2025 Design Predictions

The New Year is a great time to evaluate your home and make goals about what you might want to change or improve. It can be frustrating to see design styles change when you have invested time and money into a particular design, but it can also be exciting to look to the future for the next best thing. The good thing about interior design is that trends typically stick around for 5-10 years. This is much longer than fashion trends that tend to stick around for a few seasons. I would suggest refreshing one room in your home each year. This refresh can be a complete remodel or simply a new coat of paint and changing out a few items. By focusing on one space at a time, you will be able to keep a home that is updated, thought out, and designed for you.

That being said, here are some of my predictions for the upcoming year.

Emphasis on Texture

Texture does many things for a space. It can add interest both visually and tactilely. It can also have a large impact on how big a room feels, the sound quality of a room, and the durability and maintenance of materials. In 2025, we are seeing an emphasis on texture in many ways.

This first image by Amber Interiors shows many clever uses of texture. The first thing that I notice is the stone wall. Many designers are using stone on both the outside and inside of homes to create a rustic feel. If you want to add stone into your home, start with a backsplash or a fireplace. While these treatments can be expensive, they can add a lot of visual weight and interest to a previously boring room.

Other items that add interesting texture to this room are the reclaimed wood beams, velvet couch, shag carpet, and the artwork. Each of these textures is different, yet they are chosen to intentionally contrast and add interest to the room.

Moody Colors

"To design without color is to design without love."

-Kelly Wearstler

The past 10 years have been a time of grays and whites in design. While many have embraced this simplistic style, others have been left craving more. In reality, it was easy for builders to use only white, black, and gray. It takes skill to put together colors in a harmonious and also functional way.

Color drenching, which is when you paint the trim, walls, and ceiling all one color, made it big in 2024. I believe that it will continue to increase in popularity into 2025. This technique can make your room feel larger than it actually is because the ceiling is not as defined. Many colors used in this technique are "moody," meaning that they are dark and calming.

This is a stark contrast to the bright white rooms that we have been seeing for the past 5 years. I like to think of design trends as a pendulum. We start by swinging toward one design trend at a rapid pace. Eventually, the pendulum slows, stops, and completely switches directions. This is true in design as well. People will heavily favor one type of design for a time. This demand for a design style will slow, stop, and then change to a new style. Oftentimes, the change in design contrasts greatly with the design style before.

Before you start painting, remember that there are guidelines to follow when using this technique. Be sure to use the correct sheen for each item you are painting. I would recommend using eggshell for the walls, flat paint for the ceiling, and satin or semi-gloss for doors and trim. This will help control where light is reflected off of your paint, increase durability in areas, as well as add interest to the room. I would also try to add some sort of texture or molding on the wall to create visual interest in the room.

Ceiling Treatments

I never understood why people spend so much time and energy designing their homes, but they leave the ceiling blank. What a waste! In design, we call the ceiling "the fifth wall," and it is just as important as the other walls in the room. In 2025, ceilings are finally receiving the attention that they deserve.

Some things that you can add to help elevate the ceilings in your home are:

Wallpaper
Moulding
Unique Texture
Tile (in a bathroom)
A Mural

Lighting, of course, plays a key role in the design of your ceilings. If you have a very busy ceiling, try installing a simpler light. If your ceiling is plain, then try a more intricate light.

Antique Tables as Kitchen Islands

A great way to bring timeless charm into your home is to use an antique table as a kitchen island. You can achieve this look by finding an antique table and having a countertop made for it. You can have a custom piece made by a local furniture maker. You can also buy some prefabricated islands from various suppliers online.

There are several pros and cons to this design choice.

Pros: