2016 Interior Design Trends

A quick glance across my living room suggests I am a twenty year old college student living in a loft subsisting on Pizza Rolls and iced coffee and using my living room as a cozy place to read and write. With the framed posters, life-sized snake plant, Stendig calendar, and twinkly lights, it just doesn’t feel grown up. I’m a twenty-six year old working full-time, and I can afford to decorate my living room more than I have. (I may or may not still subsist on Pizza Rolls and iced coffee, though.) So, desperate to make my living room less New Girl and more Gossip Girl, I did a little research on 2016 interior design trends to help me get started.

Here’s what interior designers and merchandise managers are predicting:

Old World Ornamentation: Textiles and tapestries embellished with fringe and tassels – a hallmark of Old World design – and antiques with Georgian flair are decidedly in. A nod to ancient Africa and Western Europe, Old World design is a celebration of tradition and regality. As you decorate your space, look for modern pieces with Old World ornamentation and charm. (Ordering this pillow stat.)

One-of-a-Kind Ceramics: With this trend, form follows function. Original, handmade ceramic pieces can be used as a distinctive centerpiece for dinner parties (easy conversation starter!) or as a resting place for keys and spare change. As William Morris, an English textile designer, said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” I love these Japanese ceramics by W/R/F Lab, which you can find at Jenkins & Co. in Tulsa.

Warm Metals:  Brass, copper, and gold will continue to dominate in 2016. (Insert party horn emoji.) And design experts say the best way to bring these elements (ha!) in are to incorporate them with raw materials, like wood and marble.

Raw Materials: Exposed brick walls and industrial bar stools are nothing new, but designers are incorporating more raw materials – like salvaged wood and cement tile – into their motifs. Anything goes with this trend, from discarded wood and bricks to old piping. My favorite way to bring raw materials indoors? Dark wood ceiling beams. Bonus: This trend is affordable and environmentally responsible.

Design Detox: Our craving for tranquility amidst the e-mail pings and social media notifications – paired with Pantone’s announcement of the 2016 Color(s) of the Year, rose quartz and serenity – leaves us coveting quiet, simple design. Stow away excessive trinkets and give the living room a fresh coat of neutral paint.

Colors: Camel, Buff, Dusty Rose: Several national paint brands, like Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, have declared neutral colors – namely Alabaster and Simply White – their 2016 Color of the Year. Designers and merchandise managers predict camel, buff, and dusty rose will be prevalent in tailored fabrics and furnishings. Neutral hues, “symbolic of new beginnings,” create a blank canvas and an opportunity to thoughtfully layer interior spaces with the utilitarian components above.

Now I’m ready to shop! If a delightfully contrasting mix of traditionalism and minimalism isn’t your thing, that’s okay. If you prefer clashing bright colors and clunky, geometric furniture, that’s fun, too. After all, as designer Jonathan Adler says: “The best trend I’m seeing is people forgetting about the ‘rules’ and loving what they love unapologetically.”

Merritt Wakefield