2023 Interior Design Trends — What’s In and What’s Out? (No, Thanks. You Can Keep Your Lists.)
Do you ever read all of the lists that various publications, bloggers, and “influencers” put out at the beginning of each year? I’m talking about the lists of “what’s in and what’s out” where they tell us what we should be putting in our homes in the new year in order to stay current, and what we need to get rid of lest we find ourselves living in embarrassingly outdated homes with *gasp* gray walls and floating shelves in 2023. How dreadful! 😀
These lists are ubiquitous every year. Every single home decor publication that I follow has their own list. Many bloggers, “influencers” (have I ever discussed how much I hate that word?), designers, decorators, and home decor YouTubers have their own list. Every November or December, I get at least one email from some publication (never the big ones, always small ones) wanting my input on what I think will be “in” and “out” for the next year. (Those emails get deleted without response.)
But the funny thing is that as you look at these lists, they so often contradict each other. That makes me wonder who, exactly, is making these lists? Why should we listen to them? Who appointed them authorities on what we should want and shouldn’t want in our homes? And what is the real purpose of these lists?
I can’t help but think that the entire purpose of these lists is to keep us constantly dissatisfied with what we have, and always longing for more, better, and different. When we hear that something we have is now outdated or “on its way out” in 2023, the trap is to be discontent with our homes, and keep us in a constant state of consumerism.
Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with spending your hard-earned money on your home, and updating things as you see fit. We all know that I have absolutely no problem redoing things in my home. 😀 But I really hope that none of us are doing so because we’ve read a list from these publications/bloggers/influencers, and think, “Oh, well, if Vogue says my chairs that I bought last January are outdated, I guess I need to replace them!“
Here are a few examples that had me rolling my eyes with this year’s lists:
According to Vogue, earth tones (especially browns and pinks) are in, and Insider says that shades of gray are out. So I guess those who spent the last five years ridding their homes of all of the browns, and swapping those out for the “in” colors of gray and more gray now need to switch everything back to earth tones and browns. If your kitchen looks anything like this, well….how embarrassing for you.
But if you plan to paint your gray kitchen to rid your home of the dreadfully outdated grays and make it current in 2023, just don’t paint it white! According to The Kitchn, all white kitchens are out. So if your kitchen looks like the one below, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s just soooo 1900-2022. But we’re done with this now, so get out your paint brush.
Also out, according to Vogue, is gold and bronze hardware. “Out with the unlacquered brass hardware,” they say. So if you just spent $2300 on your Perrin and Rowe Georgian era bridge kitchen faucet in unlacquered brass, it’s time to swap that out for something in the silver/nickel family.
But wait! Your fancy brass faucet might be okay because Buzzfeed tells us that gold accents are IN for 2023, and Good Housekeeping agrees. In fact, interior designer Susan Hayward says, “We will, hopefully, never see brushed nickel again.” So you’ll have to make a judgment call on your $2300 Perrin and Rowe unlacquered brass kitchen faucet. Vogue seems to be at odds with Buzzfeed, Good Housekeeping, and Susan Hayward.
Now I know you’re on the edge of your seat wondering what Architectural Digest has to say about what we should do with our homes in 2023, right? Rest assured, I have that vital info for you. According to AD, you’ll simply need to get rid of your modern minimalist kitchens, open floor plans, TV-centered living rooms, greige interiors, chesterfield sofas, and bouclé furniture.
The Kitchn is also telling us that bouclé furniture is out. So if you’ve seen the recent advertisement from McGee & Co. for their Magda Teddy Bear Boucle Lounge Chair that costs $2400, it’s a trap! Don’t fall for it!
Obviously, I’m being facetious. If you love bouclé, fill your house with it. Upholster your walls with it. Make curtains out of it. I can’t have bouclé in my house because I have a cat, and she would lay claim to it the minute it came through the front door, and it would be her new scratching post within minutes of its arrival. But I think it’s a perfectly nice chair, and on this cold day, I sure would love to grab a blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and a good book, and make myself comfortable in that chair! Doesn’t it look like it would feel like a warm hug?
