31 Home Design Ideas That Will Change the Way We Decorate in 2023

New Year, new interiors. Enter home design ideas for 2023. A forecast led by interior designers with a pulse on trends that will be shaping the upcoming year, and beyond. With the pandemic somewhat in the rearview mirror, mainstream designers and TikTok creators alike are predicting that home decor will take on an optimistic turn filled with vibrant colors and sustainable DIY projects, all the while maintaining a love for nature-inspired textures and accessories.

While the soft green palettes are still trending, especially when it comes to kitchen cabinets, pinks are coming in strong. Repurposed furniture is also having a moment with tutorials on transforming a dining table into a chic coffee table or building a plant enclave out of an apothecary cabinet. Perhaps one of the most exciting things about 2023 home design ideas is the mix of new and old design elements, a twist on the ever popular grandmillenial trend with a decidedly contemporary refresh. “2023 is taking us to a new level of design,” says Cleveland-based Ashleigh Clark, principal of Ashleigh Clark Interior Design Group. “We saw a neutral approach to design throughout the pandemic, creating homes that look like a Pinterest ad. People are now craving character and warmth. Personality driven decor is sweeping across the nation. Art that is personal, color that evokes a positive mood mixed with natural elements, are creating homes that feel cozy while adding plenty of character.”

If you fear that the only way to embrace all of 2023’s home design ideas means parting with your current decor and starting from scratch—all the while draining your bank account—fear not. Many of next year’s best looks are easy to DIY, meaning you can exercise your creativity and save cash while making your space covetable and conversation-worthy. The following 31 home design ideas are just too good to ignore.

1. Infuse decor with warm wood tones

Warm wood is making a comeback, notes designer Lindye Galloway of Lindye Galloway Design Studio and Shop, based in Costa Mesa, California. “Wood can bring warmth, depth, and an intimate feel that creates a serene scene,” she says. Galloway particularly enjoys incorporating it into the ceiling and vanity pieces in the bathroom. “This can especially help with an all-white bathroom where you want to keep it light and bright but have that warm feeling,” she adds. On a smaller scale, consider DIY’ing a warm wood frame for an existing mirror that could use an upgrade, or swapping builder-grade metal drawer pulls with stylish wooden options.

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2. Add a fashionable influence to bedrooms

When formulating a vision for this bedroom, which was featured in the 2022 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, New York designer Tara McCauley was inspired by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who lived in Paris at the peak of the Art Deco and Surrealist movements. “The draped canopy above the bed certainly doesn’t echo the streamlined, machine-inspired forms of the Art Deco period, but I wanted to juxtapose the rectilinear headboard and bedside lamps with something soft,” McCauley explains. “The canopy feels a bit more Hollywood Regency than Art Deco, but it takes just one look at film sets from Hollywood’s Golden Age to see how those two styles are closely entwined.” DIY a canopy of your own—no matter your preferred aesthetic—with these designer tips.

3. Pantries continue to reign

Pantries that prioritize function and maximize storage are something we’ve grown to appreciate even more in recent years. “If being under quarantine at home revealed anything during the pandemic, it’s how to become more organized,” explains Houston-based Sherrell Neal of Sherrell Design Studio. “The pantry is not just a junky storage room of dry goods, it’s how we plan meals, sort food groups, and make shopping lists. It’s really become an extension of the kitchen space.” Neal anticipates that we will continue to see an emphasis on pantry organization and design into the new year.

4. Mix and match old with new

Styling antique finds alongside contemporary furnishings will never go out of style, says designer Joshua Smith of studio Joshua Smith in New York. “The thrill of combining these items is incorporating modern pieces into more traditional spaces, or vice versa,” says Smith who suggests by tossing in a French Louis chair into a modern space. Just don’t go overboard by adding too many periods into one room. “It brings confusion to the energy of the space,” he continues. “Think about common threads between the objects, like color, texture, shape.”

