2023 Interior Design Trends

Interior Design

Jan 1

Written By Michi .

This is not your abuela’s [aka grandma’s] 2023 interior design trend list. I’ve curated a list of my favorite, not-so-trendy, interior design trends I’m hoping to see this new year! Let’s spark joy! Let’s truly make our homes a reflection of who we are! Let’s embrace intentional color, design that will make you feel oh so good, and jewelry inspired lighting that inspired creativity to make your home or studio feel unapologetically yours!

So I say we dive “head first, fearless” -Taylor Swift

Colorful Staircase

I know! It’s a decision. Some would say “a choice.” But hear me out! It’s been about 3 years since I’ve seen this trend making a home in the coolest of cool spaces of style leaders like Angus & Charlotte Buchanan, Lucy Williams, & Annie Sloan. Don’t shy away. Whether you are still a lover of the crisp all white interiors or exploring the world of expressive color, a painted staircase can give you that oh so satisfying feeling of making your home a space where you live inside your happy ;)

How you can bring joy to the steps you take :

Coffee Date : Buy a large-scale canvas, 36x36, 48x48, or 36x48. Paint your new canvas a color you’ve always wanted to bring into your home for the vibrant energy that can only parallel a double expresso. Place the painting at the top of your stairs, or in the case of a one-story home at the end of a hallway, and notice how it brings a completely new life to your daily commute to bed.
3rd Date : We are still getting to know each other, but we’re excited so let’s get a little more comfortable with how color can feel draped on the stairs [or your hallway] with the use of the oh so faithful rug runner. Now, don’t get shy on me! I know we love the relaxing nature of neutrals, but this list is meant to push us to live happily & my research shows that we’re going to need some color to achieve that. Scroll through your favorite Pinterest accounts to see what pops of color you gravitate towards in interiors & trust that instinct. You can also search the style you have or are designing for the interior of your home and see what pops of color work well with the base palette. Here is a link to my Pinterest account for inspiration Michi’s Pinterest account.
Going Steady : Okay now we are staying to get butterflies when we think of them, right. Can’t get them out of our heads. As Julia Roberts said in the new movie Ticket to Paradise, “Why save the good stuff for later?” Jump in! Pick that paint color you love and don’t look back! Remember all of the coolest of cool people who have done this before you & have been featured in Architectural Digest, Home & Garden, & The Sunday Times Style. For the third date, we are painting the riser and the treads & leaving the rest, handrails, trim, etc., original or touching it up to give it a fresh look to match the quality of your stairs.
Meeting the Parents : Here’s a little bonus, if you live in a place in the world where basements are, well, a thing, then paint the stairs to add a level of fun to a space that is usually set aside & ignored.
Proposal : Oh, so you’re getting confident! You’re ready to show the world your love for this trend! Paint the stair risers & treads, handrails, baseboards, & don’t forget painting underneath the staircase if it is exposed. This will give your staircase a sculptural presence in your home at a fraction of the cost.
Vows : Paint the staircase, the baseboards, handrail, & nearby trim work like windows, but don’t stop there! Continue your beloved paint color through to the second floor. I recommend this option for a space like a guest house, or for a main house if your wood flooring, etc., is already on its last leg [can’t be refinished] and needs to be brought to life in a fun new way!

Designer Tip : Don’t be afraid of color. Life is too short. And it’s too much fun to experiment with! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a neutral fan girl through and through, but I’ve learned that staying away from color for the argument that it may not stand the test of time is like not taking that trip to that place you’ve always dreamed about because it could be scary to go alone. Listen to that inner voice that knows what you love! They will not steer you wrong & if you’re scared they will then book a consultation with me, your interior designer best friend, by clicking here.

Feature Fireplace

Let’s get cozy! Now, if you know you know, but for those of you who are new, welcome, I moved to Florida last year. And I have to say, one thing I miss so much is a warm & toasty fireplace. So let me live vicariously through you, please, and let’s count the ways we can make Santa’s landing place just a little more magical.

How you turn your fireplace into a real MOMENT :