So do what you want. Fill your house with gold and brass…or polished nickel, if that’s your thing. Wrap your furniture in bouclé. Paint your cabinets white, gray, or hot pink. Do whatever the heck you want to do in your house. Just whatever you do, don’t let these people influence you and make you think that the things you love are “out” and you need to get rid of them and buy more “in” stuff to replace them. Because next year, they’ll tell you that all the new things you bought to be “in” in 2023 have been overplayed and are now “out” for 2024, so it’s time to replace them with the newest “in” thing. It’s a vicious cycle, and that’s the real trap.
It’s your home. Do what you love. I have personally lived with the same color cabinets in my kitchen for the better part of the last 11 years. The kitchen in our condo was painted Behr Hallowed Hush, and after a brief detour with green cabinets in this house, my current kitchen is now that same beloved Behr Hallowed Hush, and I can’t see myself getting tired of it any time soon.
I personally think that starting now, in 2023, what needs to be “out” from this point forward are all of these lists telling us “Interior Design Trends to Know in 2023—And What’s on Its Way Out”. No, thanks, Vogue and all the rest. You can keep your lists.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I see those lists as pure entertainment! And I’m usually laughing while I read them.
Here, here! You tell ’em!!!
Awesome, Ditto, I feel Exactly the same way, almost as if I was the one writing this, Seriously word for word…you Nailed it literally 👏 😀 👍 😄 Bravo!!
I agree with them keeping their list. So many contradicting and we purchased out home with white cabinets, which by the was cost more. I love the while kitchen!!
Agreed how can something be out of I like it. Who cares what’s considered in or out. It’s up to the individual to decide. Thank god we were all born with our own creative thoughts we just need to trust them.
Thank God we don’t all have the same likes and taste, How boring would that be, like when I search for homes and they are all white and Grey, OMG, black & white, could you be any more generic??
I couldn’t agree with you more! Live your life in the color you enjoy and are comfortable in.
I love gray, french brass, wood floors and French Provence decor, which I just read is out.
Thank you for giving everyone permission to live with what they love.
That’s why you should do what you love! I just remodeled my kitchen with green cabinets because I have loved green for 40 years and never tired of it. We also just took down the wall between the kitchen and living room, not because it was trendy, but because I was tired of being in the kitchen alone cooking.
Love your blog. I’ve been a reader for a long, long time!
I especially enjoy those types of articles being run alongside articles about the importance of lowering our carbon footprint. Pretty sure that sending perfectly functional flooring/cabinets/counters is not compatible with living a non-wasteful lifestyle. (And don’t get me started on the money….)
*sending to the landfill
So true!!!
The Vogue article was priceless – the three times it mentioned we need to be switching to silver/nickel tones in hardware which were distributed in three different paragraphs and all quoting the same “influencer”, though perhaps deceptively trying to create the impression this was a consensus. Look for related product affiliations on the way.
Agreed!👍🏻
Nobody is an “expert” about how any of us decorate except the “me/us” that reside in our home—‘they’ will not be living with the results.
Finding out what we like, prefer, and luv is no more complicated than just trying things out—and that can be easily started these days in myriad Apps that are available. So…PLAY! There is no fear in FUN!🙂
Yes, yes, and more yes!!! Many fist bumps in agreement.
Totally agreeing with everything you said. I believe some people need a life.
I love my brushed nickel everything, and the majority of my walls are grey *shrug* I still like it, 10 years on!
Exceptionally well said. Thank you, Kristi, for this roundup of “useful” design trend advice!
I so agree with everything you said. Especially about the “influencers” I am disgusted with that term and those that indentify themselves with it. It’s all about getting us to buy what they are hawking at the moment. And then the next sentence is only buying what you love! It’s all bout the $ they are earning for clicks and purchases. And how often do we see those items they just bought this Wednesday ever again in their home or them wearing the items….haven’t seen it yet. Good on you for calling them out.