5. Say yes to plaster

Take the walls and ceilings to the next level with the addition of a plaster finish. “Plaster is making a comeback along with all other natural surfaces because of the character it adds to a space and the character that it adds over time as it lives in a space,” explains interior designer Katie Paulsen of Maestri Studio in Dallas. “Even in its most polished state, it adds a comfort that can’t be achieved with faux looks.” Not ready for a major revamp? Incorporate plaster fireplace surrounds, chandeliers, and side tables into your home, Paulsen suggests. “Its versatility allows us to use it in so many different ways,” she adds. “We’re predicting that it will be making an appearance just about everywhere.”

6. Go bold in the kitchen

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The phasing out of the all-white kitchen continues. And the penchant for color is visible in coating cabinets in bold, unexpected hues. Grab that paint brush and get to it. “Rich cool tones, such as peacock or royal blue as well as emerald green, are colors that create a stunning contrast when combined with the quartzite and marble options,” notes Jerad Gardemal of JF Gardemal Designs in Baton Rouge. “You have two beautiful elements that are distinct alone, but when combined make a grand statement.” High gloss and lacquer finishes further emphasize the jewel-like kitchen spaces.

7. Get artsy with statement light fixtures

Say goodbye to the standard-looking light fixtures and opt for something that makes a statement instead. “Although popular in the last decade, traditional lanterns and pairs of lanterns have become mundane,” Gardemal says. “Improvements in both the design and technology of multi-point lighting make them much easier to work with,” he adds. “You now have the ability to experiment with globe styles, heights, and finishes to create a truly custom statement.”

8. Rethink bathroom walls and floors

If your bathroom floors or walls need a facelift, plan to go retro with hexagons, rhomboids, and circles, Gardemal advises. “These tile shapes have made appearances for hundreds of years and though the shapes aren’t new, the variety of tile sizes available has given them a refresh,” he explains. Opt for tiles with combos of white, gray, and black to nail that classic vintage aesthetic. Alternatively, try larger tiles paired with patterned accent tiles boasting touches of metallics and iridescent glazes.

9. Consider Trompe-L’oeil

Make like designer Nick Olsen and add major wow-factor to your home by incorporating patterns and furnishings that deceive the eye. Take a peek inside his Dutchess County, New York, home to get inspired by clever takes on wall coverings, textiles, and floor designs that go way beyond the basic.

10. Stencil floors

While stenciling tile is nothing new, creators are steering away from the overdone encaustic tile patterns in grey, black, white and blue and experimenting with contemporary motifs. “Choose starkly contrasting colors for a crisp and fresh look,” suggests Annie Sloan, paint and color expert based in Oxford, England, and creator of Chalk Paint, who has utilized household objects including cereal bowls and magazines to create one of a kind stencils. “These simple shapes look fabulous in block bright colors. Pastel square shapes reference ’50s diners, perfect for grandmillennial interiors, while curved designs reference Vernor Patton and ’60s cool.”

11. Upcycle housewares in a glam way

Before you dispose of dishes, pictures frames, and even large furniture items that have seen better days, think about ways in which you can repurpose these pieces to add some new life. Saw down that dining table and turn it into the coffee table of your dreams, as Lance Thomas of Thomas Guy Interiors in Lake Charles, Louisiana, did in his own home.

12. Embrace the ’70s mirrored backsplash

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Take a look back—50 years back—when tackling the backsplash, suggests Alex Alonso of Mr. Alex Tate Design. “So much of the ’70s has crept back into fashion,” he says, noting that a smoky mirrored backsplash is “very chic and trendy.” The Miami-Los Angeles–based designer adds that people are looking to make kitchens warm but still keep them modern and interesting, and a mirrored backsplash can do just that. Or you can create a vibrant custom backsplash with watercolor, marbled paper, even a piece of pretty fabric that’s protected behind a pane of tempered glass.

13. Enhance walls with limewash paint

We can expect to see more plaster and lime wash come 2023. “There is a return to warmer tones in design with a desire for more of a lived-in, comfortable feel,” Galloway says. “Limewash creates a sense of old mixed with new and allow a room to have a moodier feel.” She encourages the trying out limewash in entryways or powder rooms to give those spaces more depth. Portola Paints comes in dozens of shades, from snowy Solaris to cerulean Hacienda to Vintage Black.