Coffee Date : Art, art, art! Let’s find a piece that tells a story. The feels the way you would love your home to feel. Maybe it’s a little cheeky, romantic, sophisticated, or even a little unexpected. Whether you’re a thrifter or a Homegoods shopper, take your time to find the right piece. The worst thing you can do is rush it. Find a piece that feels like it’s been waiting for you. Extra points if you commission an artist! Who knows, soon you may be able to call yourself an art collector.
3rd Date : Have a little fun with the fireplace doors! You can find these online secondhand and have a day to get outside and spray paint the metal work in color that will add a playful side to your cozy nights in.
Going Steady : In this stage, I say you go for it [like the photo on the left, or top image if you’re on a cellphone], paint the fireplace surround [if wood] in your accent color to bring energy to your space of gathering & conversation. Remember, it’s just paint! GO for it! See how you feel. Have fun styling around it and see how differently it feels to be in this space.
Proposal : Okay so we maybe keeping the surround neutral, but the hearth [tile or stone inlay on the floor just in front of the fireplace can liven it up just as much! Select nonporous stone that allows for easy clean up in the case that you have a wood burning fireplace.
Vows : Okay so this is where is think we should all jump to because it is so special. The square footage for the fireplace surround is so small, but can create such a tender impact when done correctly. If you want my advise, which I think you do if you made it this far, find hand painted tiles on etsy that speak to you. It may take time to find the right ones pop up, but nothing will add more quality, history, & storytelling to this sweet nook of your home.

Personality Driven Design

You are the star!

This is not the time to be modest! We need to get to know ourselves to create a design that speaks to us, so who are you. I advise you buy a journal & start writing down what you love, what you are attracted to, what makes you feel [insert how you want to feel here] safe, creative, inspired, energetic, etc. Enjoy the process of what it means to claim this space as your own. This biggest mistake you can make is watering down who you are, your story, & your interior design choices. So another piece of unsolicited advise, start practicing getting vulnerable. The more honest you can get about what you love, beyond the trends, the more beautiful & intimately timeless your home will be.

How you turn your fireplace into a real MOMENT :

Vows : I won’t give you any other option, but to commit to the epic love letter your home can be to the person you are, what you love, & what is a feast for your eyes. Allow your home to be a cocoon to foster the inspiration & creativity that can make every day an opportunity to live as the fullest version of yourself.

Designer Tip : If you don’t know where to start, let’s explore who you are with playful curiosity, together. Book a one-hour consultation to get started, by clicking here.

Dopamine Design

I love this eye-catching trend because we can all join in & it doesn’t have to cost you much to give yourself & your home a boost of dopamine! Whether you have hand-me-down furniture you’re over or have a thrifted piece that is ready for an outfit change!

How to make your home a place to inspire creativity & play :

Coffee Date : Table lamps are the easiest way to bring a playful pop of color to any space. It’s a piece you interact with on an almost daily basis that can tranform your space with warm light & now color. A sweet place to add a table lamp like this is in your kitchen. Often, in kitchens we don’t get to have as much fun styling surfaces, but I promise a table lamp will bring so much life to yours & welcome more pause. Bonus : Add a mirror to your kitchen. Whether it’s on the backsplash or on a shelf, it will give the effect of a small window no matter the size.
Going Steady : Oh! You didn’t read that wrong. We are jumping ahead because when it comes to this trend, we just have to embrace it! In this stage of commitment, you’ll want to bring in that hit of dopamine through an accent chair [like the image on the right, or if you are on a cellphone, it will be at the bottom]. Accent chairs should be playful and/or unexpected. If you want an upholstered accent chair, then don’t hold back bring in that boost of color with a fabric you can’t help but smile at. I promise this will be the chair everyone rushes to claim. Oh! And this could be any single piece of furniture, like a coffee table or office chair.
Proposal : Okay so now let’s jump into pieces that come in pairs like nightstands, cafe chairs, bathroom sconce lighting, living room or master suite club chairs. This form of dopamine design will also bring a clean symmetry that is always so delicious to our eyes.
Vows : Now for the big statements that make me swoon! Full dining sets, beds, & sofas. Dining rooms are coming back in after their long hiatus from the early 2000s to date. Giving your dining chairs a coat of eye-catching paint color will welcome energetic conversation. In the bedroom I would stay away from bright reds because these colors are meant to insight emotions that can disrupt your ability to wind down & sleep. I recommend going with blues, greens, yellows, or even orange if that’s your thing, but leave the red and shades of colors you’d describe as electric for the other spaces in your home. Now, for my favorite! Bringing in the dopamine design philosophy to the living room with a sofa that is in your favorite color. Mine is sage green [I know I can’t believe it isn’t blue either]. Think of it as an investment in the joyful quality of your life!

Lighting is your Home’s Jewelry [don’t forget it]

Apart from natural lighting, warm indoor lighting can completely transform your interior once the sun falls just below the horizon. But why wait until 5pm or 8pm to make an impression with your lighting? Stear away from the builder grade lighting that is stacking most shelves and open your mind to the exciting possibilities. Maybe we can even get our hands a little dirty & get in touch with our artsy side.