The whole influencer thing makes me want to barf! The entirety of these “what’s in/what’s out” articles is about generating content for income, with as many redundant words as possible. These and many of the compilations of DIY “hacks” often show astonishing ignorance of interior design, building skills, writing skills, or taste. The funny thing is that it is the designers and influencers that are responsible for the very decorating trends that abruptly become so out of date and horrific that you must be shamed into discarding what you have and spending a pile of money for the next soon to be dated trend! I ignore them completely!
They all contradict each other. In clothing, and decor I always go for the classic look. Trendy is for teenagers in my opinion. Lost are the days of buying something then using it until it’s worn out, unfortunately. We need to teach our children to buy responsibly, and show them how to take care of things they own. In the long run they will appreciate it.
What I love is when I see one of those lists and check out the webpage and find another post from the same week where they are lauding some design which is exactly what they said was now out. I’m with you, live in a home you love, no matter whether the paint color, fabric, or other finishes are “in style” or not.
When I saw the picture of the bouclé chair, I too thought, how cozy, and then wondered how many minutes it would take my cats to shred $2400.
🤣🤣🤣. That’s a good way to look at it!
I LOVE this post! You have such a great writing style! Made me laugh!!! ♥♥♥♥
When I read this I immediately thought of being in school (or anywhere I suppose really) and afraid to say something and then later on you find out so many people in that room thought the exact same thing!
Made me laugh that so many of us think the EXACT same thing about those ridiculous articles of what’s in and what’s out lists!
Loved this post you wrote 🙂
Influencers, trends, must haves….bah! Humbug! Whether dressing myself or my home, I choose the styles and colors that fit with my personal taste and style. All of the people telling me what I should and shouldn’t wear or have in my home don’t live in my home or get up in the morning and dress my body. And they certainly aren’t paying to redecorate/remodel my home or my wardrobe. The opinions of strangers in those arenas count for dillidy squat to me. I do enjoy looking at other peoples homes and their style of dress and often draw inspiration from something someone else has done and then put my own spin on their ideas. I always feel kind of sorry for people who slavishly follow trends. It seems to me that they’re never at home in their own homes.
Or comfortable in their own skin. I agree with you.
You nailed it Kristie! I am so ashamed of myself! I am still using my 1972 HatchCover coffee table with 2″ scrolled iron legs. Not to mention my Lazy-Boy recliners/ AND . . . horror of horrows! I am using GRAY and white in my new house as well as black!
I’ve had satin/brushed nickle for 40 yrs so I’m going to black “jewelry” in my new house! And I’m using 2″ blinds in the windows! I’m surprised you’ll even talk to me! Oh, and the worst thing is my BR end tables! They’re Singer treadle bases with a glass top! Talk about dated!
I want to tell you how much I appreciate your column and your knowledge! Now if you’ll share your energy with me . . . .
Yep, and it goes on and on. For example, I subscribe to Apartment Therapy, which has little to offer about apartments and is in no way therapeutic. Most of the time they slip in old articles to republish and often give the advice of “stagers” and “designers” from some years back, which contradicts the “you should be doing this…” counsel in new articles. Of course, a lot of that enrages their readers, who question why such folks ‘should’ be chiming in about what to do ‘in your house’, which is exactly the intent of A.T. However, the entertainment value of reading the clever comments makes it worth the time to read them and chuckle. Every now and then, an ancient comment of mine surprises me when it pops up in an article. It happened yesterday with the tag, “45 weeks ago.” And so it goes. Fun post, Kristi and great comments here. Thanks to all from Ecuador.
Some of the info might be useful if you are about to redo a bunch of things like lights and flooring, but if you just updated something and like it then keep it. One good thing is that people getting rid of stuff because it is out benefits those of us who want that stuff. I picked up several very nice brass chargers for my wall in 2020. It’s not what everyone likes and some might say that it is out, but what do I care?
Great post!! Agree, do what you love, what makes you happy. Feather your nest as you want, with what you want, with what you can afford.
I’ve never been one to feel I have to keep up with the “trends” – whether it be home decorating, fashion, etc. No.Thank.You. Not with kitchen appliances (InstaPot, Air Fryer!), not with clothing/purse/shoe labels (Gucci, Prada, Coach, blah blah blah). Yeah, I can afford it. All of it. But I do what makes me comfortable. What I like. When I feel like changing things out, I do.
