This Is the Cozy-Meets-Sophisticated Design Style That Will Dominate 2025
If anything’s stayed consistent across home design over the past few years, it’s personalization. Renters and homeowners alike seem to be embracing more thoughtfully decorated spaces that emphasize functionality over aesthetics. That said, new trends and design elements have continued to emerge and gain traction, and designers expect one specific style in particular to take off this upcoming year (hint: It’s equally cozy, charming, and cool).
As part of Apartment Therapy’s fifth annual The State of Home Design Survey, our team polled 154 design experts on their 2025 trend home predictions. These pros weighed in on everything from the most popular pattern to unexpected color combos you’ll likely start seeing everywhere. We also asked which emerging design style will potentially define 2025, and 60% of designers agreed on contemporary English cottage.
Last year’s 2024 State of Home Design Survey originally identified English country as an up-and-coming aesthetic — and slightly more elevated twist on cottagecore — characterized by cozy, lived-in spaces complete with patterns galore and vintage accents. Now, for a 2025 iteration of this sought-after style, contemporary English cottage favors bolder colors, maximalist prints, and cozy silhouettes alongside natural materials and modern, organic pieces. Think more Matilda Goad, less Laura Ashley.
Designer Susan Knof, owner and creative director of Knof Design in New Jersey, positions contemporary English cottage as a fresh take on the neutral-heavy modern farmhouse trend. “We all still crave the comforts of home, but with a bit more personality!” she explains. “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!”
Contemporary English cottage also aligns with this year’s projected trend landscape overall — when asked to define 2025 interior design in three words or less, designers agreed on adjectives like “cozy,” “layered,” “warm,” and “vintage-inspired.”
It’s ultimately a (colorful) blend of new and old, too, making this a relatively versatile aesthetic to introduce to any space, regardless of your decor style. “I love that my clients are opening up to using more vintage pieces and pairing them with their modern aesthetic,” says designer Jade McNeil. “The eclectic home not only makes for a more interesting space, but also brings sustainable design practices to a decadent and collected home.”
You can easily incorporate small-scale elements of contemporary English cottage into just about every room, too, whether it’s styling a vintage-looking table lamp on the counter of a modern, minimalist kitchen or cozying up a simple bed frame with moody floral pillows. However you lean into this cute-meets-sophisticated style, it doesn’t demand a huge commitment or full-on redecoration, especially if you’ve already been a fan of cottagecore or English country.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
