2025 Interior Design Trends: The Top 5 to Watch

 

January 2025

As an interior designer, I spend a lot of time researching trends, materials, and design movements to bring fresh yet timeless ideas into homes. While I don’t believe in constantly changing your space to follow every passing trend, I do love seeing how design evolves—and which ideas have lasting appeal.

This year, the focus remains on comfort, personality, and intentional design choices. Here are the top five interior design trends shaping homes in 2025:

1. Lived-In Comfort: A Home That Feels Like Home

The “lived-in” aesthetic is here to stay, and for good reason—homes are meant to be lived in, not just styled for a photo. This year, the emphasis is on creating inviting, comfortable spaces that feel warm and effortless.

  • Cozy textures like boucle, wool, and plush upholstery

  • Carpeted bedrooms for a soft, cocooning feel

  • Snug spaces—secondary lounges, reading nooks, and intimate seating areas

  • Layered lighting to create ambiance (think wall sconces, table lamps, and dimmable overhead lights)

Designing a home that feels good to be in is more important than ever.

Photography Anson Smart / Interior Furniture Selection Studio Parker / Styling Claire Delmar

Designer Sean Anderson Design / Photography Haris Kenjar

2. Less Open Concept, More Intentional Spaces

After years of fully open layouts, more homeowners are craving defined spaces that offer structure and function. This doesn’t mean going back to completely closed-off rooms, but rather creating thoughtful separations that bring warmth and a sense of purpose.

  • Case openings and archways as soft architectural transitions

  • Glass or steel partitions to define spaces while maintaining light flow

  • Multi-purpose nooks (a home office tucked behind a curtain, a small library corner)

This shift allows for better acoustic comfort, privacy, and a more curated feel in each space.

Designer Studio Vero / Photography Simon Brown / Styling Sara Mathers

Interior Design Young Projects / Photography Brooke Holm

3. Artful Bathrooms: More Than Just Function

Bathrooms are no longer just practical spaces—they’re becoming design showcases that blend function with bold, artistic details. In 2025, expect to see:

  • Dramatic stone (marble, travertine, or richly veined quartz)

  • Textural contrasts (plaster walls, fluted vanities, ribbed glass)

  • Bold colour palettes (earthy greens, deep blues, even rich reds)

  • Statement lighting (sculptural sconces, chandeliers over tubs)

Powder rooms, in particular, are becoming miniature showcases of personality. If you’ve been hesitant to experiment with bold design, a bathroom is the perfect place to start.

Designer Zoe Feldman Design / Photography Max B Photo

4. English-Inspired Kitchens: Character Over Minimalism

The ultra-sleek, handleless kitchen is making way for warmth, character, and heritage-inspired details. The English-style kitchen is gaining momentum, with features like:

  • Inset cabinetry for a bespoke, built-in look

  • Furniture-style islands (antique tables repurposed as work surfaces)

  • Open plate racks and peg rails for a charming, lived-in feel

  • Aged finishes—unlacquered brass, patinaed wood, and handmade tiles

This style blends tradition with modern practicality, making kitchens feel more personal and inviting.

Designer Ashley Montgomery Design / Photography Lauren Miller

Designer Emma Ainscough / Photography Kensington Leverne / Styling Anna Sheridan

5. Saturated Colours & Colour Drenching

After years of soft neutrals, colour is making a bold comeback. Deep, rich hues are being used to create cozy, enveloping spaces.

  • Saturated walls, ceilings, and trim in moody blues, deep greens, or warm ochres

  • Monochromatic colour drenching—where everything in a room is painted the same shade for a seamless look

  • Unexpected colour pairings (think deep aubergine with warm terracotta)

Even if you prefer neutrals, colour drenching in softer tones (like off-whites or warm taupes) can create a sense of calm and cohesion.

In my own home, I’m planning to colour drench my open concept main floor. The previous owner painted the walls a light grey and all the trim bright white, which feels visually distracting. The space will feel more harmonious and intentional by painting everything in a soft, off-white hue.

Designer Jen Talbot Design / Photography Stephen Karlisch

Design Far Studio / Photography Brian Wetzel / Styling Kristi Hunter

Final Thoughts

Trends come and go, but the best ones enhance how we live—making homes more functional, comfortable, and reflective of our personalities. Which of these trends speaks to you the most?

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

 
TRENDS, DESIGNAriane Loignon20251 Comment