5 trends that look good but interior designers warn won’t last
This year has been known as a bit of a year for anti-trends. The majority of trends we have seen really stick in 2024 have not really been trends at all, but an overarching feel that timeless, characterful, meaningful interiors are the ‘trend’ to follow. Gone are all those ‘core’ and micro trends we saw so much of back in 2023, instead there’s been a focus on classic interior design styles.
However, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been the odd look that just won’t last. There’s always going to be interior design trends that might look great but just don’t have longevity. We spoke with designers to find out exactly which trends those are.
1. Tiled kitchen counters
(Image credit: @thewhitehome)
Contemporary designers have re-embraced the kitchen trend for tiled countertops this past year, a look previously not seen since the 1980s. It works for many reasons –it’s another way to fold hand-worn zellige tiles into a space, making the most of all the character they bring. It allows you to add some design flair by choosing an unexpected color for the grouting if you wish. And, when used as a waterfall effect on an island, it creates a striking geometric hero-piece effect for the center of the room.
But while they look impressive, cleaning between all those tiles is hard. Too hard. Get-the-toothbrush-out hard. And who has the time for that? ‘We inherited tile in on the counter in a recent project,’ says Heather French of the Santa Fe-based studio French and French. ‘And so we kept them as a jumping-off point for the color scheme of the entire space. But personally, I prefer marble or quartz, and the simplicity and elegance it brings. Not least because it’s so much easier to keep hygienic.’
2. Stark white walls
(Image credit: Studio McGee)
Because of the freshness it brings, bright white has had an unexpected moment this year. Used to coat walls for rooms you almost need sunglasses for, designers have been choosing it to help add pep, zing, and an overall jolt of energy.
But while that current of excitement was part of the aesthetic zeitgeist, it’s already being replaced with softer shades. ‘I might once have used a brilliant white paint, but now I never would. I now want something creamier, richer, warmer,’ says the Oregon-based designer Molly Kidd of Molly Kidd Studio. ‘For me now it’s all about the mixing of textures and materials, and bringing in brown tones, or neutrals that have brown in them. So much more relaxing.’
3. Seafoam green accents
(Image credit: Kieran Reeves. Design by Ashley Ferguson Interiors)
Seafoam green has had an unexpected bit of love from interior designers this year. A vibrant color trend, it’s been used much like the unexpected red theory, as a way to lift and energize more neutral schemes.
‘Seafoam green can bring a serene and relaxing atmosphere to bright spaces,’ says Annie-Claude Gilbert, Partner Designer at Lemay Michaud. ‘Its softness and neutrality make it a beloved color, perfectly suited to complement bolder shades in a palette. Its desaturated appearance and adaptability to various tones make it a mature option.’
However, unlike red, which is sophisticated and sensual, seafoam green feels less timeless and we are seeing it slowly disappear off many designers’ radar. It reads cool, which might mean serene, but for 2025 all trends point towards comfort and cocooning shades.
4. Layered rugs
(Image credit: Future)
We’ve seen the trend for overlapping rugs rise in popularity, and they offer several chances for you to bring different patterns into a room. But it’s not likely to last, for several reasons. Firstly, they’re a trip hazard. Secondly, they break the sight line, causing jarring moments where one pattern stops and another starts. And lastly, they can actually make rooms feel smaller, drawing the eye down instead of up.
We’re more likely to see a flooring trend for large rugs that fill rooms, than for layered rugs in 2025. ‘If there is no carpet, fill the room – go as big as you possibly can,’ says David Kaihoi of the New York-based studio Redd Kaihoi. ‘Doing this expands the room, and the bigger you go, the better. A lot of the rugs we use are wall-to-wall, or almost so.’
5. Bold shades in the bedroom
(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)
A school of thought in design holds that if the first thing you see when you open your eyes is a bright color then you’ll be filled with energy and a zest for life, and your day will have a spring in its step. But what about the night before, when you’re trying to unwind, to get rid of the visual stimulation you’ve almost certainly been bombarded with all day?
The bold colors in a bedroom trend may have been everywhere early this year, but for 2025 neutral bedrooms are back in style – certainly for your main room anyway (guest rooms offer a chance for a little more fun). ‘The primary bedroom needs to be a soothing oasis,’ says Judy Olson Dunne of the New York-based studio Butter & Eggs. ‘I’ll use a lot of texture and color, but it’ll all be in a restrained pallet. Go for light and soft, the colors of mist on a rainy day, and a sense that you easily relax.’
When talking trends we always say to take everything with a pinch of salt. It’s interesting too look back at the trends of the year and speculate what styles we won’t be seeing in 2025, but of course don’t let what’s ‘in’ and ‘out’ dominate your decision making. If anything, the trends of 2024 have proved the best and easiest way to stay ‘on trend’ is to just decorate in a way you love that suits your style and your home.
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