This new year certainly feels like the beginning of a new vibe in design. Designers are already talking about colors, materials, and approaches that have been trending for years, and how they plan to avoid them in favor of new ideas.
These are the changes they will make — and want you to make — that will refresh your home and reflect the growing interior design trends for 2025. It’s probably no surprise that everyone is moving away from cool tones, minimalism, and sharp lines, and opting for a softer, cozier, and more livable feel.
1. Swap bold tones for more earthy versions
Bright colors may have been a major color trend in 2024, but it’s much easier to live with colors that have an earthy touch. You’ll find they’re more calming, even charming, believes Zoe Feldman, an interior designer from Washington, DC, who suggests we should all move to “muddy” earthy tones in 2025.
“I think pink is a very flattering color for most people. It’s very warm when used the way we do, more muddy than, say, a bubblegum princess,” she says. “I use pinks that are a bit brown; during the day they can feel pleasant and bright, and at night they look like they’re lit by candlelight. It has this beautiful ability to move you emotionally throughout the day. Farrow and Ball’s Setting Plaster, Sulking Room Pink, and Peignoir are all perfect examples, while Oxford Stone from the brand has a rosy tone — ideal for those who might have an aversion to pink.”
2. Swap a glass coffee table for antique pieces
A design staple for many years, the glass coffee table will be criticized in 2025 by designers looking to soften as many surfaces as possible.
“I always advise that if you have kids, you shouldn’t have a glass coffee table,” says Heather French, co-founder of the Santa Fe-based studio French and French. And even if you don’t have the practical issues of tiny fingers smudging your coffee tables, Heather still suggests they don’t age well, and opting for something with more personality is an obvious change to make.
“You want an antique piece that ages over time and develops a patina and improves with age,” explains Heather. “You need to think about how you want to live in a home. And having a piece that you can clean — or not worry too much about — is really important.”
3. Change the height of your kitchen cabinets
This is a big change to make but should definitely be considered if you’re planning to remodel your kitchen in 2025. The big debate in kitchen design right now seems to be: should kitchen cabinets go up to the ceiling or not?
In 2024, the advice was primarily to go for the former, but for 2025, some designers are suggesting swapping this once-trendy look for more openness. Designer Lara Bates from studio Lara Et Al explains that, “This year, we didn’t take cabinets up to the ceiling because that little gap allows the space to breathe, preventing kitchens from feeling too closed in.”
4. Swap formal seating for more casual options
In recent years, design trends have become smarter, focusing more on formal entertaining than on comfy sofas to snuggle into. But New York designer Noa Santos is calling for a moment of relaxation and to embrace softer shapes.
“Interiors don’t need to feel ostentatious, and luxury is being redefined,” says Noa. “You don’t want to feel like you’re in a museum; you want to be comfortable and have a home that works for your lifestyle. Every home needs a corner to flop into. If everything in your home is precious, you’re constantly holding your breath — design needs the mix of inspiration and expiration, the balance of fabulous and functional.”
5. Swap a same-color finish for a contrasting one
Replacing the decades-long trend of white woodwork finish is the idea of matching the finish to the walls. It’s a trick designers use to feel elevated and make spaces look taller — there’s less to break the sightline.
However, Lara Bates thinks it’s time to swap this for a third way — a contrasting finish that’s entirely different from what’s on the walls. “I never choose the woodwork color until the end. It comes when the other colors are in the room,” says Lara. “You want to tie it to something in the room, though it’s not always what you’d expect. It could be a color picked from a detail in a piece of art or the pattern of the rug.”
Many of the trends we’re seeing for 2025 are based on creating cozier, more inviting homes with more personality, and many of the swaps designers suggested reflect this. Keep in mind how you want your home to look and how you live in the space when making changes (big or small) to your home.
Source: Homes & Gardens. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
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