14. Elevate with reeded detail

Reeded detailing is here to stay. Julia Newman, a Los Angeles designer and founder of Julia Adele Design says, “because not only does it look good, it is an easy DIY project.” Cabinets, kitchen islands, and IKEA revamps have all seen plenty of reeded love. Fluting, a similar design with concave grooves, as opposed to convex ridges, is also gaining traction. Use reeding [or fluting] to transform a number of furnishings. “You can take simple, inexpensive, or older pieces and add this detail to make it look high end and give it new life,” says Newman, who recently worked on a project that involved a reeded murphy bed. “Many available options looked dated,” she explains. “Since this would be such a large piece I wanted it to add visual interest to the room.”

15. Display artwork with flair

Gallery walls have their place in the interior design world, but when it comes to specialty art pieces, like a vintage canvas painted by your grandmother, or a thrifted midcentury print, DIY’ing a frame may be the way to go. To display consider innovating approaches to hanging art, such as installing a picture rail or layering a cluster of vintage frames on top of one another.

16. Try two-toned upholstery

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Repurposing furniture is a going to be big in the new year, that’s why tackling a stained couch cushion with complementary fabric for a nuanced two-tone look is the way to go. “A really rich plaid paired with a mohair, velvet, or leather would look great,” notes Libby Rawes of Sharp & Grey Interiors in Philadelphia.

17. Rethink existing furniture

Before you buy new furniture, see if you can repurpose something you already own. For instance, instead of splurging on nightstands, perhaps utilize mismatched chairs or floating shelves to get the job done and create a personalized bedroom design.

18. Try a surprising color

Energetic greens like Troop Beverly Hills, a new hue from Backdrop, are sticking around for 2023. “Emerald green is a timeless color that will never go out of style,” notes Rachel Burger of Nashville’s JL Design. “We like to incorporate saturated colors, such as emerald green, into our designs because they are attractive and stimulating to the eye.”

19. Modernize dated furniture

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Give old furniture a revamp by covering it in a high gloss lacquer, which “can modernize a piece of furniture and give it new life depending upon the space,” explains designer Jen Samson, who runs an eponymous firm in Laguna Beach, California. “Grasscloth or faux skin wallpaper give a desk or a console a totally new look.” Another approach is to simply tackle a piece’s legs. Samson is a proponent of adding wood or brass in particular. The DIY can be as simple as ordering a new set.

20. Go full Coastal Granddaughter

In the last six months, #coastalgranddaughter went from 15.2 million views on TikTok to 95.4 million (at the time of publication). An offspring of 2022’s coastal grandmother aesthetic, this lifestyle is a bit more carefree. “The younger, fresher version dons the skirts, twists on traditional florals with larger scale prints and current trending palettes like sage greens and terra-cottas,” explains Karen Wolf of Karen B. Wolf Interiors in Short Hills, New Jersey. “This generation gathers with family, embraces greenery, light filled interiors, lighter woods and elevated comfort. Finishes are worn but not overly distressed and forms are softly architectural.” Make use of ginghams, ticking stripes, plaids, and houndstooth, Wolf advises. You can start by giving cabinets a refreshing coastal makeover.

21. Tackle textured wallpaper

Why settle for regular wallpaper when you can install something textural instead? Whether you’re drawn to florals, snakeskin, or something in between, there’s a wall covering option for you. Looking to think even further outside the basic wall coverings? Try painting a mural over textured paper for an even greater impact.

22. Hail curvy furniture

Curvy furniture is still en vogue, but try not to overdo it when arranging your favorite pieces. Alonso offers guidance: stick to two curvy items per room. “Try a coffee table with a curvy detail, perhaps some table lamps with subtle curves, or perhaps go with a curvy mirror,” he suggests. “Don’t overdo it, unless you’re going for the Memphis, post-modern capsule. At which point, knock yourself out.” And keep measurements top of mind as always. “Due to the nature of the shape, curvy furniture takes up more real estate in a room,” adds Hayley English of Hayley English Interiors in Pasadena. “Confirm all pieces are of appropriate scale before pulling the trigger.” When in doubt, select one piece, like a sinuous couch from Rove Concepts, and decorate around it.

