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9 Interior Design Trends to Watch in 2024

With 2024 fast approaching, its hard to grasp that we are almost a quarter of the way through the 21st century. And after spending the most recent few years in a tumultuous cycle of uncertainty, weve managed to regain a sense of normalcy due, in part, to the time and energy devoted to making our home environments a priority.Now is the opportunity to reevaluate the decisions that were made to accommodate in-home offices or cozy nooks for cocooning, or to simply take your interior design to the next level. A focus on previously underestimated areas of the home such as the hallway, pantry, utility room, and laundry room are coming center stage and enjoying a design uplift, says Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at international trend forecasting agency WGSN. Searches for handmade and eclectic interior design vintage are growing steadily on platforms such as Etsy or Pinterest, she adds.

For more, weve spoken to a roster of ELLE DECOR A-List designers and industry experts from across the country to reveal some surprisingand not-so-surprisinghome design trends set to unfold throughout the coming year (and beyond). From 1970and 1870period revivals to sinewy shapes and the appeal of handmade furnishings, heres what weve uncovered.

High-Gloss Walls Are Out; Texture Is In

This small room in a Texas home designed by

Lake | Flato

features highly textured sage-green plaster walls.

Plain white walls are still out, but so are slick, high-gloss finishes that can turn any room into a hall of mirrors. I think lacquer had its 15 minutes, and seeing your reflection in dining room walls doesnt interest anybody right now, says Palm Beachbased interior designer Lori Deeds of Kemble Interiors. Brushed or hand-applied finish is where its at, like Roman clay or limewash [with its sueded texture] or hand-tooled plaster, which I love doing. According to the results of 1stDibss seventh annual trends survey, when 624 interior designers were asked to predict the most popular wall finishes, the highest percentage of designers also doubled down on limewash.

People want some action to their surfaces, adds Los Angeles designer Oliver Furth. Straight painted sheetrock doesnt feel exciting right now. But its not all about paint or other applied finishes; theres a lot to be said about clever manipulation of natural materials. Weve been thinking a lot about texturenot fabric texture but more like patterns in wood that are three-dimensional, explains Kligerman Architecture & Design founding partner Tom Kligerman. And patterns in stonenot just slabs, but [what can happen] when you cut it into a checkerboard pattern of four-inch blocks with half of them recessed and the other half projecting, so its surface has been manipulated into this wonderful geometric texture that changes when you introduce light into the picture.

Brown (Yes, Brown) Will Be Your Next Statement Color

For his

Milan apartment

, Paolo Castellarin coated the walls in a silky chocolate hue.

As 90s neutrals were accurately predicted to replace drab gray tones in 2023, some of the same standout colors are poised to make an earthy splash this year. Were definitely seeing more and more brown in our livesthe Billy Baldwin variety of brownand its a real throwback, says Dallas-based interior designer Jean Liu.

When pinpointing next years hottest colors, 1stDibs determined that dark brown was in the top three, followed by shades of yellow and light brown. Theres a color were using a lot in the studio that were calling hot brown, adds Furth. But browns are definitely happeninglike really warm browns that might be a play on a 1970s palette, and those caramel colors, along with coral and persimmon.

Our eagle-eyed curators have spotted a major interest in these palette trends over the past few months, adds Anna Brockway, the president and cofounder of Chairish. Theyre specifically on the rise among our most loved categories including upholstery, painted cabinetry, art, tabletop, jewelry, and decor. For Danielle Barr, president of Woven, the New Yorkbased rug design and development company, browns are the new neutrals and continue to resonate with their clientele. We launched a lot of brown [rugs] in the past two yearschocolate browns and a variety of rust and deep golden wheat colorsthat have a warmth to them because of the existing warmth to the natural wools themselves, so taking those colors on makes them feel even richer.

Brown is a great colorits very warm and rich, and its actually a great neutral to layer with other colors, says New York interior designer Alyssa Kapito. Everything was very gray, and now its much warmerthink sepia and caramel. For designer Neal Beckstedt, the palette is a definite mood shifter. Beige and brown are on an upswing along with very muddy colors that have an 18th-century calmness to themthink earthy colors with less vibrancy and more richness.

