Home Decorating Trends

Clean lines keep it chic, and deep seats and comfy cushions make it a really livable sofa for real people’s real homes. Oh, and the affordable price tag is a pretty great feature, too. The IKEA SÖDERHAMN sofa line has been on the market for a couple years now, and that means designers and dwellers have had ample time to take the piece home and show us myriad ways to style it.

Pegboard is having a moment right now. You can find the standard fare in any home improvement store, but there’s also so many modern takes on the market that give you a whole new reason to hang them on your wall. And it’s still fantastic and useful storage for every room in the house. Above, the Pink Mesh Circle; $329 from Bride & Wolfe is a slight variation on the theme with shelves instead of pegs, but the idea is the same. (Also, digging the David Bowie styling alot.

Gisbert Pöppler via Dustjacket Attic Kitchen cabinets: they’re necessary, but let’s face it—they aren’t always the most interesting pieces of furniture. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case! Here are imaginative kitchens that make use of large, antique pieces of furniture in addition to regular kitchen cabinets. They’re drama-filled, glamorous, and practical. Read on to find out why you may want to give this trend a try.

Over the past few years, pendant lights have gotten progressively larger. The industrial trend meant that heavy metal barn lights and concrete domes found new homes over our kitchen tables and entryways. Perhaps as a response to all this visual weight, another type of oversized light has emerged. They’re still large in scale, but are visually much lighter, often using materials like wire and rattan to allow light to flow through the fixture. Which look do you like best?

You guys. It’s February, the days are dark, and I really need some color in my life right now. I saw the photo above pop up on my Pinterest feed, and it was an immediate panacea to my mood: rich mustard yellow and pale mauve-pink is an unexpected, invigorating, and straight-up cheerful combination. Read on for more examples and ideas for this surprising duo.

Whether you’re living in an Italian Palazzo or a modern American home, nothing makes a room quite like a full-wall art installation. If you’re not convinced, check out these eleven gorgeous examples of rooms where murals completely steal the show. Above: A pastoral scene transforms a room from Peter Kragballe. Story panels in an 18th century French home spotted on SF Girl by Bay. A floral mural adds color and depth to a modern kitchen from Bolig.

Why settle for an oversized piece of art when you could have a piece of art that covers the whole wall? These 11 murals will have a big, big impact—hang one on the wall and your decorating job is pretty much done. A quick note to start: a wall mural differentiates from wallpaper in that it does not repeat. It’s an entire scene stretch across a determined width, while wallpaper matches up and repeats indefinitely.

Paint colors are like nail polish to me. Some people stick to a few tried and true, goes-with-everything signature colors, while others prefer to switch it up with the changing trends and seasons. If by any chance you’re one of the latter (when it comes to paint, not nails), we’ve hunted down some of the best of-the-moment shades for your walls.

It happens every year. When the weather gets cold, plaid rushes in. It’s a seasonal classic for wintertime–kind of rustic and preppy and festive all at once–but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep plaid as part of your home pattern portfolio year-round. With a few tricks of the trade, you’ll find plaid looks cool and contemporary in every room of the house. When it’s just another textile in your pattern mix, plaid looks eclectic and cool.

It’s a staple in every closet–you know the one. The tight striped t-shirt that makes you feel like you’ve stepped out of your apartment into a scene from French cinéma. But those high-contrast breton stripes don’t just look great on French girls. In fact, I think these chic interiors will give ’em a run for their Euro. Above: Extra long sofa pillows from retailer Iittala, via Design Hunter. Breton stripe tile in a bathroom from Atlanta Homes & Gardens.

A few things you should know about my childhood: I was born in 1986 to parents who were (and still are) pretty major fans of Duran Duran. I knew all the words to both “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Mmmbop,” and I had opened the “Rio” CD jewel case enough to recognize the framed print on our living room wall was a dead ringer for Duran Duran’s album cover.

As a design blogger I’m always on the lookout for new trends, always trying to suss out which direction interior design will take next. Right now I feel that we’re moving towards something a little more glamorous and refined, a sort of reaction to the intentionally run-down look of shabby chic. Here are a few things to look out for — and a few ways you can get what I’m calling the ‘new look’. More color.

