Designers Say These Living Room Trends Are Already Out for 2026

Home trends are cycling through the design world at lightning speed these days, so it makes sense to do a mid-year check-in on what’s already come and gone for 2026. A few months ago, design trends like cottage-style decor and fluted details were on their way out. Now, there’s a whole new list of living room trends that interior designers have seen way too much of this year.

To learn what’s in — and what’s out— I asked several designers from across the country for their least favorite fads of the moment. You absolutely will not find these living room trends in their designs for 2026, but if you still love them, don’t worry: What goes around always seems to come around. 

Neutrals have reigned supreme for what seems like decades, and Restoration Hardware has been the gold standard for elegant, upscale, tone-on-tone interiors. But that look is starting to feel a little too limiting for some pros. Neutrals may be relaxing, but too much of a good design thing can veer into dull territory. Maybe designer Ashley Ferguson sums this up best. “We are ready to retire the RH aesthetic: all beige everything,” she says. “Color really brings interest and life to a space.”

This isn’t to say you have to embrace maximalism or very bold colors, by any means. If you love neutrals, keep your furniture beige, says Ferguson. Introducing colorful accents, like pillows and art, will add a bit of vibrance to a space.  

Sit down for this one (literally!). After years of trying to put the TV anywhere but above the fireplace, Ferguson is advocating for a TV-friendly layout. She explains that for busy families who live in open floor plan homes, the best place for the TV is often above the fireplace — and that’s totally OK! There’s no point bending over backwards to hide a TV that people want to watch. 

“I am ready to retire the notion that a TV can’t be above a fireplace or that it’s taboo,” says Ferguson. “I get that historically TVs aren’t cute, but these days your TV can double as a piece of art with all the frame options out there!” The upshot here? You don’t have to invest in a pull-down projector or a special cabinet to disguise your TV. Just put it where it makes sense! 

Gray has been on its way out for several years, and now some of the design aesthetics defined by it are following suit. “The industrial fixtures that support the gray rooms are starting to look a bit tired,” says designer Alexis Pew, partner of the firm Kaminki + Pew. 

So let those sterile light fixtures and hard-lined casegoods go, if you haven’t already. “Cool gray industrial” is the furthest thing from welcoming, and people are craving a bit more warmth in their homes. Can’t quit gray or brick? That’s OK — just think about going greige, or layering in some cozy accessories, to make your space more inviting. 

If you’ve ever attempted to actually use a bouclé chair in your own home, this one won’t surprise you. These stylish seats have been trending for several years now, but they have a major form and function disconnect — especially if you’ve ever tried to keep one looking pristine. That fluffy bouclé stays fluffy and pristine for all of five minutes, in my experience. 

You don’t have to fully turn the page on bouclé just yet, though. Janelle Patton, principal designer and owner of Lark Interiors, just wants you to do a sit test first before committing to one of these chairs or sofas. “I love bouclé, I’ve specified bouclé, and I will probably specify it again,” she says. “But the giant round cloud chair that looks incredibly photogenic and is genuinely uncomfortable to sit in for more than 12 minutes has run its course.” Consider maybe going with a darker or colored bouclé fabric, too. The cream chair that’s all over Instagram probably won’t look that good for long if you’re actually using it. 

When staring at a large blank wall, the easiest solution might seem like buying a set of matching frames and calling it a day. Three frames by three frames, each one matching, will easily fill a space in a way that looks neat and orderly. But, as Patton explains, the gallery wall grid is a trend that feels more sterile than stylish. 

“It became the thing people did when they wanted their home to look designed without hiring a designer, but it reads more like a checklist than a choice,” says Patton. “A single large piece of art, or a genuinely eclectic mix of frames and sizes that was collected over time, does so much more for a room.”

Filling a room with multiple wood tones isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s an art to mixing woods, and that’s why so many people opt for a few brand-new (and coordinated!) pieces from a major retailer, all in the same exact finish. But Burcu Ercetin, founder and principal designer of Design & Curations, encourages letting this matchy-matchy trend go. 

“Mixing tones, such as walnut and oak, creates depth, and feels much more natural and layered,” says Ercetin. To make it work, aim for contrast so the mismatching feels intentional. Another pro tip? Try to keep all of your tones within the same family of cool or warm. That way pieces will play together nicely.