The way we think about our homes in 2023 will change as pandemic panic wanes and economic concerns linger. We have turned inward in recent years, perhaps facing unfortunate domestic decisions made before lockdown or reevaluating the sometimes blurred lines between work and home. In the coming year, home design trends will address emerging personal and global concerns as we deal with the sins of the past.
According to Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at WGSN, the cost of living is a major concern in 2023 due to the uncertainty. In other words, whatever product or space we are going to interact with has to be meaningful to engage with, to deliver more than merely an item or a room.
It is clear from the upcoming edition of Maison&Objet, titled “Take Care!”, that consumers are placing a high value on the origins, manufacturing processes, and company commitments of the products they purchase. According to Caroline Biros, the fair’s communications director, the concept for the January 2023 edition reflects this value. “But it also means—take care of yourself, of others,” she says, citing a renewed interest in wellness, natural materials, and rejuvenating experiences. As Biros sums up, this year’s design campaign is dedicated to preserving the beauty of living on earth.
RETURN OF THE WARM ’90S NEUTRALS.
The sitting area of an Ishka Designs Brooklyn home is cozy and cool.
Designed by Frank Frances Studios
Bring on the beige, brown, and cream. Cool neutrals will be passed over for hues that, we dare say, evoke the ’90s. According to Farrow & Ball color curator Joa Studholme, grays that are harder and warmer are taking over those that were beloved for the last decade. 1stDibs surveyed 880 interior designers for their sixth annual trends survey, and light gray received just five percent of the votes.
“It’s more practical to invest in neutrals that are versatile and comforting,” says WGSN’s Riberti. “This change is as much about our post-pandemic emotional state as it is about a murky financial future.” Studholme, however, holds a different view. “Our neutrals now reflect how we want to bring peace and optimism to our homes. They wrap rooms in warmth and a sense of well-being.”
A RAW, NATURAL MATERIAL REIGNS.
Standard Architects designed this California home with interior designer Martha Mulholland.
Gradients of shade
Marble is everywhere, and it’s part of a trend that emphasizes the “natural qualities of materials, stripped of all synthetics,” according to Tina Schnabel, interior designer for BarlisWedlick. The use of organic shapes and materials has been common in the past, but this is a more specific approach. Riberti calls it hypertexturality. What exactly does it mean? High-contrast and high-pattern grains are also becoming increasingly popular, as well as exaggerated veinings and textures in marble, stone, and wood.
THE POWER OF SUSTAINABILITY WILL NOT GO AWAY.
Studio Schicketanz’s net-zero house includes a natural landscape by Ground Studio Landscape Architecture’s Bernard Trainor.
A.J. Fletcher
A trend that is expected to continue in 2023 is sustainability, according to 1stDibs. This isn’t a big surprise, but earth-friendly practices will reach further this year, from objets d’art to gardens. While working with artists for her new online gallery, Kelly Wearstler has seen a dramatic change. “It is exciting to see sustainability and the natural world continue to manifest in both emerging and established artists,” she says. The company’s 2023 predictions report also shows that Pinterest searches for natural sustainable gardening solutions, such as “harvesting rainwater” and “drought-tolerant landscapes,” are on the rise.
MAXIMISM, BUT MAKE IT MODERN.
Sculptural touches abound in Hugo Toro’s Parisian home.
The Julliard Group
The maximalist “grandmillennial” style of years past won’t go anywhere, but there will be more layering of streamlined sculptural silhouettes, rather than prints and patterns, in the future. In addition to moving away from stark minimalism, Sanayi313 Architects creative director Enis Karavil explains that spaces built around valuable art and collectibles will be a bigger focus. 1stDibs finds that designers are advising clients to invest in sculpture this year over other types of art.
It’s not surprising that Colin King incorporates more layers into his work for editorial and retail brands despite his personal spaces being minimalist. “There is a return to maximalism, and I find that when arranging objects, I use more and more objects to create layered effects,” he says. For a composition that feels loose and evokes a sign of life, I combine complementary forms with varying heights, regardless of whether they are grouped by color or material.”
ACCENT COLOR WILL BE GREEN.
In this bright primary bedroom designed by White Webb, the primary accent color is emerald green.
McKendree’s book
The most recent High Point Furniture Market had leafy-hued furniture on display, while ELLE DECOR editors have seen grassy flooring pop up in homes from Paris to Woodstock. The paint company’s deep moody greens, like Green Smoke, as well as Studio Green, are perennial favorites, according to Studholme, of Farrow & Ball. The top color for 1stDibs’ designer survey for the third year in a row was emerald, followed by sage.
TEXTURES ARE HAND-FORMED.
The fireplace in a Paris home designed by Eric Allart is clad in custom, textured tiles.
Upton, Simon
It is evident that the shift toward design with global impact is accompanied by an increasing interest in sustainable design. The majority of designers interviewed by 1stDibs said they will source work from artisans this year. Hand-formed textures are key to celebrating artisanality, Riberti says, citing materials like clay. As a result, she predicts papier-mâché will become increasingly popular in the future. It is lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and does not require much energy consumption, according to Riberti. Because of its engaging tactility, high-street retailers and higher-end brands are increasingly using it in lighting and decor — like vases, mirror frames, table lamps, and even furniture, such as Polina Miliou’s.
Transparency is a move in the right direction.
This lounge in Apparatus’s New York headquarters demonstrates a trend toward more ethereal touches with hand-cast resin tables and sparkling cocktail tables.
Johnson, Stephen Kent
A wave of lace, tulle, ruffles, and shimmer is predicted to dominate the fashion scene in 2023, according to Pinterest experts. At Maison&Objet, there will also be a transparent trend. Creating transparent objects, with an airy, lightly tinted design, gives us space to move, escape, and let our minds wander while we dream, according to Biros. Designers with a TikTok presence are also embracing all things transparent. Design Daddy (@mrphoenixgrey) says alabaster lighting will be the next big thing, with 42K likes to his video on the platform. Briellyn Turton (@studiobrie) thinks the trend will manifest in an onslaught of glass brick.
Keeping the past alive.
A Silicon Valley home designed by Frances Merrill of Reath Design perfectly blends antiques and modern touches.
Laure Joliet, a French journalist and writer
In the age of vintage and inherited pieces, Boomers and Gen Z are searching for new ways to honor them in their homes by embracing the “hipstoric home trend.” According to Riberti, comfort is an important quality to have here—reassurance, familiarity, a sense of comfort, a sense of reassurance or a sense of comfort that makes you smile when you see it or touch it. She predicts that in order to revive old furniture this year, we will use sweaters. In her opinion, it is one of the top trends forecast for the year 2023 and beyond for WGSN. It is said that consumers can use textiles and knits to revive old furniture and fixtures at a minimal cost, similar to yarn bombing, but in your home. Will this rather specific forecast come true? Only time will tell.