Last Updated on February 4, 2025 by Tanya Janse van Rensburg
The world has changed tremendously since we last shared our yearly trend predictions.
Despite a massive global economic crisis, the design industry continues to thrive and reinvent itself to accommodate the changing home landscape.
And while the overall uncertainty made people more financially cautious, the trend was kind to the home remodeling industry.
Spending more time at home brings new habits and tastes and encourages householders to rethink their former interior preferences. The world is changing fast, and so is interior design.
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Our housebound lives brought a desperate demand for maximizing any outdoor living potential of our properties.
Those lucky enough to have an outdoor space are investing their efforts and funds to turn it into a second living room and a new place to socialize.
The urban jungle trend evolves and grows deep roots in households traumatized by lockdowns. Lush foliage and vegetable gardens are popping up even in the smallest of (both indoor and outdoor) spaces.
A need to reconnect with Nature goes beyond living with plants.
Sustainability becomes a norm, reflected in the prioritization of natural materials (like wool, rattan, sisal, stone, wood, cane, cork, bamboo, and seagrass…) in furniture, decor, and products.
Simple actions like learning how to prolong the life of our cane chairs or rattan sofas serve as a gentle nudge, reminding us to honor our enduring connection with nature amidst our bustling lives.
Rather than investing in ‘status’ symbols, we see householders prioritizing the products they use often. The focus is on the quality and small daily rituals like drinking coffee or family meals.
Getting rid of everything that doesn’t serve you or bring joy is seen almost as a spiritual practice.
The fascination with the Marie Kondo method remains strong as more and more people take on decluttering to help them organize their homes to be more functional and airy.
Biophilic design, which integrates nature into the built environment, is also gaining popularity in the post-pandemic world.
This trend focuses on creating aesthetically pleasing spaces and promoting well-being. By bringing nature indoors, we can create more calming, relaxing environments to help us de-stress and unwind.
Warm, earthy color schemes further develop the bond with the natural world and create a sense of freedom presented exclusively by the great outdoors.
This can be achieved by painting walls in neutral shades, using natural materials like wood and stone, and adding plants and flowers.
Earthy tones can be incorporated into any room in the home, from the living room to the bedroom.
Beige, brown, terracotta, rust, amber, greige, beige, sands, and taupe are among the favorites as they promote well-being and a sense of tranquility and calm.
Organic shapes rank high in the top ten interior trends for 2023.
Soft, flowing lines can be spotted in furniture, artwork, ceramics, decor, and beyond.
Originating from the art Deco design style, these modern, reimagined, sumptuous lines cultivate a relaxed atmosphere and a natural flow inside the space.
Image credit: Ignat
Image credit: Folk Interiors
Image credit: Roman Plyus
As a result of the overall minimalistic tendencies across the interior design field, we will see more creativity in using texture and layering.
Fluted furniture, ribbed surfaces and architecture are becoming increasingly popular as high-end solutions for adding visual interest and warmth to minimalistic settings.
The most popular aesthetic includes smooth surfaces, natural tones, organic and curved and sculptural shapes with subtle mohair texture.
Image credit: Daniel Valle Architects
Image credit: CaiCai Handmade
Image credit: Solebich
Image credit: These Four Walls Blog
Image credit: Danthree
Shopping habits have changed tremendously over the past year. Online shopping, hyper-essentialism, and quality over quantity mindset turn mainstream, but the shift goes much deeper to favor sustainability, accountability and ethics.
The focus is on the brand, its values, and its story.
Supporting artists and small, local manufacturers becomes imperative. Handmade decorative pieces and furniture produced nearby support the local economy while at the same time cutting transport emissions.
Image credit: Milk Decoration
Image credit: The Knot
The arch design trend is manifested through architecture, mirrors, paintwork, kitchenware, and ceramics.
The arch motif, a symbol of renewal and the ability to carry enormous weight, feels perfectly fit for the evolving narrative.
It’s curvy and structural, playful and dignified, calming and meditative.
Image credit: Ferm Living
Image credit: Garmentory
It’s been a while since we predicted the rise of this mesmerizing design trend.
Originating from the traditional Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi, the Japandi design style represents the marriage of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian modernity.
The result is a clean, elegant, and functional style. Japandi interiors are characterized by clean lines, simple forms, and a focus on natural materials.
Wood, stone, and paper are often used in Japandi design. Japanese shoji screens are also a popular element in Japandi interiors.
These screens can create privacy in open-plan spaces or divide large rooms into smaller, more intimate areas.
The simplicity of this airy design concept promotes calm and introspection. The texture comes mostly from layering items from different periods, natural materials, plants, and dried flowers.
Image credit: Hobo
Image credit: Design Milk
Image credit: Nordiskakok
The trend of using dried flowers as decor is in full swing. Pampas is still relevant but pay attention also to Lunaria and all sorts of ikebana arrangements.
Image credit: Coco Lapin
Image credit: Decor8
Panoramic murals, 3D texture, grasscloth and chintz, contemporary geometrics and tropical botanicals, and wallpapers go bold this season. Modern botanical and tropical prints embellish both walls and textiles.
Image credit: Boras tapeter
Image credit: Murals Wallpaper
