Interior Design Trends 2024
Your home is not a place you can change every day, and so we believe interior design should be about creating spaces that can be enjoyed for decades, filled with furniture pieces that you’ll love for a lifetime. When it comes to trends, it can be hard to balance the intrigue of new creative ideas with the desire for longevity; the trick is to spot the styles that you believe you’ll love beyond the season. Speaking to a few of our favourite interior designers, we were fascinated to discover their predictions for the interiors, homeware and furniture design trends for 2024, which include fresh colour palettes, the revival of old favourites and characterful additions to suit any style. Read on to discover their top picks.
Colour Trends
Chocolate Brown
The team at Woodhouse & Law regularly visits interior design trade shows each year to “identify those new, exciting and emerging trends,” but Co-Founder Nick Woodhouse notes that, this time around, “some trends looked familiar, nostalgic even”. Among them, the return of chocolate brown, which featured on wall treatments, materials and furniture. “Once exiled and avoided for fear of a throwback to the 70s and 80s, the colour has returned, warmed up and ready for a fight,” the designer says. Introduce your favourites with equally inviting cushions, throws and lampshades for an easy nod to the trend.
Earthy Tones
Just as browns are dominating the colour chart, so too are earthy tones of terracotta and caramel, proving that warmth and wonder are on the cards in 2024. Javier Burkle, founder of Burkle Creative, has noticed an uptick in these more comforting shades as well, with tones of ochre and copper taking the lead. “I love the warmth that these colours bring to a space, from metal finishes to soft furnishings,” the designer says. “I used an ochre colour for my sitting room curtains, and it brings such a rich depth to the space.”
Colour Drenching
It’s not just specific colours that will be big when it comes to 2024 interior design trends, but how we choose to use them too. Philip Thomas Vanderford, founder of Studio Thomas James, believes that people are “enjoying the unreserved, and almost shameless, energy of colour drenching” – the trend for using one colour throughout an entire room or home. The key is to be bold with your choice; even if the shade itself isn’t vibrant, the trend relies on you “taking a colour that you’ve always gravitated towards and running with it”. This could be different tones of the same colour, or one tone repeated throughout the space to create a cohesive look. “Truly explore it at large scale: first with the rug in the hallway, then the sofa in the living room, then the drapery in the bedroom, and then a wallcovering in the dining area,” says Philip of his colour drenching ideas. “But, and I can’t emphasise this enough, make sure to pick a shade you’ve always been drawn to and that isn’t a passing trend.”
Unexpected Combinations
If you can’t possibly decide on just one colour, make sure your palette is eclectic and bright. Schuyler Samperton, founder of the eponymous textiles company, predicts a return of vivid and unexpected colour combinations in 2024, as Instagram and Pinterest continue to fuel a growing fascination with the use of vibrant hues and daring prints. “Bold shades are no longer just for the uber-adventurous and courageous,” explains the designer, who’s spotted brighter hues on upholstery, window treatments and wallpaper. “For an easy way to experiment with the trend, start with a few cushions, add some patterned lampshades and wallpaper the back of your bookcase.”
Materials, Styles and Finishes
Glorious Gloss
There’s no better way to make a space feel characterful and inviting than mixing contrasting textures, and in the coming months we can expect to see a particularly pleasing finish taking centre stage: glossy lacquer. Our first association with the high-shine style is often fire-engine red, thanks to traditional Chinese lacquerware, but in 2024 you can expect to see gloss in a myriad of colours. “Whether it be a glossy tray or side table, the element of sheen and lustre looks fab in every room,” says Sean Symington, founder of the eponymous interior design studio. “We love adding large glossy trays to ottomans and glazed lamp bases to rooms. This finish instantly updates and adds glamour to every space.” Take cues from Sean and introduce this trend through accent pieces that are practical as well as pretty – a ceramic lamp or glossy serving accessory is an easy way to incorporate the style.
Flexible Lighting
Any interior designer will tell you how important lighting is to a space, and featuring light in unexpected places is one of the tricks of the trade. It’s great news then that innovation in the lighting industry, coupled with an increased desire for wireless alternatives, has spawned a new generation of designs that can be used in exciting and surprising places. “Wall lights and picture lights are joining table lamps in the battery-powered group,” says Sapphie Chichester, founder of the eponymous interior design studio. “It’s a game changer for renters and also for adding lighting to a room with minimal disruption. When the evenings get warmer again, I will definitely be adding wireless table lamps to outdoor dining tables.”
Natural Materials
“Integrating natural elements – with their rich diversity of life, shapes and colours – is fast gaining a dedicated following for its ability to greatly improve our wellbeing and creativity,” says John Law, Co-Founder of Woodhouse & Law, who predicts an increase in the biophilia trend – the act of introducing natural elements to a home and in turn improving our connection to the outside world. With this trend comes a greater desire for natural materials, and so the designer and his team are expecting to see a growing number of pieces crafted from natural stone and wood in 2024. Sean, too, predicts a jump in natural materials, with people reaching for the likes of bamboo and rattan for their warm colours and interesting finishes. “We believe every room should have an element of nature,” the designer says. “A small pair of rattan stools or bamboo mirror in the corner of a room adds visual interest with texture and warmth.”