But to follow the “trends?” WHY?
Love the post! Hate having to always follow a trend even when it’s not me. Yes and 100% to “I personally think that starting now, in 2023, what needs to be “out” from this point forward are all of these lists telling us “Interior Design Trends to Know in 2023—And What’s on Its Way Out”. No, thanks, Vogue and all the rest. You can keep your lists.” When society tells you that you need to be yourself and then turns around and says you’re not trendy or not “in”, it really bugs me terribly. If it’s a house I will be living in, I’d rather it be me and what I like, not what other people think. A home should be a safe place where it shows my colors and my preferences, right? I hope people know that the purpose of redecorating a home is to enjoy living there. I’ve been following your blog for more than 5 years now and I love reading about your thought process. Also, I love how you incorporate wheelchair accessible features and yet still make it look so beautiful without making it obvious. Thank you for the inspiration. I’ve found myself trying to convince family that it can be done and your post is proof.
(^_^)
This made me laugh out loud, Kristi! I’m in total agreement!
I’ve always tried to balance what design direction I go in with what I love, and what is appropriate for the era or style of the house, and of course – fits my budget 🙂 I rarely take into consideration whatever is “hot” at the moment. My last house was a very modest mid century ranch. So I kept the finishes simple but not over the top mid century. I knew we would only live there a few years, and the market that house was in needed it to me more low cost/ comfortable. Now though, we live in a much more high end neighborhood and our house has a 1980’s kinda Colorado rustic style to it. (Think lots of stone inside and out) We are slowly remodeling the whole thing, so while I still stick with finishes & colors I love, I also consider that it’s probably best not to use the same design tactics as in my last house.
I completely agree!
🤣🤣🤣 So, we have ALL tan tile in the house we bought, and therefore nice wood cabinets, and pretty tan backsplash that looks like stone, etc., etc. Needless to say, we would have a hard time converting to the grays. BUT I now love the white and grays, and we are downsizing to a smaller house…guess what…I am going with the grays/blues/whites some kind of nickel or chrome faucets…everything I couldn’t have here. SO it appears we are always behind the “trends” and too bad! At least my old house is better on trend to sell! 😂 Really, I think everyone should ignore those lists, unless they truly love them, and realize that the money they spend today for the newest trends is probably a bad investment as it will change again very soon! GO with what you love! STILL LOVE the color of your cabinets…maybe some accent color for me…?
I pay about as much attention to this kind of ***piffle*** as I do to Pantone’s “Color of the Year”! As in zero, zip, zilch!!!
The only time I have paid attention to trend lists has been when I was getting ready to sell my house. Then I was looking at lists of realtor tips/staging advice/what to spend money on and what wasn’t worth doing just to sell a house.
As far as what furniture/pillow/paint color is concerned – I go with what speaks to me and makes sense in my house. In the master bedroom of my last house I put up border paper along the ceiling, matched the wall paint color to a specific detail in the border. It stayed that way for 20 years and we loved it the entire time. I don’t even shift furniture placement . We put it where it makes the most sense and there it shall stay. It’s not *exciting* or *trendy* but it suits us.
Influencer is a terrible term and spellcheck marks it as wrong! They don’t “influence” me! 🙂 I’ve never cared about the judgement of others on my decorating choices. Like other commenters have said > THEY don’t live here.
Thank you for pointing out how ridiculous and contradictory those lists are.
I am hanging my head in shame over my brushed nickel.
Kristi, Thank you so much for writing this article. I agree with you completely. I still love the Tuscany style furniture & colors (reds, browns, etc) that were popular in the early 2000’s. My home is comfortable and I love to entertain.
Yes, I’m probably behind the times but I could care less. Who knows, maybe if I wait long enough it will come back in style. ☺️
I agree with you about trends. This applies to everything in life. Although tends do help us think outside the box and help us get comfortable with new ideas.
