Article provided by The Scout Guide
As we round the corner into the last part of 2022, we’re looking ahead to design trends for the coming year. Across the board, we’re seeing a shift away from safe neutrals into more adventurous, playful territory. We checked in with five scouted interior designers across the country to get a pulse on the top trends they see emerging in 2023. We’re here for this exciting style shift.
Consider bespoke furnishings. Historically, there’s been hesitancy to explore custom furniture options because of lead times and exorbitant prices. However, Bridget Tiek, owner and interior designer of Tiek & Co. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, explains that currently, with material and workforce shortages, most major manufacturers have extended lead times and major price increases. “We’ve been looking to our local artisans and makers who can craft one-of-a-kind, unique pieces that are beating the expectations on both price and timing,” she explains. “A bespoke piece is not always just an opportunity for something unique, it can help solve a functional issue as well.” Her team often turns to custom furniture for the ability to meet a client’s needs, creating pieces that can be multi-purpose, have hidden storage, and fit perfectly into specific spaces.
Think monochromatic for small spaces. Kimberly Harper, owner of Harper Howey Interiors in Bentonville, Arkansas, has been opting for monochromatic color schemes to make spaces feel larger, like the small guest bedroom above. She chose a neutral color palette of gray tones, and carried it over into wallpaper, draperies, furnishings, and bedding. Harper notes that monochromatic doesn’t have to be boring; you can choose any color family that strikes your fancy and enjoy playing with patterns. Because the color scheme is consistent, you can mix up the patterns you use in one space.
Go for Grandmillennial style. This design trend, often described as granny chic, is still going strong. According to Beth Ann Kallen and Victoria Pouncey, co-owners of Folly in Charlottesville, Virginia, this style nods at recreating grandma’s living room by bringing back wallpaper, antiques, copious floral prints, and macrame-style trims. For the above dining room, the duo incorporated updated florals in the landscape-style wallpaper and a dark wood antique sideboard and dining room table.
Infuse your space with fun. During a time when there were a lot of disruptions and chaos in our lives due to the pandemic, interiors have leaned toward calming, neutral palettes, explains Karen Korn, principal designer at Karen Korn Interiors in St. Louis, Missouri. Now, people are ready to embrace color and playfulness—in their lives and interiors. “Collectively, we’ve shied away from color and pattern, but now people are really going for it with big bold furniture pieces, patterned sofas, colorful kitchen cabinets, wild wallpapers, and intricate tile in bathrooms and kitchens,” she reports. “No longer will a colorful throw pillow do. We’re over being safe. Now is the time to be bold, and most importantly, have fun!”
Lean into arches and curves. According to Harper, these softer lines are making a comeback. “We’re seeing a movement away from the sharp mid-century lines with a shift towards the more gentle, rounded curves of the 1980s,” she reports. This is played out not only in architectural details, but in the arched arms of furniture, fabric, and wallpaper.
Take a walk on the dark side. White has held center stage for some time now, but Tiek is starting to see the pendulum swing in the other direction with heavy doses of black. “Not only are people looking for more saturation, they are looking at the full opposite color: black,” she shares. “Black can be a really nuanced color too when you play around with the color spectrum, exploring them all, like blue and brown blacks,” Tiek explains the color creates a nice cocoon effect and can be really calming. “Not everyone can get behind an all dark space but we believe all rooms need even a small dose of black to ground them,” she adds.
Check that box. Plaids, checks, and tartans are solid interior trends that truly never go out of style, but they do have moments, and Kallen and Pouncey report they are seeing a resurgence in client requests for these tried and true patterns in interiors. They’re especially loving the recent rollout of Miles Redd’s new Painterly Window Pane pattern that utilizes somewhat scribbled lines. For draperies and even in upholstery, a large-scale windowpane plaid offers a fresh perspective.
Embrace wood tones. Trends were all white for so long, but now stained wood features—which elevate a room by adding depth—are having a resurgence. “Wood adds warmth to a space by bringing a bit of nature inside,” Laura Yeager Smith, principal at Laura Yeager Smith Home & Design in Hudson, Ohio reports. She notes that it can be tricky to achieve the perfect wood stain, finding a delicate balance between being too warm and just warm enough. “Sometimes, nature provides the perfect color in its original form, especially with a walnut finish.”
Mix up your styles. Instead of rigidly adhering to one design aesthetic, Korn is seeing a movement toward a more layered look, incorporating different styles and genres in a thoughtful way. “Using different styles allows spaces to feel more at ease without the constraint of a tight aesthetic,” she shares. This produces a more timeless look while also creating a warm, comfortable home that is a reflection of your personal taste. The key to pulling off this look, Korn explains, is to have one element that ties it all together, be it a rug, armoire, piece of art, or even a pillow, and paying attention to the size and scale of your spaces.
Make geometry work for you. “Straight angles and lines offer a rigidity that truly adds high-impact and order to a space,” reports Smith. “We use symmetry in our designs to create strong axis and focal points. This is balanced with the use of irregular shapes and geometric patterns.” She reports seeing a great deal more finishes, whether it’s tile, fabric, or wallpaper, reflecting these geometric compositions. When creating a palette for a client, I take into consideration the style of the home and the general aesthetic. The handmade natural wood wall covering in the above photo has that element of the unexpected and creates a real “wow!” factor.