Whether you prefer interior design styles that are dark, rustic, and moody, or bright, clean, and modern, we have 10 gorgeous interior design trends for 2023 that you can incorporate into your decor to bring your favorite styles up to date for the coming years.
The main themes we’re seeing so far leave major minimalism and super-smooth lines behind in favor of more dimension, layers, and texture. Interior design trends in 2023 are still largely uncluttered but are leaning more towards practicality than before, without sacrificing any aesthetic appeal.
Top 10 interior design trends in 2023
When it comes to interior design, some design choices never seem to fall out of style. Take pot plants, for example. House plants have endured decades of changing tastes, fashions, and fads, without ever once looking dated or out of place. Other home design aspects, like hardwood flooring, may also stay in style for many years at a time, but there are also some home decor trends that don’t age so well.
The good news is that it’s easier and more affordable to keep up with modern trends than you think, because keeping up with interior design trends doesn’t mean that you have to redecorate your entire house every year. Oftentimes, you can simply switch out a few decorative elements. For example, a few new pillowcases, throws, and light fixtures, may be all it takes to bring your living room bang up to date.
1. Dark academia
Dark academia refers to a moody, atmospheric visual style that is reminiscent of historic academic institutions, libraries, and museums, often with dark, gothic architecture and furniture. The dark academia trend works so well in hunting homes and cabins because of the dark, masculine furniture design, imposing armchairs, and fall-inspired rustic decor (fall, aka hunting season).
You can recreate this nostalgic atmosphere by investing in a statement gothic cabinet, adding some heavy sweeping curtains, arched mirrors, and a large, lavish antler chandelier. Love seats, richly layered luxe fabrics, large mounts, sculptures, and candlelight are also going to work great in a dark-academia-style hunting decor room.
You can add warmth, tranquility, and elegance to this look by throwing in some pillows and throws in luxe fabrics (we recommend sage green or gold).
2. Nordic aesthetic
The Nordic aesthetic everyone is going to want in 2023 is striking the perfect balance between clean, contemporary living and rustic charm. Part of this visual appeal involves bringing the outside in by using lots of natural materials in the features and furniture, combined with crisp white walls and accessories (probably not recommended if you have young children!).
If you’ve got fresh, white walls already, then you can create your own Scandinavian-inspired space easily by simply adding some concrete, stone, or wooden hardware, as well as accessories made of wicker and rattan. Or, update your wooden hardware and stone fireplace immediately by painting your walls white and adding some crisp white pillows and throws.
In order to pull off this Nordic aesthetic properly, your space should feel modern but daringly inspired by nature. Thick, raw wooden mantels and indoor garden walls (see below) will work wonders in helping you achieve this look. Hunting-themed decor works really well in this Nordic aesthetic, with antlers being a natural choice for traditional, rustic style lovers and the more modern, geometric style artwork and decorations for more contemporary homes.
3. Layered monochromatic rooms
Another 2023 interior design trend we like and will work particularly well in a contemporary hunter’s home is layered monochrome.
To create a monochromatic room, you should pick one (usually muted) color and stick to it. To create a layered monochromatic room, you should be working with all different shades of that color in your hard and soft furnishings.
When you’re creating a monochromatic space, it’s important to inject character and visual appeal with different shapes, textures, and patterns.
4. Curves
Curves started making a big comeback a couple of years ago and if you’ve already invested in this particular design style then you’ll be pleased to know that it was a wise choice as curves are here to stay.
Along with crescent-shaped sofas, egg chairs, and circular rugs, 2023 will also see more arcs, curves, and softer lines in our lighting, mirrors, cabinets, tables, and nightstands.
5. Calming natural colors
Color trends in 2023 see a shift towards softer and more natural looking hues. Red is on its way out, along with any color that’s too artificial looking, as this year is favoring warm soothing colors that inspire self-care and wellness.
This means that sage and olive green will continue to dominate the interior design scene in 2023, along with tranquil blue, turquoise, and warm, gentle gold, all of which pair extremely well with the dark hues featured in dark academia, and the brighter tones and natural materials that are relevant in the Nordic aesthetic trend.
We’re also expecting to see a lot more warm and sophisticated neutral colors, such as mushroom, ecru, and deep chocolate.
6. Boldly patterned wallpaper
Another trend that has been slowly gaining momentum is wallpaper and, not only are we going to be seeing a lot more of it, but it’s getting bolder too.
We know committing to anything bold can be quite scary as it does have a tendency to date more quickly than the safer options, but what about adding paper to just one wall? You can add so much character and style to a room by doing this and there are some gorgeous options on the market just dying to be hung in your home.
7. Statement lighting
Beautiful, large chandeliers will always be in style, but 2023 will see a lot more statement lighting in general, especially oversized pendant-style lighting. Experimenting with the size, scale, and height of th pendant can also yield dramatically different results.
Boldly-sized lighting like this acts as an immediate attention grabber and can be helpful in creating a central focal point in the room, as well as helping to counterbalance out a large, imposing mount.
8. Functioning alcoves
Dust-gathering, space-wasting alcoves have faded out of modern architecture in recent years, but highly-functioning alcoves are regaining the popularity they once enjoyed. So, if you have an old-school alcove or niche in your home, it’s time to give it some love and attention to bring it bang up to date for 2023.
Aim to decorate your alcove with furniture that can be used on a daily basis. The unique architectural design of the alcove will emphasize whatever you place inside it, whether it be storage and shelves, or a comfy seat, small table, and striking wall light. You can use the space for stylish storage or as a cozy reading nook, but whatever you place in your nook, make sure that the space is being used practically.
9. Multipurpose living areas
Traditional room and furniture layout is also starting to give way to more unique and practical setups that work better for you and your cohabitees.
Some rooms in your home may already function on a number of different levels (a home office/gym room, for example), but now it’s time to rethink those living spaces by adding more dimension to them. After all, how often does everyone sit down and watch TV all together these days?
In 2023, the go-to classic living room layout of a sofa with matching armchairs is going to seem rather dull. Instead, we’ll be seeing a lot more function with statement chairs, games tables, daybeds, and cozy nooks. The best way to approach your living room layout in 2023 is to think about how you and your family will actually enjoy using it.
10. Indoor gardens
House plants, no matter the year or decade, will never go out of fashion, but in 2023 it’s time to start thinking about upscaling your plant offering with larger plants and much larger displays. In fact, next year is more about indoor gardens than indoor plants and could include creeping vines, entire walls full of plants, and even rockeries and water features (if you have the space).
We particularly love this trend because we’re all about bringing the outside, inside! Why not set up a hydroponic vegetable garden and display it prominently instead of hiding it away in a spare bedroom? Entire sections of wall can be used to grow vines, plants, and herbs, to instantly inject tons of life, color, and texture into a room.
The only problem with this trend is that you will need to give careful consideration to the lighting and watering situation to make it work. It’s harder work getting it set up and looking after it than the other (non-living) trends on this list, but if you enjoy growing your own food or spending time making your house look nice, then it won’t feel like work.