I would like to know the source of the grey striped tile in one of these photos. Can you help me?
Touché. It all comes back. Decorating and clothing. A few years back i wished that I had kept the bell bottoms from the 70’s 😂😂. Then I remembered I was no longer 105 lbs. 😜
Hear, Hear!!! I, too, get tired of the “experts” telling me how to decorate my house. Your house is YOUR HOME. Love it and leave it the way you want it.
Like so much else in life, it’s all marketing. How do we get the public to SPEND MORE?
Thank you for setting all this straight!
Amen!!
The only goal of all those cited is to sell, sell! Get you to part with your hard earned money often for things in hind sight you never wanted in the first place!
CAN I GET AN AMEN?????? AMEN!!!!
The only thing I think should be in is cleanliness and neatness. The only thing out should be messiness.
Agree! I came across a blog and all she does is get sent free items that she says we all have to have. In the meantime, she’s getting it free but everyone else is dumping their money on unnecessary items. She has a storage area for throw pillows. I mean, really? Is her house gorgeous? Absolutely! But I couldn’t live in a staged house like that. Ours can be messy and cluttered but it’s comfy and welcoming and it reflects who we are!
Thank you for sharing this, I’ve been thinking of painting the bottom of the kitchen cabinets a light green. Everyone says I’ll get tired of them or not good for resale. Think I’m going to look for sample paint. Hugs for Matt
Sorry they can have my chesterfield sofas over my dead body!! I’m so tired of being told what I like it out. I’m doing what I want in my home too! It’s pretty boring to see the exact same things in every house. I love the unique in my home. I may add some “trendy” pieces here and there but only if I truly love it.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m also tired of some articles saying that you shouldn’t paint or decorate in certain colors because if you re-sell your home, it will be much harder to sell. I know a lot of people go by this, too, because when I read comments on decorating, I see many people answering with that same statement. Why won’t people just decorate their homes with whatever it is that makes them happy? I understand if you are planning to sell your home before long or you move a lot but I’ll never understand why you wouldn’t make your home, where you spend so much time, comfortable and a happy place for you.
Never been a fan of do/don’t or in/out type lists & take them with a grain of salt.
I do like seeing what is new though.
It gives me ideas of what I can add to my life in terms of color, fashion, style, & home furnishings.
What is a “don’t” or an “out” is a matter of personal opinion.
Here, here! You tell ’em!!!
The other big problem with these lists is that some stores quit selling the comfy furniture I like, because it’s “out.” So finding it for my own home is difficult. Especially if I’m looking for a specific color that suits my home, and not something that clashes with everything because that’s what’s “in.”
Brava to you for speaking out (I hate the term “influencers” too!)! I genuinely like my earth tones (I’m an Aries, a fire sign and that’s a big piece of it as is ignoring people who try to tell me what to do): rich browns, soothing tans/beiges, gold, burnt orange, a hint of a burgundy red possibly and/or a earthy, mossy green. Sooo pleased to know I’m back in “trend.” Just FYI, those are mostly the colors I have in my closet too. I’m very consistent.
My hubby and I will be renovating our master bath soon and, yep, the beiges and browns are where we’re going with that. AND, horrors, plan on adding floating shelves to get fewer things I need to clean around that are sitting on the floor! Pffffft to you, influencers and trend-setters!
Love this article! It is so true that we are constantly bombarded to change our decorating. I remember when I was watching HGTV shows that talked about outdated kitchens that looked like the one I had and loved. That was infuriating. I am 73 and still treasure many of my things from the 80s. It feels cozy to me and that is what I want.
I love your kitchen! True, I loved the green, too, but I think I love this Hallowed Hush even more! Hard to believe it has been 11 years…
Yes!!! Thanks Kristi
People just need to design and decorate with what makes them happy. Your style is not my style, but I have followed you for over ten years because I love watching you design around what you love! Keep it up.
Oh how I love this post! Never been one to follow the crowd, ever, in anything! Always thought that these lists are one more way to make you buy more.
I love your blog and all that you do to your home!
