New year, new trends?
Yes, here are some of the fresh 2023 design trends, but only choose the ones that work for you!
Image by Interior Designer Anna Spiro - photography by Tim Salisbury.
The gallery wall is still very much alive in 2023! This year try out more sprawling art work display, using a mix of frame sizes and materiality.
Some find new trends exhilarating, for others it makes them feel overwhelmed on how they will stay up to date.
Whatever camp you fall into I hope this blog will help you understand the 2023 home design and decor trends more easily, and which ones you might like to try incorporating into your home.
Let’s get stuck in before 2023 speeds along any more quickly…
DESIGN TREND - Individual & sprawling gallery walls
If you love gallery walls you’ll be pleased to learn that they are still a strong 2023 home design trend. The way they are different this year is the emphasis on individuality and uniqueness in the art works we choose for our homes - the more meaningful and bespoke the better. Another thing to consider is the placement, size and organic nature of your art gallery walls, this year gives you permission to go bigger and even sneak around corners, again all in the name of individual design.
TIPS
Add some 3D sculptural elements to your art gallery walls. Frame items that highlight different textures such as timber, metal, clay or paper. Do this in a meaningful way to you such as dried flowers from your mum’s garden, your grandparents wedding invitation or some twisted metal found at the beach.
If you have large walls and high ceilings create a ‘larger than life’ art gallery wall that fills the whole wall and highlights the architectural features of your home at the same time.
Use your creativity and continue your gallery wall around a corner (a stair well can be a great spot to try this) .
2. DESIGN TREND - Rich, bold colours
This year we will be seeing a lot of rich deep colours that are reminiscent of historic times. Any colour that is classic and timeless can be used in confidence in your home as trends are steering away from all white/neutral interiors. Look at using colour in a way that expresses your personality and the uniqueness of your family and you’ll be right on trend for 2023.
TIPS
If you want to fully embrace this trend paint a whole room (including your skirting boards, cornices and even ceilings if you’re game) a beautiful moody colour and be amazed at the cosy transformation.
Choose an artwork with rich bold colours as a less permanent way to incorporate this design trend.
Look at the historic and more traditional colour paint chips in your hardware store for inspiration for your interiors.
Interior design by Jean Stoffer Design. A sublime example of using rich dark colour to create a cocooning room. Be brave and try the colour on your ceiling and you won’t be disappointed!
3. DESIGN TREND - Dark furniture
Dark furniture pieces are on the rise in interiors for 2023. While many still love their white and neutral sofas, if you have any dark furniture then you can be rest assured these pieces are very on trend this year. There will be a lot more navy, brown and dark grey furniture pieces around over the next few years as people continue to embrace the warm, nurturing feeling that these colours encourage in our homes.
TIPS
If you still love (or aren’t planning on updating) your current white/neutral sofas consider adding a darker timber side table or floor lamp into your scheme.
Even small decor pieces help to bring balance to an overall room, so source some dark timber, metal or marble vases, vessels or photo frames to sprinkle this trend into your home.
If you are planning on updating any large furniture pieces this year, collect some inspirational images of darker colours you are drawn to help narrow down your choices. Any beautiful moody green, navy, brown or black will work beautifully.
An example from Amber Interiors of dark timber furniture, both in the built in cabinetry and dining setting. Expect to see a lot more dark furniture in 2023. Photography by Tessa Neustadt.
That navy sofa! Talk about a statement of beauty by Kennedy Nolan.
4. DESIGN TREND - Vintage pieces
This trend makes me smile as it’s something I’m 100% behind - shopping vintage and pre-loved pieces! As the overarching home design trend for 2023 is around being individual and confident in the choices for your home then it’s time to hit the op shops. Buying vintage items (or better still sourcing them through your family) is a fool proof way of making your home different to others, and unique to how you live.
TIPS
Look through your garage for any preloved piece that you could repurpose for your home.
Ask your parents or grandparents if they have any vintage pieces they would be happy to give or loan to you. Always ask for the history behind the pieces too.
Set aside time monthly to visit garage sales (or Facebook Marketplace) to look specifically for pieces that would fill some gaps in your home.
This captivating interior by Sean Anderson Designs show cases the use of vintage pieces (the cabinet), and also shows how to use dark colours with exisiting light furniture pieces to bring depth and balance. Photography by Haris Kanjar.
5. DESIGN TREND - Bold, thick marble
This year we are seeing lots of examples of marble bench tops with bold veining and thick profiles. It seems that 2023 is moving away from the ultra thin stone profiles and embracing the chunky, substantial feel that a 75-100mm bench top can bring. Along with continuing the stone (or engineered stone) up as a matching backsplash in kitchens, the thick stone look will be seen increasingly in bathroom vanities to bring a cohesive look throughout the home.
TIPS
Use a waterfall edge to make your bench top appear thicker if this is a look you like.
Look for a stone that has striking veining which gives a beautiful contrast from the background colours.
A more affordable way to create this look is through laminates where both curves and thick bench tops can be easily created.
A perfect example of a thick marble top in this bathroom designed by Conrad Architects. In 2023 we will be seeing more of this in kitchens and bathrooms alike.
6. DESIGN TREND - Beige and brown.
The beige and brown trend was around in 2022 and it continues into 2023. If you are like me and love the feeling of a warmer colour palette, this trend will suit you just fine. In the past the cooler scheme of white and greys were very strong in interiors, and we seem to continue to swing away from that slightly this year. Coming out of the global pandemic and the desire for our homes to feel safe and cocooning, the use of beiges and browns will be popping up in interiors as they help create this feeling.
TIPS
If you suspect your home is feeling a little too cold or sterile - add brown! It will warm things up immediately.
Look for brown or beige single furniture pieces to try this trend out in your home. Dark walnut timbers are a great place to start for a coffee table, lamp base, bedside tables or hall tables.
Go dark brown/black with your kitchen cabinetry to bring an undeniable depth to your home.
Stunning interior design by Simone Haag showcasing the 2023 design home trend of brown and beige furniture. This space feels sophisticated and warm thanks to the textural brown armchair.
7. DESIGN TREND - Display your hobbies
Another 2023 home design trend is allocating spaces in your home for your hobbies. As the overall design principle is to be confident in your own design preferences, through displaying what you love you help to create a truly bespoke home. Depending on the size of your space (and your dedication to your hobby), you can designate whole rooms for craft or listening to records if you want to embrace this trend wholeheartedly. More realistically would be to create a nook within your living spaces to dedicate to your hobby or collection.
TIPS
Look at displaying your collections or musical instruments on the wall as pieces of art.
Choose a unique cabinet or wall shelving system to group all your hobby tools together in one area of your living space (and notice all the conversation it will start).
If you have the space designate a whole room to your hobby or recreational activity. To invite guests into this space allows them to see a unique part of you and your family.
Displaying a hobby or collection in a vintage shelving unit is a wonderful way to introduce character into your home. This example by Bridgette in her blog Free People.
So that’s a wrap of the main 2023 interior design trends and how you can use them in your own home.
As the focus of the 2023 design trends is centred around confident, personalised interiors, I hope you embrace some of these trends into your home this year. Don’t be afraid that your home doesn’t look like everyone else’s, celebrate how your home is unique!
If you know you’d love to incorporate some of these trends, but need a little help to pull it off then feel free to reach out here. I would love to help you make your home a space that is truely you!
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