These Are the 6 Home Trends to Say Goodbye to in 2023, According to Interior Designers

Interior design in 2022 has been all about nature inspiration, maximalism, and (my own personal favorite) shopping secondhand. While I don’t see these styles exiting the decorating world any time soon, a new year calls for some fresh ideas (some of which we’ll be highlighting next week in our annual Designer Survey!). The closing of the year got me thinking, aside from up-and-coming 2023 design predictions, what are some current home trends that likely won’t be as popular in the coming months?

To get the scoop, I polled a handful of designers on the trends they’d like to say goodbye to in 2023. Of course, the results are subjective, and at Apartment Therapy, we celebrate all design styles and encourage you to decorate however makes you feel happiest at home. If you’re curious to know which home trends experts indicate may be fizzling out though, read on for six specific styles below — from furniture silhouettes to color schemes — as well as what’s replacing them.

Curve appeal continues to dominate the home scene versus traditionally linear, angular furniture styles. Specifically, according to designer Noelle Isbell, founder of Noelle Interiors, 2023 is slated to be “all about the curved sectional, swivel lounge chair, and rounded edge accent table.” While Isbell notes hard-edged pieces do sit flush with walls, which is ideal for maximizing the footprint of a small room, she adds that they tend to create “a rigid feeling in a space that should feel fluid and natural.” The solve? Layering in rounded accents, big or small, “that draw on retro influences and pairing them with modern textures and fabric,” she says. These types of pieces create balance, which “adds an unexpected depth to any space,” says Isbell.

To that end, if there’s one “it” furniture item for 2022, the curved bouclé sofa would arguably take first prize, popularized by brands like Crate & Barrel and Kardiel. While this specific shape and texture pairing has shown no signs of slowing down, designer Zuni Madera, vice president of foley&cox, actually hopes to see bouclé upholstery put on its own design-forward pedestal that’s separate from sculptural furniture silhouettes. “Bouclé is a special, cozy, and luxurious textile, and meant to be the subtle surprise layer in the room,” she explains. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for curved bouclé furniture in 2023, but Madera is an advocate of “[breaking] up this expected duet and [letting] each be a unique and unexpected element in a space.”

When it comes to leaving trends behind in 2023, Amy Forshew, owner and principal designer of Proximity Interiors, is “glad to say goodbye to… the overly simple, sparsely furnished monochromatic room.” In her professional experience, she has found that a colorful design scheme allows clients to enjoy “a more custom, unique look that expresses their individual personality” at home. Put simply: If it’s up to Forshew, she’d like the design world to “bring on the color and pattern” for 2023.

Rozit Arditi, principal designer of Arditi Design, is doubling down on color for 2023, too, as she’s anticipating zingy hues and creative touches in one room in particular: the kitchen. While all-white or gray palettes have long been the default (and will always remain classic), Arditi’s a firm believer that “all kitchens should be bold colors from now on.” It makes sense why renters and homeowners are beginning to embrace more colored cabinetry and even appliances as opposed to solely neutral shades. “After the last few years we have had, everyone is more open to bringing in color and nature into their homes,” Arditi says. “A kitchen is a great room to express all that.”

Sarah Storms, principal designer and founder of Styled by Storms, explains that matte-black plumbing and hardware initially coincided with the aforementioned gray color palette trend. Now, though, “with the return of socializing and ‘getting dressed’ to go out, our homes have also followed suit in becoming a little less casual,” she adds. That being said, Storms predicts “polished metals, especially chrome, are going to be taking center stage” as a luxe-looking alternative in your bathroom or kitchen.

On the structural side of the home design world, Eva Bradley and Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein, principal designers of California-based studioHEIMAT, have recently been drawing inspiration from vintage homes with unique interior architectural details — specifically an evolution of arched doorway designs that break away from standard box-shaped frames. “We loved the look of arches that have been around for a few years and hope that morphs into an expansion on the idea of interesting-shaped doorways and casing — like scalloped or pentagon — both of which we’ve seen while touring old houses in San Francisco,” they explain.

This piece is part of Trend Month, our recap of the buzziest designs, decor, and more from 2022 — and what to expect in 2023. Head on over here to see it all!