Not all trends are long-lasting, but southern designers believe they will stand the test of time.
If you criticize this story, we understand. Trends should always be taken with a grain of salt. In our fast-paced world, it is far too common to see fads rise in popularity and then fade as quickly as they appeared. That's why a little healthy skepticism can come in handy when it comes to the hottest trends, especially at home. If you bought a shirt at the height of a fashion trend, but it doesn't change quickly, you may never want to wear it again. At home, things are not so simple.
But not all trend cycles wax and wane at the speed of light. Some of them can last decades or even become new classics. After all, everything has to start somewhere.
So when we start to see a new trend creeping up on us, no matter how much we love it, we seek a second (and a third and a fourth) opinion. The best interior designers of the South can help us sort through the trash and find trends with high longevity potential.
In 2023 we were overwhelmed with many wonderful candidates. While designers are excited about some new trends, others are completely unaware of them and still hesitate to embrace them. For example, some designers bet on decorative trends such as maximalism, synthetic tables and excess rattan. However, some, according to the designers, will remain.
These are the 2023 interior design trends that interior designers consider diamonds in the rough.
Bright color
We've said it once and we'll say it again: white and gray are a thing of the past. Instead, designers recommend bright colors.
"We've been working with a lot of beige, white and gray for a long time," says Anne Hammett, a designer in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Now I've had clients who wanted to be very neutral, now these clients say they've realized they really like color and they want to do color."
But like we said, times always change and so do trends, Welch thinks it's a good idea to use bright colors in easily replaceable items like rugs, pillows, window treatments and inexpensive art.
"When I talk about the essence of the house, I always try to treat it like a marathon. And then it can be a sprint if you want to do something fashionable," says designer Jennifer Welch of Oklahoma City. really fashionable, include it as a pillow or art print, something that can be easily replaced, but not a work of art. years.
As such, Welch recommends being careful with color choices. For example, the color of the year may not be a permanent shade, but blue and green are safer choices. Red can also be a good choice, Hammett told us.
"The Reds have had a bad time since the '90s," he said. "But I think red will come back."
Natural materials and wood
Instead of painting our wood, it's finally time to let this natural wood shine, especially without limiting it to lighter shades. Northern Virginia-based designer Sarah McCarthy notes that this trend is slowly being introduced into kitchens.
"Wood color is coming back," says McCarthy. "You will see less white kitchens and more wood colors. These are the lightest forests, but also some of the darker forests.
Welch also notes Wood's rise in popularity, but sees no evidence of this. He says the boundaries of what is "in fashion" in flooring are expanding to include a wider range of wood colors, even when mixed.
"Wood floors are definitely getting lighter, but I love that you can also see the different colors of the wood," says Welch. “You can see beautiful walnut or black wood against softer, lighter natural wood. And I think that mixing wood finishes has a right balance. Done right, it gives the space a lot of warmth.
Wallpaper
Hallelujah - wallpapers are here to stay! Patterned and textured papers are at their peak in 2022 and designers are confident that they will remain popular in 2023 and beyond.
“Wallpaper can instantly tell a story. It's one of those game-changing things in the room,” says Hammett.
Chinese patterns are expected to be particularly popular for wallpaper this year, and many brands have been producing them lately. We all know how southerners love our Chinese accessories and souvenirs, so this design is definitely not enough on our walls.
However, not all uses of wallpaper are the same. Welch says one of the uses that will be in vogue is for ceiling murals. Although this is a creative idea, he regrets that the wallpaper ceiling creates an imbalance in the room.
life decoration
In terms of hardware, unvarnished brass will be on everyone's lips in 2023, but don't rule out other vibrant finishes this year.
“I think unpainted copper will definitely be around for a while,” Hammett says. "People talk about clean finishes like bare copper and burnished nickel because they can patina and give you instant character where things aren't so clean and perfect."
