Happy New Year, Design Lovers!

2025 was marked by bold design statements. Some were beautiful ideas, but others, if we’re honest, haven’t been practical for everyday homes. As we look towards 2026, the shift is becoming clearer: less about visual impact alone, and more about how spaces actually feel to live in.

The conversation is moving towards interiors that are welcoming, multi-generational, emotionally supportive, and authentic. Homes that not only photograph well, but also support everyday life.

Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:

Here’s what’s changing, and why it matters to you!

One of the most consistent interior design trends of 2025 has been the move away from sharp edges. Curves have appeared everywhere: rounded sofas, oval coffee tables, arched doorways, soft-edged joinery.

And it’s not just aesthetics. Curved shapes soften boxy rooms, make spaces easier to navigate, and reduce the slightly tense feeling created by too many hard lines. In homes with young kids or spaces designed for ageing in place, they also feel safer and more forgiving.

Instead of furniture lining up rigidly against walls, rooms now encourage movement, conversation, and comfort. It’s a subtle change, but one that makes spaces feel calmer and more human.

By late 2024, it was clear that cool greys and stark whites were losing their hold. In their place came warm, rich tones, including deep greens, burgundy, tobacco, caramel, and earthy neutrals that feel grounding rather than clinical.

These colour palettes are ideal for spaces such as reading corners, pantries, washrooms, and living rooms, where comfort takes precedence over brightness. They create a cocooning effect, helping rooms feel intimate rather than flat.

Pattern has evolved, too. Instead of bold feature walls used in isolation, we saw more tailored stripes, subtle checks, and soft, blurred prints that behave almost like artwork. The goal isn’t decoration for its own sake, it’s visual rhythm and emotional warmth.

Cloud Dancer, Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2026, is a soft, billowy off‑white that feels more like morning light than gallery magnolia. It is designed to give your eye somewhere calm to rest while the rest of the room gets bolder with colour and pattern.

In practice, think of Cloud Dancer as the breathable backdrop for the richer story. Dulux’s “Rhythm of Blues” palette, smoky jades, ochres, deep plums, and warm browns make excellent complementary matches.

Rather than shouting for attention, it quietly links bolder choices together, which is exactly where 2026 interiors are heading: more personality, calmness, and experience.

If you are repainting, consider Cloud Dancer off‑white for walls, then let cushions, art and upholstery carry the deeper, moodier tones.

“Quiet luxury” has been one of the most talked-about interior design concepts of recent years, but its true meaning shows up in texture rather than price tags.

Think velvet, bouclé, wool, linen, and layered textiles that absorb sound and soften light. These materials make rooms feel calmer, warmer, and gentle — especially in homes where acoustics, light, and comfort really matter.

Brown furniture has also quietly made a comeback. Once dismissed as dated, it now adds depth, history, and richness. Mixed woods, from pale oak to darker walnut, can work perfectly together when the overall palette leans towards warmth.

If there’s one design element that continues to fade, it’s the single overhead light fixture. Layered lighting, with table lamps, floor lamps, wall lights, and picture lights, has become the foundation of modern interior styling.

Warm lighting creates pockets of glow instead of flooding a room, making spaces feel more welcoming. Dimmers and smart lighting controls enable rooms to transition easily from functional to cosy, without requiring changes to the fittings.

Walls in 2025 became less about statement pieces and more about storytelling. Gallery walls remain popular, but they’re less curated and more personal, mixing contemporary art with photographs, travel finds, inherited pieces, and children’s artwork.

There’s also been a rise in soft surrealism and eclectic nostalgia, especially with furniture. These decor pieces feature dreamlike imagery, abstract forms, and vintage-feel art that adds visual interest without clutter.

The design forecasts for 2026 interiors point to more colour, print, and personality in decorating. These include pattern‑heavy schemes, rich warm tones, layered textiles and historically inspired details, but still with an emphasis on rooms that feel calm and thoughtfully put together.

In 2026, designers predict this design idea will be reinforced further as people opt for authenticity and emotional comfort in their spaces. Less performance. More presence.

One of the best indicators of this year’s design trends is the 2026 Pantone Colour of the Year choice, Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201). This is a soft, billowy off‑white colour chosen to signal calm, clarity and “a fresh start” in an overstimulated world.

Cloud Dancer is a neutral tone, making it a flexible backdrop colour for warm wood tones and colours like terracotta, earthy browns, smoky jades, powdery blues, and deep plums brought forward from 2025. Editors and designers describe these as colours that offer “warmth, optimism, and stability.”

The broader move away from cold, blue‑leaning whites toward warmer, complex neutrals is reinforced by other 2026 picks, such as Universal Khaki by Sherwin-Williams and Warm Mahogany by Glidden, which echo the same desire for emotional comfort and authenticity.

▶ The 2026 Colour Stories: ElleDecor

▶ Past Reveals Future Exhibition: Maison&Objet Paris. 15-19 January 2026

▶ 10 Questions with Ambre Jarno: Interior Design

▶ What to Do With the TV in Open Plan Homes: Dezeen