Prepare for a Terra-Cotta Tile Takeover

In terms of popular materials, 1stDibs found that ceramic and terra-cotta earned a top spot with nearly a quarter of designers surveyed. I was recently in Box HillStanford Whites summer homeand his use of terra-cotta in the entrance hall is so beautiful, says Kligerman. Id love to start using more of it in houses just for the sculptural opportunities, and Im looking into different colors like the beautiful greens and cobalt blues and, of course, the natural shades of ocher.

Im here for it, agrees Furth. Right now, Im doing a bathroom in glazed terra-cotta tile that will feel like a beautiful Georgia OKeefestyle hamam. The clay-based glazedor unglazedmaterials appeal can likely be attributed to its use across a wide range of design and architectural styles, from Italianate and Spanish to Art Deco and Arts and Crafts. Antiqued terra-cotta makes for the most fabulous floorespecially in Palm Beach, where we have so much 1920s architecture, adds Deeds. As an alternative, clients are really loving the zellige tiles from Morocco that also work so beautifully in these homes.

Boucl Is Here to Stay...but with Fresh Updates

Designer Kelly Wearstler selected boucl chairs by Nienkamper in the dining room of a

Toronto Tudor

.

Since as far back in furniture design history as 1948, when architect and designer Eero Saarinen upholstered his iconic Womb chair in boucl, the nubby-textured fabric has proven its staying power. And whether it pops up on a Pierre Yovanovitch Papa Bear armchair or is worn as armor in the form of an iconic Chanel suit, boucl exudes a certain opulence. For San Franciscobased interior designer Nicole Hollis, its the one fabric that is the epitome of quiet luxury. Im always attracted to boucl, and Rosemary Hallgartens alpaca boucl fabrics are just gorgeous.

A very stylish friend from New York texted me the other day asking if there was any furniture in 2023 that was not covered in boucl? laughs Furth. It is here to say, though were seeing new versions of it with thicker pile and in different colorsthe skimpy cream and off-white boucls feel down-market. And where the fabrics longevity is concerned, Kapito is in full agreement. Its a classic and always adds a beautiful texture to a roomyou dont want to do an entire apartment in boucl, but well never get tired of it.

Curves, Meet Straight Lines

Postmodern curves meet Bauhaus-inspired grids in this Polish house designed by

Studio Paradowski

.

Reporting on the most iconic seating, 1stDibs named Hans Wegners Wishbone chairs and Vladimir Kagans Serpentine sofas among the most coveted by designersboth of which share one distinct attributecurvaceousness. Im over the straight linewere all about some curves and softer shapes in the new year, says Liu. With furnishings, we see scalloped details are really part and parcel of pieces were specifying, and it could be in the frame of a mirror or an upholstery detailwe recently showed clients a set of found barstools that had an undulating wood-carved detail on the back that they really loved.

A [Jean] Royre Polar Bear sofa never gets old for me, says Kapito. The thing you need to remember about any trend is that you dont want to commit to it everywhere, so if you have a curved desk and chairs, you want to make sure there are also [pieces with] straight lines in the roomits a mix and balance that makes a space interesting. Not surprisingly, Deeds takes a similar stance, with regional design in mind. The undulating curves like those found in [the work of] Royre are a regular theme in Palm Beach design, and the scallops youre seeing in furniture design are really hot right now but also timeless.

I see so many curves, and theyre not going away, adds Hollis. Artisans are embracing that curvature and more organic forms. For Beckstedt, the path ahead is decidedly more roundabout. The precision of being a perfect block is out. Biedermeier furniture, for instancewith its curves and warmthis becoming more present, and gone are the days of 80s-inspired glass and steel.

Artisanal Everything Is In

A view of Toronto designer

Montana Labelles

collection of vintage textiles, ceramics, and accessories.

Theres an art to creating exceptional design, and its never more evident than in bespoke pieces and artisanal work that showcase the incomparable skill of human hands. Were not sick of seeing the artists hand and the human touch [in design], especially post-pandemic, says Furth. Our clients are craving the handmadewhether its ceramic tile or hand-carved wood furniture or handblown glass, human irregularity is soothing.