One of our favorite ways to add a little excitement to an interior is by mixing old and new pieces. Nowhere is this more true than in the dining room, where an old-fashioned table and modern chairs make an especially attractive pair. Here are eight of our favorite examples. Above: An antique table and modern shell chairs mix in the dining room of a Madrid home spotted on Planete Deco.

Of all the architectural details I gravitate towards (and there are a lot—I sometimes worry that, given the opportunity to design my own home, it would end up looking like a postmodern funhouse), one of my favorites is the contrast interior. When a wall niche, the inside of an item of furniture, or any other structural cutaway reveals a fun material or color, it just sets my heart a-flutter.

Being a neutral, black is never not in style, but it’s sure enjoying a moment in the spotlight right now—especially in its subtle matte form. One place in particular that we’re seeing a lot of matte black is in the kitchen. Being as versatile as it is, matte black can be incorporated into an interior in so many ways. It can be incredibly dramatic, can act as an accent, or really ground an otherwise airy space. It’s timeless yet modern at the same time.

It’s early December, which signals not just the holiday season, but also the day that all color lovers wait for with bated breath: Pantone’s Color of the Year announcement. Radiant Orchid was a controversial choice in 2014, and no one saw Marsala coming in 2015. Elle Decor predicted months ago that it will be peacock blue. Were they right? Surprise! They chose not one, but a blend of two colors this year.

Allow me to present the most gorgeously dark and dangerously dramatic wallpapers that money can buy—quite a lot of money, in some cases. If you dream of covering your walls in green marble, bronze iguanas, fresh takes on palm leaves, or a bold pattern that requires 3D glasses, these are the 15 papers for you. Kershaw Plain by Nina Campbell, Jane Clayton & Company, £50.15/roll Grand Thistle, Timorous Beasties, £120/roll Navy and Gold Palm, CB2, $99.

A of couple weeks ago, I sent a friend of mine a link with a frowny-face emoji accompanying it. I’d noticed that both her and my favorite baby names were on a list of the UK’s fastest-rising names (no, neither of us is remotely close to having a baby, but having favorite names is totally normal, right?) and wanted to commiserate. After she expressed her frustration, I told her it was okay, because it just meant we were ahead of the pack and, therefore, super-cool.

It’s still technically summer, but we’ve already started to turn our hearts and minds towards crisp, cozy fall. And nothing says snuggle time more than a classic Pendleton wool blanket. There are certain items that we notice over and over again in our tours and this blanket certainly makes that list. Spot those bold stripes in each of these gorgeous rooms and we bet you’ll start feeling ready for fall. A sunny Chicago window with a cheery stripped chair! So cute!

The other week, after reading yet another vaguely shame-y “how to behave in your 30s” article on some blog or another, I got to thinking about conversation etiquette and how it’s changed over the generations. It was once commonly accepted that topics such as money, religion, and politics were not discussed in polite company. But today’s culture of online sharing (and occasionally over-sharing) has created a different dynamic, so do the rules still apply?

A few years ago I wrote about five new trends for the kitchen, and now I’m back with another deep dive into the best new looks for today’s kitchens. My last roundup included a lot of marble countertops, white cabinets, subway tile… lots of white. These things haven’t completely fallen from favor — but I’m seeing a movement towards more color, more texture, and more diversity of styles in the kitchen.

We love the look of a rustic kitchen — and it’s a style that’s gained a great deal of popularity in recent years. What’s interesting is that we’re starting to see the emergence of something we’re calling ‘new rustic’: kitchens that strike a balance between uber-minimal and country cozy. It’s a lovely little marriage — a serene, minimal backdrop punctuated by just the right amount of warm, textured elements.

Do you ever look back at old photos and regret everything? Like the bad hair, and the terrible clothes? What about your decor? We want to hear about your past decorating mistakes. The interior moments you might like to burn if you knew they were caught on camera. Maybe it was during your high school years or in the college dorms, or maybe you were a card-carrying adult just going along with the times.

