If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us as we spent much of our time at home over the last few years, it’s that interior design has a profound impact on our well-being. “Your home interior should be well thought out,” interior designer Gigi Kinsey says. “It must provide for all your functional needs, appeal to your unique sense of beauty, and create the mood you want for the individual spaces. Your home should be your place of peace and a welcome oasis to you each day. Achieving this is always by design, never by chance.”
For tips on designing or upgrading your personal oasis, we turned to Gigi to find out what home trends will dominate in 2023. This year, she says, design trends like cool colors and open-concept floor plans are on their way out; 2023 is all about warm color palettes, separate spaces, and a return to nature.
WARM COLORS
This year will see a movement away from cool grays and whites to warm whites and earth tones like peach and sage green. “We use a lot of Sherwin-Williams Pure White. As well, SWEvergreen Fog is a beautiful, nature-inspired green that pairs beautifully with the stained woods. Another SW color that is great for accent is UrbaneBronze,and Benjamin Moore chose Raspberry Blushas the color of the year. You will see more rich, saturated colors like this being used as accent walls, on furniture, or in accessories.”
NATURAL ELEMENTS
Get ready to see a lot of nature-inspired home décor, including indoor plants, earth tones, and natural materials like wood, stone, and ceramic. “We’re getting out of the gray flooring and more to the real brown tones again – natural wood use instead of sleek, non-textured finishes,” Gigi says.
ACCENT WALLS
More than just a pop of color, accent walls are a great way to define a space in a variety of ways. “Texture and pattern can also create a beautiful accent in a room. Wallpaper is making a comeback with geometric designs or super large patterns. Stone or brick walls add texture and interest. Using wood trim in unusual patterns on a wall with a bold or deep paint color can also make for a big statement in a room.”
RETRO WITH A TWIST
With its vintage appeal and minimalistic style, mid-century modern will continue to be a popular design choice, Gigi says, adding, “vintage furniture mixed with the new keeps it from being boring. Consider painting a vintage piece and adding some amazing cabinet hardware to dress it up. Using unique pieces that you love will help keep your space from looking cookie cutter and express your personal taste.”
COLORFUL, VINTAGE APPLIANCES
While stainless steel appliances will continue to be the top seller in kitchen appliances, Gigi says, we will be seeing some beautiful whites and graphite finishes in higher-end appliance selections. “Also, vibrant and fun colors are big this year, as are retro-style appliances—more colorful cabinets and teal and pink refrigerators like many homes had in the 50s and 60s.”
SEPARATE SPACES
With people working, studying, or living at home during COVID, open-concept floor plans have fallen by the wayside in favor of separate spaces—from home gyms, offices, and libraries to homeschooling rooms. “I hear people saying, ‘I need to shut myself off [from the rest of the house].’ A lot more women are homeschooling and need to be able to shut the door and have that space. People are seeking more solitary spaces.”