If you decide to go with the copper trend, these designers recommend sticking with the unvarnished look. Welch laments the "really bad brass" on the market, which, while shinier and less easy to clean than bright brass, can develop a patina that can have the unfortunate side effect of making your home look dated.
mixed metals
Gone are the days when you had to choose one type of metal and make it a consistent motif throughout your home. Mixing metals is now not only acceptable, but encouraged, and McCarthy says he's seeing more and more of this among his customers. However, Welch cautions that mixing metals only looks good if you do it right.
“If a customer wants to mix metals, which is what you need to do for a well-maintained home, you can choose between a satin nickel faucet or an unglazed brass faucet. Then with the door hardware and throughout the house, you can opt for matte black and maybe the chandelier will have brass fittings. All these metals can coexist," explains Welch. “I recently saw a house with a black sink and a brass faucet. They also had chrome and glass cabinets. It is neither a good nor a bad mixture of metals. Not all metals mix when poured.
traditional style
Some would say that traditional decor has never been mixed with modern, but it is being revived like never before. McCarthy and Hammett noted that buyers are demanding traditional decor at higher prices.
“Traditional design is making a comeback and fits in perfectly with the granny chic vibe,” notes McCarthy.
With that traditional thrust comes the formal dining room, which has long since given way to the modern open floor plan. McCarthy noted that as the traditional style becomes more popular, so does the number of dining rooms, especially those with traditional decor.
Welch says that while traditional decor is certainly gaining momentum, many homeowners are demanding more contemporary architectural space.
"They take ingredients that people love from the modern era," says Welch. "Everyone wanted modern, and that seems to soften it a bit. Today, people want modern components in architecture, such as large windows - natural light is appreciated by everyone - and high ceilings, but with traditional furniture and fixtures.
In this case, the whole design can be called transitional - a fancy way of saying that the decor is traditional and the architecture is modern. Traditional jewelery has stood the test of time, especially with this revival, and will certainly stand the test again. Add some modern sensibilities to that and designers will think we're here to stay.
Linen jewelry box
The laundry room is the new laundry room in 2023. Simply put, a value closet is a space where designers see that people want to have fun with design. Don't worry, your bold wet rooms are still the rage, but now toilets are becoming more and more popular. Previously they were often overlooked, but now this is not the case.
"I've seen more laundry requests that people don't always pay attention to because customers don't necessarily see it. Now people are wallpapering the laundry room and putting on beautiful colors, patterns and prints."
If you have mobility and space, Welch says she also sees people moving washers and dryers into closets for convenience.
Mix old and new
Southerners will never let an old fashion designer tell us that our heirlooms and antiques are unattractive, but it's always nice to hear that what we love is appreciated by others. Designers say that what makes a house dynamic and very beautiful in 2023 is the mix of old and new.
"Any time you have the opportunity to mix a classic piece with new furniture, it becomes more seasoned and timeless," says Welch.
Part of that trend can be a healthy dose of inspiration from the past, McCarthy says. According to Hammett, items reminiscent of mid-century designs can be especially desirable.
"Vintage and retro are back and it's very cool," says McCarthy. "People reuse existing furniture to create new ones and buy antiques to find things from the past that evoke nostalgic memories."
Furniture and ecological decor
“You have to try not to waste so much,” notes Hammett. “Every time I buy accessories, I try to get vintage antiques from thrift stores that are really eco-friendly because they are not mass produced. I despise the massive clutter that is likely to end up in a house with no charm or character.
The rise of the antique industry is just one example of how homeowners are adopting an eco-friendly mindset when decorating. This trend is occurring as homeowners grow more plants and trade in more natural materials or adopt more sustainable technologies.
"I live in Oklahoma City, so oil and gas is a big part of the economy here," Welch says, "but I've seen customers turn to things like garage sales to get cars. I've also customers using solar panels."
Gaming tables
Finally, Hammett says the most popular trend he's seen is gaming tables.
“Mahjong is very popular here in Charlotte,” he says. “Most furniture manufacturers, if they don't already have them, will make game tables. Now it is one of the most sought after items.
We speculate that the game table trend may be related to the current rise in formal dining. For a long time, the dinner table has been a world of games, crafts, working from home, and so on. Now, if people want to use this space for formal dining, these gaming tables can be used for games or other needs that arise.
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