If your perfect kitchen is more modern and minimal than country cozy, we’ve got a treat for you. You won’t see a lot of decorative flourishes in these 13 kitchens, but they still manage to be effortlessly, elegantly beautiful, proving once again that less is more. The minimal detailing doesn’t keep this kitchen from Nordic Design from feeling especially luxurious. A modern kitchen in moody, intriguing colors from Colorfutures.

There’s something so quintessentially American about an Airstream trailer — it speaks of modern design, and summer, and the freedom of the open road. Maybe that’s why these little guys are enjoying so much popularity as of late. All over the country, enterprising folks are giving new life to these vintage trailers, either as campers or as full-time homes. This airstream, located in the back garden of a Berkeley co-op, serves as a full-time home. Take the full tour on Dwell.

I’m not sure they ever really went out of style, but houseplants are experiencing a huge surge in popularity right now. You see them everywhere, and sometimes you see a whole lot of them, in delightful clusters that threaten to turn some blogger’s living room into a jungle paradise. These little green friends need not be limited to your widowsill or your end table. Read on for plenty of inspiration for using plants to enliven every room in your home.

Here’s a weird kitchen trend I’ve been seeing a lot of lately, and that I can’t help but love: green and black in the kitchen. Usually this means green cabinets and black marble countertops, but it plays out it all sorts of ways, all of them quite lovely. Colorful kitchens have fallen out of fashion a bit lately, so it’s refreshing to see something this unapolegetically dramatic. (Not to mention that black and green is a great combination in pretty much any room.

Perhaps it’s a continuation of the oversized art trend and a backlash against gallery walls, or perhaps it’s the natural next step for wallpaper to take. Either way, murals are hot. No longer relegated to children’s rooms and DIY efforts, the full-wall image has gone mainstream.

We all know what neutrals are: colors like black and white and grey and beige that are staid and well-behaved and play well with pretty much any other color. Sometimes they let navy blue join their club, although navy is a little wild for that crew. But there’s a new neutral in town, and it’s… pink? Yes, pink. I’m as surprised as you are, but I’m also delighted: it turns out that a pale, dusky pink actually makes a wonderful neutral.

Botanicals are certainly not a new motif in home decor, but this recent trend takes leafy motifs into a fresh, more modern space. Unlike the light and bright tropical patterns of the past, this look is lush, sophisticated, and more than a little dramatic. Think fantasy jungle vs. summer garden, with a rich and deep palette of saturated blues, greens, and black. Here’s how to get the look, no matter what your regular style might be.

Warm metallics have taken the decor world by storm these past couple of years, showing up primarily as hardware and fixtures in beautiful kitchens everywhere. Accents are one thing, but some brave souls fully committed and made brass a significant feature in their kitchens, covering entire rows of cabinets and islands in shiny gold. Are these showstoppers that make your jaw drop (in a good way) or do they cause you to shake your head and cluck your tongue in dismay? Are they hot or over-the-top?

There’s no denying that linen bedding looks really, really great. And so cool and inviting, especially in spring and summer. And you don’t have to worry about it wrinkling, either, because it’s supposed to be wrinkled! Are you convinced yet? If so, check out this list of sources for linen bedding. Australian shop Cultiver has a full line of linen bedding, including this duvet cover (in dreamy pink, along with a lot of other colors) that’s $245 for a queen size.

Dark dramatic interiors are very much the trend in 2015, and outdoor spaces are following suit. Black walls ground a space, and encourages other any colors in proximity to really stand out. Bright, sunlit spaces can handle all the darkness, and become cozier instead of claustrophobic. Embrace these moody surroundings, and absorb all the drama.

Living rooms are like living, breathing things that constantly evolve along with their inhabitants. We watch them change over time, as tastes and moods shift. Where are they today? If you’re thinking of redecorating or renovating, here are four of the top trends for modern living rooms. We’ve seen a lot of light wood and Scandinavian pastels in recent years, but lately there’s been a shift — perhaps ushered in by Abigail Ahern — towards dark walls and moody decor.

