Interior Design trends to fall in love with – 2023’s Hotlist

Mushrooms, Maximalism, and shag pile carpets. What’s really on the ID Valentine’s Day shopping list?

Has biophilia been binned? Is puce pink the new black? Is a yellow shag pile carpet a must-have, or for naughty movies only? For the answers to these questions, plus the low-down on this year’s interior design hotlist, read on…

But before we get to the nitty gritty, it’s time to put our listening ears on.

If there’s one publication that lives and breathes the fashionable, it’s Vogue. So, it was more than interesting to hear their take on interior trends. “Décor doesn’t tend to undergo seasonal changes or flash-in-the-pan fads – furniture, textiles, art, and wall coverings are too cumbersome, too expensive, too enduring to update frequently. When you design a room, as the saying goes, you need to learn to live with it.” Hear! Hear!

Of course, all interior design trends eventually move on, but it takes years before they entirely lose favour.

Another truism is that multiple trends run simultaneously, giving designers a broader range of options for individual clients. Not all briefs include statement wallpaper, for example. And others will have an allergy to this year’s bolder colour palette.

So, with that said, let’s revisit our old friend, biophilia. This year, ID will still be embracing the natural world, although the toucans are in retreat. Bringing the outside inside is heading in a much more naturalistic direction. For instance, wood is still very important, but paler birch is moving aside in favour of richer coloured timbers such as walnut, cherry and red oak.

Complementing colour-schemes are also staying in the neutral zone according to interior design megastar Kelly Hoppen. Kelly’s advice is that the smart money will be spent on anything from cosy greys through to classic beiges and taupes. She also recommends enhancing the effect with bold prints.

But if bold prints aren’t your thing, relax, because a simultaneous trend was highlighted by Raúl Sánchez, founder of Barcelona studio Raúl Sánchez Architects. Raúl told Dezeen that a major option is for a fresher and more daring use of colour. In other words, you’ve officially been given permission to step away from the comfort blanket of neutrals to go and play with bold hues and darker tones.

Does this include puce pink? Maybe so, although you won’t find many brands of paint using that name for it. However, we’d suggest going bolder. Homes & Gardens recently gave a shout out to Pantone’s colour of the year Viva Magenta, and Benjamin Moore’s 2023 hot pick, Raspberry Blush. Lauded as celebrations “of bold and impactful shades of red”, Homes & Gardens recommend striking a blow for the unconventional.

Next up is a return to the past.

This is coming in the form of a new fascination with the extravagant, the ornate, and the rococo. This is Maximalism.

Apparently, it’s a response to climate breakdown, economic uncertainty, and the geopolitical crisis. Or, perhaps it’s just that the Victorian obsession with the Orient and all things exotic did inspire some beautiful contemporary interiors – interiors which we now want to emulate.

The whole new love affair is summed up by Lulu Lytle’s ingenious use of the imperial aesthetic in Soane Britain’s range – Egyptomania.

Meanwhile, sustainability is still racing down the tracks like a runaway train. However, there’s been a new development. Mushrooms!

But much as we love the humble fungus and its laid-back look, it’s its underground root-like systems that are causing a stir. Mylo Unleather has taken the fashion industry by storm, and mycelium’s potential in other areas, as an ethical and sustainable material, is also gaining the attention of the furniture and architectural industries. In another development mycelium recently inspired globally-respected designer Tom Dixon to the point of him featuring it in his 20th anniversary exhibition. It’s also being used to craft lampshades. The possibilities are endless.

There’s a lot of food for thought in all this. But where does it leave yellow shag pile carpets? Well, as much as they’d be a unique sidekick for Raspberry Blush walls, we’re going to leave them in their natural home – the San Fernando Valley. Adios, shag pile!

Looking for more?

If you’ve got skills and interests that fall under the interior design banner, and you’ve got the talent to go far, we’d love to help you step up the career ladder. Our mustard ID team are a dedicated bunch, and are waiting at the end of a line for your call. Find out more and get in touch with the team here.