With the new year approaching, it’s time to talk about trends. I love to shine a spotlight on upcoming trends that we can expect to see in the design world for two reasons. First, knowing the trends keeps us “in the know,” and can give us some fresh ideas for decorating our home. And second, if you’re doing a new build or major renovation in 2023, it’s good to know what might be going out of style, so you don’t prematurely date your home. Some people like to choose a goal word or phrase to manifest or define their year ahead. So let’s roll with it. When it comes to interior design trends for 2023, the key word to define the year is going to be…PERSONALITY!
Before we start, let me dispel the myth that I’m a designer who thinks everyone should follow new trends. Not so fast!
The most important thing to remember is that it’s your home, and you should decorate it however you want. If you love these trends and can’t wait to incorporate them into your home, great! If you despise these new trends, no problem…that’s what the comments are for. 🙂 It’s so much more important to focus your efforts on creating a home that you love and that reflects your personality than to follow the trends.
Want a house that looks great, regardless of new trends that come and go? Check out my post on 10 Tips for Timeless Decorating. Now on to the trends…
1. More Vibrant Color
Last year, we started to see more color emerge in design with soft, soothing hues. It was all about rejuvenation and serenity. Gray-greens were a defining color for 2022, along with softer off-whites.
For 2023, we’re continue to see color come back into every room in a more vibrant way. Neutrals will start to be replaced with more cheerful and expressive jewel-tone colors, as people start to inject more personality into their homes. I predict we’ll see more colorful accent walls, painted cabinetry, and lots of warm earthy colors used on the walls.
The key to this trend is to add contrast and warmth to your home, and showcase your personality with your favorite colors. In general, neutrals will still be very popular, but try to amp up the color on your bedroom walls, or add a dramatic wallpaper, or even swap out your neutral pillows for colorful ones that make you feel more energized. Not a fan of bold color on your walls? You can also add color in a more subtle way with your furniture and accessories.
Check out my post on Paint Colors for 2023 for more ideas on trendy wall colors for the new year.
What colors are going out of style in 2023?
If your walls are painted gray, it’s time for a refresh. The truth is that gray is actually starting to look dated, and is placing your home squarely in the last decade. Opt for a light, warm greige or an off-white on your walls, instead.
What about white walls? Sorry to say that the crisp, bright, all-white look is starting to look flat and sterile. Even though whites will still be a popular choice throughout 2023 for homeowners, consider a slightly darker shade, like an off-white or light beige to be more current with the trends. Then, inject some color into other rooms of your home, like your bedroom or dining room.
Colors that are IN for 2023: Off-whites, beiges, teals, smoky blues, sage greens, dark greens, dark reds
Colors that are OUT for 2023: all grays, icy blues, bright whites, anything too sterile or hospital-like
2. Unique Furnishings
With the trend toward adding more personality into our homes, cookie-cutter furniture that everyone can buy will be fading away. The emphasis in 2023 will be on furniture that has unique shapes and details. This means pieces that look like they are antiques or made by a master craftsman, and pieces that have a fun shape or ornate design details. This trend is all about high-quality, variety, subtle variations from the expected, and self-expression (by you and by your furniture).
In other words, it’s time to stop shopping at Ikea and Pottery Barn this year, and start looking for unique finds at local retailers and antique stores. Garage sales and thrift stores will be great places to find vintage decor, as well as stores like 1st Dibs and Chairish. Mix in your vintage finds with some more streamlined, modern furniture shapes and you’ll nail this trend for 2023.
3. Traditional Styles Make a Comeback
After a decade of modern and minimalist styles taking the lead, there is a movement toward more traditional and ornate styles in the works. Designers and homeowners are wanting more character and detail in their homes, so you’ll start to see design elements from the past re-emerge. Details like arches, alcoves, unique furniture shapes, built-ins, and custom millwork will be very popular.
Art Deco’s curved shapes, geometric patterns, and vibrant colors were popular in 2022, and will continue to be on trend in 2023. But, you’re also going to see Traditional style make a comeback. Key elements of traditional style include:
- rich, luxurious materials, like velvet and silk
- floral, and damask patterns, along with simple stripes and plaids
- dark wood furniture
- furniture that is reminiscent of historical European designs
- detailed millwork, like wainscoting, carved fireplace mantels, and coffered ceilings
What design styles are going out of style in 2023?
Rustic Farmhouse style has officially left the building, and Bohemian is also on its way out in 2023. To be on trend, be sure to ditch all wood signs with lettering, and any distressed furniture you have in your home.
If you’ve embraced Modern Farmhouse over the last few year, you’re probably still in good shape. That style is very flexible and easy to adapt to new trends.
Sleek modern and minimalist styles will be falling away in favor of more ornate, traditional, and expressive styles. For modern and minimalist style lovers that want to evolve with the latest trends, look for ways to inject a little more color into your home with accent walls, furniture, or accessories. You can also look for opportunities to add a little more detail or character to your home with some built-ins or feature walls.
4. Rich Wood Features
One of the trends I’m most excited about this year is the resurgence of rich wood details. These timeless features add so much character to a home, and are a great way to make a statement in any room.
We started to see wood cabinetry come back into style over the last two years, with beautiful, modern white-oak kitchen cabinets and bath vanities. Now, we’ll also start to see wood returning to walls, ceilings, and even trim.
You can expect to see intricate feature walls, like this gorgeous office fireplace surround, show up in designer homes this year. No doubt this type of custom wood work can be expensive to install, but it adds a TON of personality and wow factor into a room.
Over the last decade or so, the popular design styles favored a more minimalist, streamlined look. Highlighting the beauty of wood tends tend to align with more traditional styles of design, which is just more evidence that these styles will be making a comeback.
Ceilings are another area where we’ll see rich wood accents utilized to make a bold statement. Here’s a great example from Studio McGee, with a stunning coffered ceiling that takes this moody, masculine room to a new level of awesome-ness.
5. Colorful Kitchens
The all-white kitchen trend has been phasing out over the last several years. Quick aside…just because a trend is fading out, doesn’t mean it isn’t still beautiful. I happen to love the clean, bright look of an all-white kitchen, but that’s just not where the trends are headed today.
In 2023, you can expect to see colorful cabinetry take center stage. You’ll see cabinets painted in soft sage greens, blue-grays, warm off-whites, and even some bold teals. Two-tone kitchens are a great way to add some color to the base cabinets, but we’ll start to see that trend fade away this year in favor of a single color on all cabinets.
Wood cabinets are also continuing to come back into the mainstream. However, those dated, honey oak cabinets you have from the 1980’s and 90’s are not coming back into fashion…sorry. Today’s wood cabinets have clean, modern lines and more muted tones. They are also used in combination with other cabinet colors, like creamy whites, off-blacks, sage greens, and smoky blues.
Now that you’ve seen the defining interior design trends for 2023, and some of the things that are going out of style, what do you think? Will you be making any changes to your home decorating this year to keep up with the trends? Just remember, trends come and go, so make the changes you love and skip the ones you don’t. One great way to incorporate a new trend is in your accessories, like throw pillows, rugs, and artwork.
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I love the changes that will be taking place in 2023. My dilemma is we inherited my husbands family home. It was built in the late 60’s. All walls are cover in would paneling. Each room has a different would paneling. Each room is so dark. Even with lighter paneling in a couple.. my husband will not let me paint the walls. So I have had to try to bring some cheer to each room with decor. Each room is done differently. I don’t have a single theme going throughout the house. This is my personality. I have the Birds bedroom in teals and soft blues. The red bedroom. This has my fashionista decor. The master bedroom is in silvers and grays with a beautiful fabric chair that has yellow and grays. With little accents of teal and white in the room as well. I have added glam to this room. My bathroom is beachy. I haven’t started my kitchen yet. The cabinets are the original. With Formica backsplash. Paneled walls. With wallpaper from the 90’s from the chair rail up to the ceiling. The cabinets are an orange brown. The paneling is slightly lighter. So do you have any suggestions for updating the kitchen and dining without doing major renovations?
Would your husband support painting the cabinets? Paint is one of the best ways to transform a kitchen and brighten it up. You could also do some minor tweaks with new cabinet hardware, light fixtures, or adding a peel-and-stick tile on top of your backsplash. I have a great post on How to Update a Dated Home Without Remodeling that could give you some more ideas.
I’d tell my husband to get over it! Hate it when men think they have good taste and take all our fun away!
We are starting to remodel our kitchen, and this post is super inspirational. We are going through our to-do list and once our dumpster rental gets here next week we will get started!
I am a home decor enthusiast! Great info. Ty I did not know that there are peel and stick tiles available! Regular tile stores would have those??
Love your advice 👍👍👍
Great advice! I’ve been into colorful kitchens as far back as I can remember. So I’m glad everyone is going to be catching up in 2023! 🤣
That was really a great Article. Thanks for sharing information. Wish to see much more like this.
I loved this post but I do see Bohemian styles everywhere especially the rattan furniture in new shapes and colors…one of the biggest styles I’ve seen is cane webbing patterns on clothes, jewelry and furniture which is ultra Boho…so Boho is here to stay throughout 2023 with a more colorful scheme than usual though
Great input, thank you!
It sounds like you have a fun challenge ahead of you, but don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to update your kitchen and dining area without a major renovation. How about adding some bright and colorful accessories to liven up the space? A vibrant tablecloth or a few colorful placemats can work wonders. You could also consider adding some modern light fixtures or switching out your cabinet hardware to update the look. And don’t forget the power of a fresh coat of paint – maybe you could find a compromise with your husband by painting just the cabinet doors a new color. With a little creativity and some elbow grease, you can transform your outdated kitchen into a fresh and stylish space.
To Tammy Straub – Curtains, carpets and pictures will do the job. Visit artists, carpet emporiums and fabric wholesalers then when you get sick of a room you rearrange your paintings or change the curtains.
Wish I could send photos of my newly remodeled/redecorated French Normandy home. EVERY room got new wallpaper, in one of my fav soft teals, pinks whites. The backsplash is handcrafted teal mermaid tail which is smashing with my almond cabinets with pink/gold/ivory ceramic pulls, swirled light brown granite, blush velvet stools and chairs, oversized Anthro sofa, distressed walnut pie shaped island, and floors the same dark walnut. Antiques, traditional and modern elements go great together. Opposing sofas in peacock velvet and emerald green velvet, chairs in velvet, brocade and several different styles. I tuck jeweled trinkets about the house for the children to find, have Mackenzie whimsical reindeer in every room, drape velvet or lace over chairs and shades. Maximalist, romantic, elegant, whimsical and uniquely ME! I get raves and entertain so much more now.
I would love to see pictures! Sounds amazing, and more importantly, I love that it showcases your personality!
My Kitchen cabinets are Painted white Oak, installed in the mid 90’s. A bit dated in my opinion, but my problem is we are elderly, thinking of selling within the next five years. These cabinets have been painted once since we bought. Is it worth my while to have them repainted and do you think I should stick with the white. It is a bright beautiful kitchen with lots of windows. Thanks in advance Karen
White is timeless, so I think you’re safe with leaving them white. If the cabinets and paint job are in good shape, let the next homeowners decide if they want to repaint them. You could also update the hardware (knobs/pulls) to freshen up the look of your kitchen.