Tapping artists to expand their craft for one-of-a-kind, hand-tooled pieces is something Hollis does on a regular basis. [British artist] Nic Webb carves these gorgeous vessels out of solid wood, and we asked if he could turn one of them into a light fixture [for a project], she explains. And it really made a statement.

In its own trend forecast, Chairish identified an increased demand for imperfectly perfect design that included American folk art and elements like whip stitching. Handmade, heirloom, antique, or vintage items were made with consideration and care, adds Brockway about a world where anything can be mass-produced. Theres something incredibly unique and just plain fun about the way their details come to life.

New York and Palm Beachbased designer Victoria Hagan applauds the character in these small details as well. Ive also placed a new emphasis on natural materials, including a celebration of their imperfections, she adds. Weve all certainly learned that life is not always perfect. As Barr explains: Everything we make is by hand, and one of the things we do intentionally is mix materials in a way I dont think our weavers have seen before. We dont like things to be flat and perfect, which makes you see more abrash, or the natural variations [in the rugs].

High-Tech Lighting Will Be Our Decorating Bestie

Developing the ability to change the intensity and color of the light in a space was truly a bright idea, and over the past decade the technology has become more and more desirable. People are embracing the technology that allows for color tuning, says Liu. It can make a room feel like its getting natural daylight even if its gloomy outside, but its not inexpensive. She also notes the very practical purpose it serves for some of her clients. For art collectors, it really elevates the way theyre interacting with the works in their home.

Companies like Philips, AiSPiRE, and USAI Lighting have long offered an array of products to enhance interior LED lighting, and now designers and homeowners alike are beginning to see the light. Though [the ability to tune] color temperature is a big thingsome clients love it, and some dont, admits Hollis. Weve been using Kreta, and each light bulb is programmable and you can warm it and change the color temperatureits a little more expensive [than traditional lighting], but you have the capability to control it all through an app.

Alternative Materials Will Be the Standard

Retrouvius clad the walls of this

Paris triplex

with offcuts from a leather factory.

Sustainability has transcended trendiness to become a wider goal for the design industry in an effort to significantly reduce negative environmental impacts, while also enhancing the well-being and spaces of those who embrace it. Were seeing a lot of attention being paid to materialitywhat it is, where it comes from, and where its sourced, says Hollis. And that means people are creating furnishings and products that are more interesting based on those parameters, like Max Lambs furniture collection made from recycled cardboard.

In an ongoing effort to reshape the rug industry and minimize its impact on the environment, Woven is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to production of its bespoke floor coverings. Weve mixed aloe [fibers] in with wool, and now were working with eucalyptus silkwhich is another sustainable productand mixing it with natural wools to create more depth and texture in our rugs, explains Barr.

Victorian-Era Details Will Have a Revival

Ornate moldings and a moody palette are all part of an upcoming mania for all-things Victorian, as this sophisticated living room by

Danielle Colding

demonstrates.

Whether or not we have to thank television series like Julian Fellowess HBO period drama The Gilded Ageand its predecessors Belgravia and Downton Abbeyfor the renewed interest in the aesthetics of 19th-century design is beside the point, because weve moved straight into embracing it. We recently completed a home with walls comprised of different pieces of oak, reminiscent in a way of Victorian architecture with its beaded board and square and diamond shapes, so theres this great interior textureespecially when the light crosses the surface, shares Kligerman. Though hes quick to add the eras heavy design shouldnt be translated too literally. You eliminate some of the fussy, flowery details and make it more abstract, more rectilinearor even geometricand remove the Gothic tendencies so its cleaner.

To that point, clients have been coming to me with images of that [late 19th-century] Parisian stylecrown moldings and chevron floorsso theres definitely a revival happening, adds Hollis. Theres also more modern millwork in conjunction with those moldings and things [as a balance], but its certainly a more ornate style.

Still, one has to wonder, Are these late 1800s design elements really making a comeback? Absolutely! And we cant forget fashions influence either, says Brockway about the rise in Victorian-inspired flourishes. We consider it a nod to maximalism and a reminder to layer these elements into your home through furniture, art, and decor for the ultimate one-of-a-kind look.