23. Apply borders to painted walls

Yes, you can enjoy a mix of both paint and wallpaper in a given space without having to default to an accent wall. The key here is to install some chic borders. “Try layering a printed wallpaper border atop a plain painted wall; a clever way to add character to an otherwise monotonous space,” says designer Angela Harris of Denver-based TRIO. Unlike the cheesy and too-country patterns of yesteryear, companies are releasing contemporary motifs, like the newly launched Lick X Kelly Hoppen CBE wallpaper borders that make minimalism timeless.

24. Pack a punch in a small rooms

Add extra oomph to even the smallest of rooms by saying yes to style and drama galore, even if the space has an odd layout. In an attic bathroom with sloped, uneven walls and ceilings that made wallpapering impossible, Isabel Ladd of Isabel Ladd Interiors in Lexington, Kentucky, switched gears with peppy paint. “A muralist painted this pattern to look like paper, but we had much more control over where the motifs would land because it was hand painted,” Ladd explains.

25. Mix textures and fabrics

“Nothing feels more relevant as we head into 2023 than mixing textures and fabrics,” says designer Noel Gatts, founder of Beam & Bloom in Bloomfield, New Jersey. “Consider balance, movement, and direction when mixing patterns and textures, and whether you want the feel of the space to be soothing or energizing.” If you have a long linear rug, for example, you can either intentionally carry that theme through with vertical patterns up a wall, or completely break it up with a solid or more organic rounded feel to furniture and walls that stop the line, suggests the HGTV star of Home Inspector Joe.

26. Paint the radiator a bold hue

“Gone are the days of ugly radiators,” says Liz Engelsen of Liznylon Designs. “When designing a room, I used to think about where I could hide a radiator; now I think of it as a design element.” And whether you choose to have the radiator blend into the wall color or paint it a bold hue is entirely up to you, Engelsen comments.

27. Employ storage in unconventional spaces

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Think creatively about how to maximize your home’s storage capabilities, even if that means making use of the area under your bed—a designer-approved hack! Miami-based designer Tatiana Seikaly of Studio Seikaly, for instance, elevated a bed in a child’s bedroom to create a closet underneath. “The stairs leading up to the bed doubled as drawers for additional storage,” she says of the one-of-a-kind setup.

28. Cozy up with banquette seating

Add a café vibe (and a whole corner of hidden storage) to a small kitchen by building out a corner banquette—pair with a bistro table and chair and you’ve got a Parisian setup. “Using a banquette for seating at a kitchen table is a great way to save space,” explains designer Stephanie Brown, who operates an eponymous firm in Vancouver. “Fixed bench seating allows the grouping to be tucked closer to the wall.” And why not think outside the box a bit with the materials you use? “There are fun, more trendy ways to design your banquette, such as with channel-tufting upholstery, or organic, curvy shapes,” Brown says. “If getting something custom or built-in isn’t within reach, then look for cool free-standing bench or settee furniture pieces.” Bonus: a colorful banquette gives off positive vibes.

29. Don’t underestimate mirrors

Mirrors aren’t just for checking hair on the way out the door. “Mirrors are a great source to reflect light and open up a space,” explains Ginger Curtis of Urbanology Designs. “They can make a room feel larger and brighter, so if a corner of your home is dark and feels cramped, a mirror is a brilliant solution to make your space feel lighter.” Curtis is especially eager to incorporate large floor mirrors into her 2023 projects. Give a standard mirror a bit of panache by elevating it with resin, gold leaf, or something else entirely.

30. Plant vertical gardens

Green friends are here to stay—but why not display them in a new configuration? Gabrielle Thompson of the Plant Baby Mama says that in 2023 we’ll be seeing more “vertical gardens”: think shelves, hanging plants, and plant walls. These have been popular for a while, she says, but will evolve to include colorful plants, like red aglaonema and strawberry syngoniym.

31. Saturate with moody, natural colors

Say yes to moody hues. “Moving into 2023, I anticipate we will continue to see a lot of earth tones, especially many shades of green,” says Amanda Barnes of Amanda Barnes Interiors. “Whether it is on cabinets or walls, this verdant shade will be everywhere.” Not sure how to determine which green is best for you? “Like many other hues, finding the right color means balancing the undertones of the green, as many read a little gray in the late evening light,” Barnes explains.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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