When you hear the word “cabin,” what does it conjure? Wood, trees, taxidermy, leather? Going through our tour archives, I noticed that we’ve featured many a cabin here on Apartment Therapy, and while some of them adhere to the usual expectations for a cabin, many of them offer unexpected takes on rustic decor. TOP ROW: 1. Nancy, Ethan, Ohle’s 1903 Cabin in the Country 2. David Bethany’s Abode in the Woods 3. Keith Rebecca’s Cabin of Worldly Delights 4.

I recently visited a friend and was immediately struck by their dark walls and what a great, dramatic backdrop they created for the space. While black walls do have the opposite effect on a room than the brightening, space-creating feeling that comes with white, the serious drama they create is often worth the trade. 1. A black wall is the perfect backdrop for architectural details like this white arched doorway in Cate’s Cozy San Francisco Nest, via Apartment Therapy 2.

Are you an Extreme Tucker? This bed-making trend snuck up on me: I didn’t notice it…I didn’t notice it…bam! it’s everywhere! My anecdotal research into our archives revealed a penchant for it in modern and masculine interiors and also predominantly on platform beds, but there were plenty of exceptions. It has a debonaire, tailored quality that avoids being pretentious. It’s the Cary Grant of bed making.

White marble is pretty timeless, but it’s definitely having a moment in the spotlight right now in kitchen and bathroom design. Pairing the beautiful natural stone with classic navy and brass makes for a modern classic look. The contrast between the light and dark colors and the pop of gold is simply beautiful. Deeper pockets are usually involved when it comes to bright white marble (Maxwell explains how grayer Carrara is easier on the wallet).

If you ever find yourself getting tired of stark, designy interiors in unforgiving palettes of black and white, you’re in luck. Color is back in a big way, and nowhere is that more apparent than in these nine exciting (and happily hued) trends. 1. Oversized abstract paintings. We’re spotting happily comingled, eye-pleasing colors on canvases everywhere (like in this room from Interiormagasinet).

How do you eat your breakfast in the morning? Rushing around, throwing some cereal in a bowl while you watch the news? Drinking a cup of coffee while you run out the door? We spotted both a design and life trend while perusing the exhibits and booths at Ambiente this year — the idea of making breakfast a more enjoyed and well-designed way to start each day. We all enjoy a different type of breakfast — but the most important thing is the “enjoy” bit.

At Ambiente, experts curated four different booths illustrating four current design trends dominating the design landscape. Clarity + lightness we found to be perfect for folks who live in small spaces, because you can bring in a lot of design and beauty without taking up a lot of visual space. Another trend that resonated with us was craft + culture — ideas we think any space could use more of.

A great exhibit at Ambiente is their Trends section, where experts curate booths based on upcoming trends. One of our favorite booths (and favorite trends) was Clarity + Lightness — a trend of spaces and products that boast very delicate, light and organic shapes. Products that have soft colors, a lot of white and are even see-through. The idea of reflecting light, not taking up a lot of visual space and giving a relaxing, calming feel dominated this trend.

For a long time now, white-painted woodwork has been de rigeur in the domestic interior, so much so that it’s almost a foregone conclusion. But this is slowly changing: we’ve seen black woodwork popping up lately, and now grays and bold hues are making their voices heard as well. If you fancy this change but aren’t sure what to go for, let this trim-spiration sourced from around the web be your guide.

Houseplants are currently enjoying a bit of a moment, with fiddle leaf figs and succulents and mother-in-law’s tongues turning up in rooms all over. But these spaces take it to the next level with a veritable jungle of greenery. Read on for nine more examples of beautiful rooms so chock full of plants, you might almost feel like you’re outside. Above: A myraid of greenery in a living room styled by Emily Henderson. A bohemian space from Style at Home.

Vintage maps have been popular for quite a few years now, and as that trend starts to wane a bit, the new twist is the vintage educational chart. While traditionally hung from wooden dowel rods, some are more suited for framing or simply tacked up onto a wall. From flora and fauna to human anatomy, there is a subject matter to suit any style. As more reproductions become available, the demand for authentic vintage charts with their crumpled characteristics grows.

Turkish kilims — the highly patterned, brightly colored, flatwoven rugs — are nothing new, but just recently they’ve started cropping up in homes all over. Their colorful style makes them a beautiful complement to more minimal, modern furnishings, and they’re a great way to bring a little texture into a room. Here are some of our favorite examples of spaces with kilim rugs.