How to embrace the flirty nature of a well-selected lighting fixture :

Coffee Date : Task lamp. You know by now that a table lamp is the easiest way to bring quick personality to any interior vignette.
Going Steady : Floor Lamp. Oh, these are so fun because talk about unexpected and eye catching. Floor lamps layer so well with furniture in every space. Keep the fabric of the furniture you are layering this fun floor lamp with when you are selecting the style of the lighting fixture & the finish [color or metal].
Proposal : Sconces. I’m sure you can tell that this is one of my absolute favorite ways have a little fun with lighting. Don’t shy away from color. A brightly pigmented fixture can bring so much happiness to your space.
Vows : Chandeliers. Go for it! My favorite color of chandeliers these days is a bright candy apple red. I never thought I’d say it, but here I am!
This last summer my mom, sister, & I traveled through the east coast of Italy, and in Venice we got to watch, master glassblower, Michael Penna give us a demonstraction of how he creates his work, with a cigarette confidently between his lips. He creates pieces for esteemed design houses like Dolce Gabbana. There we learned “Chandeliers are like the rugs of the Venetian interior design world. They bring the space that pop of color that you build the rest of the design around.” And you can never dispute Italians on this kind of thing.

Designer Tip : You probably already know what I’m going to say. Thrift, thrift, thrift! If you want to join in, but painting one of your fixtures gets you a little nervous, then go on a treasure hunt for a fixture whose shape you love and paint that baby! Whether it’s just a prototype or you love it so much you never take it down, consider this trend one you will not regret!

Listening Room

This is a new trend, but in a world where being present is a luxury & can be rare, having a space dedicated to playing the records of some of your favorite bands sounds exactly like what we all need. I imagine this space to be a no phone zone. A space to sketch, read, have girls night worthy chats, & of course listen.

How to make your home a place to inspire creativity & play :

Coffee Date : I’m so excited that you are interested in bringing this sweet trend to your home. My first recommendation to ease your way into this trend is to walk around your home and find a spot that feels quite a space where a television isn’t in your eye view. This of this space as a sacred space to be present. Now all you need is a record player. Why not just play the music from your phone? Well, your phone is full of distractions & we are trying to create a place of peace where your brain can rest. You don’t need to dedicate the whole room to the use of listening to music, but just a little nook. A corner of a sofa or a club chair. Make it cozy!
Vows : There’s not much room to play with this trend. Either you get a taste or you fully indulge. If music feels like a love language to you. A force that can affect you more than most, then I highly recommend a room in your home to enjoying your favorite audio art! You can even make having listening clubs a thing, like book clubs! Everyone can have an album to listen to each month and get together to discuss in your perfectly curated space. If your way of listening to music is through vinyl, you have so many fun trips to a record store in your future. Trust me it will become a new part of your home culture! Fun Fact : The past few years anxiety diagnoses have been at a peak! So whether you suffer from anxiety or not, check out this fact about how music can soothe your brain & continue through your body. “When the brain receives the neural input of music from the ear, the brain synchronizes itself to that lower frequency and starts sending the same slower wave forms out to the rest of the body.” -Music in Medicine Citrus

Nostalgic Design

There is an era, a century, or a decade we all feel connected to. Whether it’s the music, the art, the fashion, the movies, or the interiors. I for one love an eclectic mix of traditional early 19th century English silhouettes, oil paintings with a Victorian oil painting technique, & a 1930s home to fill.

Think of nostalgic design as a way to weave in the elements of the periods you loved most and the pieces that were created from that time.

How to make your home a place to inspire creativity & play :

Coffee Date : If you love a transitional style home without too many period pieces, and you like it that way. I recommend using your shelves or console table as a place to layer some history into your home. Not sure where to start? Thrift, thrift, thrift! And look back at the movies you or maybe even the ones your parents or grandparents love. Your shelves can tell a story.
Going Steady : Does your favorite time period not match the construction date of your home? Then a great way to weave the essence of nostalgia is through functionality & use of the spaces in your home. For example, a listening room to play vinyl, a library, or even a meditation space. If you don’t have an entire room to spare then find a nook of your home that you’d like to dedicate to the activity that fills you with nostalgia. It could even be an activity that reminds you of your childhood.
Proposal : Trimwork! Think baseboards, window frames, balusters & handrails, etc. Do you love the craftsmanship of the 30s, 50s, or maybe even the 70s?
Vows : Design your home within the scope of the time period you feel the most connected to. No holds bar! Select furniture, lighting, & finishes that reflect the feeling of the time period and what you love so much about it. This works best for the home that has a coordinating construction date and interior style you want to continue to enhance.

Designer Tip : We don’t want your home’s sense of nostalgia to feel too literal. Here are some tips to avoid that : First, use the silhouettes of the furniture & the functional qualities to lead your design. Next, only get more literal with imagery with artwork or decor & work to balance it out well with your existing or more modern pieces. If the construction date of your home matches the time period you are pulling inspiration from, then you can go as far as to explore the finishes & millwork that were used.