Classic Meets Contemporary
Here at OKA, we’ve long believed that the magic is always in the mix – pairing different styles, eras and moods are what brings a home to life. Happily, Philip sees this increasing in 2024, predicting that people will be reaching for a combination of classic and contemporary pieces. “I’m seeing a move away from the idea of a defined, single-layered aesthetic, and think we’ll be seeing a balance much more in 2024,” he explains, “particularly considering the ever-widening accessibility of online, second-hand markets.” The key to shopping for antique or vintage designs is to go with a specific item or purpose in mind, the designer adds. “Your home will feel more purposeful and that will be evident in the end result.”
Characterful Details
Getting Personal
Forget notions of symmetry and perfection – when it comes to interior design trends 2024, we’ll be channelling a more care-free and personality-packed style, says Schuyler. “Embrace individualism and live with what you love is the new word in home design,” she explains. “What feels fresh now is a mix of personal collectables that tell a story, seating arrangements that encourage long, cosy conversations and a mix of fabrics that bring forth happy memories.” It’s about living authentically, however that may look for you and your home. “Rules don’t apply here,” the designer adds. “Let the room evolve and enjoy the process.”
Sapphie also predicts an increase in more personal interiors, with more and more people seeking bespoke details that make their home even more unique – from embroidered bed linens and tablecloths to personalised, hand-painted tiles in the bathroom or kitchen. “ “It’s a joy to have some things in our homes that are unique to us,” the designer says. “With decorative murals being increasingly popular, I’d love to design a playroom incorporating children’s names into the design.”
Beautiful Bobbin
Bobbin furniture, which was first popularised in the 17th century, has seen a revival in recent years as people reach for antique styles that add character and charm to a home. In 2024, Sean predicts the trend will continue to rise, with modern colour palettes and finishes putting a fresh spin on the decorative technique. “What is so great about bobbin furniture and accessories is the youthful whimsy it adds to every room,” says Sean. “It can be dressed up to look sophisticated or done in a very playful way.” Bring in the style with a bobbin mirror, lamp or side table – small but mighty, they’ll add a touch of the trend’s charm to your space.
Small Prints
Bold in style but small in scale, tiny prints are set to make a comeback in a big way in 2024. From printed wallpapers in lieu of paint, to table linens and accessories, Sean predicts we’ll be taking delight in the detail next year. “Small, ditsy prints look fab layered with larger scale patterns in any room,” the designer says. “For this reason, we feel that small-scale prints are here to stay going into 2024; we see small floral block-printed linen tablecloths taking centre stage, combined with small-patterned lampshades in the same room.”
Intricate Embroidery
Beautiful patterns and motifs, lovingly hand-stitched in a time-intensive process, has been a prominent and revered design detail for centuries, and while Javier notes “I don’t think embroidery has ever been out of style”, he predicts it will be having more of a moment thanks to interior trends in 2024. Don’t just expect to see them on the usual suspects of cushions and throws – “I see it happening on furniture, from an accent chair to a headboard or sofa, with some embroidery to dress up the base layer,” the designer says. “We use a lot of embroidery [in our work] and love using them to add texture and visual interest to clients’ homes.” Think cushions, curtains and customised pieces of furniture. Simply put, for this trend, anything goes.
Fresh Trims
Tassels, fringing and trims have been, quite literally, edging their way back into interiors for the past couple of years, adding frivolous fun to cushions, upholstery and curtains. If you’re a fan, there’s good news, as you can expect to see the vintage look continue its revival in 2024. “Fringed cushions and upholstery add texture and visual interest to interior schemes,” says Sean of the trend. “Similarly, the addition of pretty patterned trims to skirted tables or down the edges of curtains and blinds are a way of adding more detail and layers to any room.” Get the look with a trimmed sofa or armchair, bring in a little fringing on cushions and throws or add a simple tassel to the handle of an existing piece of storage furniture – it may be a small detail, but it can help to bring a fresh feel to your home for 2024.
Think Timeless
So now you know what to expect for the year ahead, you may be wondering how best to bring these trends into your home. Here at OKA, we’re advocates for a timeless approach, so if you've spotted something you love in this article, we encourage you to think of how you can incorporate it into your interiors in a way that will last beyond the year. Perhaps that’s a throw in a beautiful brown hue, which will bring warmth and comfort for decades to come. Perhaps it’s an intricately embroidered cushion, the craftsmanship of which will appeal for generations. We design all of our pieces with longevity in mind, so you can be sure that even a trend-led decision will work in your home for ever more. Click the button below to discover edit and trending – yet utterly timeless – styles.