As my kitchen makeover continues my mind is now on lighting. It’s truly amazing how much lighting can add to a space. It’s like a piece of jewellery that can add the perfect finishing touch to a look. There’s the practical kitchen lights that are often tucked away in the ceiling, under the cupboards or behind a valence and then there’s the feature light. That’s your stylish necklace hanging there for everyone to see.

Sheepskins are everywhere these days and why not? They add warmth and texture and can be played off as either luxe or laid back. They can be used in any room of the home, for the best effect – fling it somewhere. Across hard shell chair backs in the kitchen/dining area as in Eva’s Sense of Clarity home.

Lately, we can’t get enough of the warm glow of copper. It has the luxe feel of gold, with just a touch of the unexpected. And a little bit of copper goes a long way —just one of these things would be enough to add the perfect bit of shine to any room. You can polish your copper objects to keep them shiny, or leave them on their own to develop a natural patina. TOP ROW: 1. CLICK Shelf in Copper, €2,400 from New Tendency 2.

Whether you want a blank slate of all white, or choose designs and details that make your bed feel more cozy, take some time to consider what makes you feel most like curling up on your bed to relax. Whichever way you lean, check out these trends in bedding for the ones that fit your style: It’s hard to go wrong with all white. I personally love the feeling of going to go sleep in a cloud, so I tend to lean towards these neutral palates.

Painting your bathroom walls and hoping to look forward to a color that’s not on the way out? Here are some bathroom color ideas to consider that won’t look tired as soon as the paint’s dry: Warm gray is a great neutral for contemporary or traditional styles. It’s everlasting, easy to coordinate with just about any accent, and isn’t quite the landlord’s boring beige. Check out Sherwin Williams’ Analytical Gray.

I’m in the market for a pair of headboards for my guest room. I’ve been scouring local stores, design blogs, and of course many, many online shops in my hunt for the perfect headboard. Here are my notes on the headboard trends of 2014: Headboards are a big commitment and I’m something of a commitment-phobe. Choose the right headboard and you’re rewarded with an attractive focal point and a pleasant place to prop your head.

I recently bought a new sofa and it felt like I was buying a car. It’s such a big decision; both in terms of cost and how long you’ll likely live with it. New sofa styles for 2014 are harkening back to classic themes – a Scandinavian take on mid-century, natural wood legs, colorful upholstery, tufted details and retro silhouettes.

I’m always on the lookout for ways to incorporate my flea market finds into my space, so when I came across these images of vintage board games on display I developed a bit of a crush. They’re the perfect blend of sweet childhood nostalgia and character to break up your box store decor. Here are a few ways to display them, along with where you can find them: Display: 1. Board games play up the fun in this kids room from Apartment Therapy. 2.

Welcome to a new month! August is Back to Basics time here at Apartment Therapy, meaning we’ll have loads of posts on organizing, cleaning, decorating and setting up your home in the coming weeks. When I think about getting back to basics, I think mainly about simplifying; it’s paring down, being more mindful, doing things better and more easily.

One look at a vintage catalog will show you that interior decorating is a fickle mistress. What’s hot one day could fall from graces the next. So how do you stay on top of trends and, more importantly, is there a turning point that marks when a fad is dead? In related news, your mouthwash now comes in chevron.

Last Sunday was the monthly Alameda flea market just outside of San Francisco and we emerged from the day happily clutching our finds and sincerely wishing that we had brought some sunscreen. Here are a few takeaways from the experience. 1. Read up. Knowing what to expect before you show up is half the battle. Is there free parking nearby or a shuttle to the site? Is there a cover? Should you expect 50 or 500 vendors and what is the loading policy?

I’ve noticed a few of my stylish mom friends with young kids have—gasp!—white sofas. However, they’ve mitigated the risk of dirt and stains by putting blankets on the seat and/or back. Not only are blankets ideal for guarding against mess from kids or pets, they allow you to quickly change up the look, hide or camouflage a sofa that is worn or that you don’t like, give off a carefree Bohemian vibe, and are Soul Glo-friendly.