to watch in 2025.
The Roaring ’20s Are Back
Interestingly enough, “Retro Nouveau” wasn’t the only throwback to the 1920s in the survey’s results. Several designers mentioned Art Deco in the context of shapes, tiles, and even furnishings like mirrors being an inspiration to them in their work. Chrome was identified as an up-and-coming material by 38% of designers (second only to soapstone at 71%), and many of the designers believe curved silhouettes and arches aren’t going anywhere.
“Everyone is adding or bringing back arches through archways, doors, or niches,” says designer Chloe Judge of Mackenzie Collier Interiors in Phoenix. ”I think it’s an easy and charming way to add character to your space.”
Safe to say, the Roaring ’20s are leaving a mark on design again; 20% of designers said the 1920s will be the next big decade for inspiration, up from 14% last year and followed closely by the 1970s, which was chosen by 19% of the survey pool. The only decade not represented from the recent past? The 2010s, which received 0% of the designer vote.
Color Is Bolder, Moodier, and Headed for the Fifth Wall
In 2024, color became simultaneously earthier but also more moody — deeper, darker shades like chocolate brown, burgundy, and forest green took center stage after years of light, bright, and all-white everything. Next year, expect this warming trend to continue and for color application to move outside of the lines, literally, thanks to the trend of “color drenching,” which creates a cozy, cocoon-like feel in a room by swathing everything — floors, trim, ceiling — in a single shade.
For designers, the days of painting accent walls — or even just walls, for that matter — are in the past. “I don’t think we need to go back to statement walls,” says designer Elissa Hall of Portland-based EDH Interiors. “Creating an ambience via painting a whole room, ceilings included, is a lasting trend. I want to feel enveloped by color.” Designer JoAnna Baum, principal of JoAnna Baum Interiors in Elmhurst, Illinois, agrees, adding that drenching feels “centuries old and intentional” to her.
The top colors designers think will be everywhere in 2025 are heathered plum (45%), olive green (20%), butter yellow (12%), and crimson red (10%). Three out of these four shades all have food references, which plays into the foodification of design, a trend that’s equal parts fun and nostalgic. And as far as unexpected hue combos, expect purples to be paired up with greens, terracottas to find camels, and sky blue and red to be a cheery couple in the most whimsical of interiors.
Kitchen Finishes Are Warming Up
Kitchen design is always something to keep an eye on, as renovating this area tends to have the most ROI. Regardless, the kitchen is also arguably still the heart of the home and a place that gets a lot of use. So make yours a spot you’ll want to spend time in.
Go modern with your appliances for extra convenience — induction ranges, beverage fridges, and statement stoves rose to the top of our experts’ lists — but think Old World with your cabinetry silhouettes for character. Designers advise against super-fussy details, though; 27% think raised panel cabinetry will be on its way out for 2025, and full overlays came up as being out of style, too. Some even felt like fluted cabinets, something that surged in 2021 and 2022, weren’t far behind either.
Instead, introduce simple but striking visual interest with Shaker or Slim Shaker style cabinets. Designers say these choices will always seem stylish and can keep a smaller kitchen looking lighter visually.
Color and drama also made major comebacks in kitchens last year, and in 2025 you can expect more of the same in terms of cabinetry and finishes. Designers see warm-colored marbles making gains on Calacatta marble’s popularity, and dark soapstone is becoming a popular countertop choice, as it can be lower maintenance than other stones. Anything goes with cabinet colors — while light oaks and unstained woods are certainly back, and you can find cupboards painted in every hue from butter yellow to burgundy. And designers are all for it.
“While I’ll always love a classic white kitchen, there’s something magical about adding a splash of color to cabinetry — whether it’s a bold statement or a soft, subtle hue,” says designer Francie Winchester, principal of Francie Winchester Interior Design of Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Color brings so much personality to kitchens, transforming them into inviting spaces that reflect individual style and creativity.”
Finally, A Rapid-Fire Game of This or That
If you want to get a designer to make a snap decision, give them just two choices, and they’ll go with their gut. That’s exactly how we like to close out our survey, and it’s typically one of the most illuminating sections.
Perhaps the most interesting finding here? Despite the fact that Pinterest declared 2024 the year of chrome (and aluminum), 81% of designers are doubling down on brass instead, at least for now. Almost the same percentage of designers (82%) prefer colorful kitchens to all-white ones, and 79% prefer brunette woods over blonde ones, making this the second year darker woods have edged out lighter ones.
Maximalism continued its winning streak over minimalism (68% vs. 32%), and earth tones topped jewel tones (55% vs. 45%). Wallpaper is always a point of contention with designers — they love it, but can be divided over its different motifs and application methods. This year, though, whimsy reigns supreme when it comes to prints, edging out trompe-l’œil patterns (62% to 38%).
Wondering where designers stand on the curvy vs. clean-lined furniture debate? Don’t throw out your rounded-back sofas or chairs: 65% of designers say rounded edges and curves are here to stay for 2025.
In Conclusion
Designers don’t have crystal balls, but they’re out there in the world — going into homes, interacting with different people, seeing what products home decor brands have to offer, and gathering inspiration from places far and wide. They’re dreamers and doers, and much of the innovation in interiors starts with them. That’s why they can be such a great resource in understanding what’s new and next.
If our panel of designers’ collective musings are any indicator, 2025 is poised to be a year of experimentation with color, hybrid design styles, and darker, moodier finishes. History is repeating itself, as traditional design elements and vintage furniture bring soul to spaces of all sizes. But don’t expect homes to look like museums: Coziness is king, and antiques are being used alongside new furnishings to create layered, lived-in spaces.
Home design, at its very best, isn’t just pretty; it’s as much about problem solving and emotional support as it is aesthetics. So here’s to another year of creativity and spaces as unique as the people who call them home. Maybe Minneapolis-based Melissa Oholendt, founder and design principal of Oho Interiors, whose living room project is featured at the top of this piece, sums it up best: “I hope we stay true to our inner convictions and passions on design instead of catering to the trends. Design is inherently more fun and long-lasting that way.”
Graphic Design throughout by Isabela Humphrey for Apartment Therapy.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