YES! Who has the time/$$ to keep up with trends every year? After spending so much time/thought decorating our home, why would I toss it all out bc some randome “infuencer” says it’s no longer “trendy”. The only purpose for me is to find inspiration.
I’ll admit, I’ve always liked the medium brown (almost orangish wood tones)-the horror LOL. I’ve owned it and selected flooring/cabinets/furnishing to complement my preference. The look of horor on the faces of vedors as I specifically asked for wood cabinets/floors without even a hint of gray over the last few years was actually comical. The only problem was that embracing my preference (in this case, NO gray wood tones), meant I had to look longer and in some cases pay more for what I like. But, I always love what we select in the long run and we have a house decorated to suits our unique tastes that doesn’t look like it was decorated in the “gray” or “all white” trend.
“just soooo 1900-2022” – that must have been the funniest part of a really funny (and satisfying, because OMG this!!!) post.
The most ridiculous part is that following these trends is what makes your house look old in the first place. If it doesn’t have any elements that are associated with a specific time, then it’s timeless.
The only way I let all this nonsense determine my decisions about my home is this: If it’s striking, wasn’t really widespread before, and everybody is doing it now, then it’s a no! Because it’s going to stick out in a few years! (Quite easy rule to follow, too, since most things I see these days are kind of ugly).
Totally agree!
There are a number of homes on my street being painted white with black windows because it is the trend. They look horrible and so out of place amid the pine trees.
Ditto!
Soooo agree!!!
Thank you. I have felt this way for years! I’m happy to see that you agree 😊
Thank you for putting decorating in perspective and making me smile. We are in the process of building a home and so far I’ve done everything wrong by 2023 standards. But like you wrote, “do what you love” and I am.
Here for all of this, starting with “influencers.” Wear what makes you happy, surrounded yourself with what makes you happy. List shmist.
B
I completely agree, Kristi! I’m thankful to be safe and warm (I live in Wisconsin). I enjoy decorating but I also keep in mind and donate to the less fortunate who don’t enjoy the comfort of clean water and a safe home.
Preach! I just happened upon your post – Lots of takeaways! We have to stop feeling like we’re running a race and losing. All it does is make us feel ashamed or wrong about our choices – decisions we spent lots of time and money working out the first time around.
I try to take a balanced approach. Most of my big ticket items are neutral so I can have fun with the smaller things. I do like seeing changing decor, especially seasonally. I tend to lean toward light coastal colors because we live at the coast, but I do love all designs and get excited when a new color I might not have thought of using, is featured and staged to show it off in its best light. It doesn’t mean I’m going to go running out the door and repaint the interior or open up the “buy new everything to match” can of worms, but I might buy a pillow or two (okay three or four) and I might change out some artwork to reflect a seasonal mood based on a trend.
Before I add anything I shop my own house! Moving things around from different rooms is an exciting challenge and saves me money in the process. And then take pics. You get a different perspective.
So I say tread carefully in the “oh your home is so dated” waters, have fun with something you may not have thought of – but only if it makes YOU happy, not because you were bullied into it!
Thank you for your article. I’m soooo tired of being told I need to get new countertops, furniture, hardware ect. I don’t have enough money to do these in/out fads especially since they just go back to being in next season. I do what I like and don’t care what designers say I should want. It’s the same in clothes, hair, makeup.
Thank you! What a breath of fresh air your perspective is! I’ll freshen up the look of my home with the occasional swapping out of accents and seasonal nature, inspired, decorating, such as fresh greenery or sunflowers in vases. Thank you for endorsing the notion that we should live with what we love not be bullied into buying more stuff.
Thank you!! Love this article! You’re right. I’ve been there, where my modern farmhouse decor is sooo passé. A couple of time I thought “ I need to change this.” It’s outdated 2 years after I decided to decorate my new house this way! Ridiculous. Again, thank you. Do away with the stupid “outdated” lists. Or stop reading them.
FINALLY! Somebody said it! Don’t tell me what to do or not do in my own house! You are not the boss of me! 🙂 To be honest, I think they do have place if your intent if you don’t plan to live in it. Such as sell or rent. But for the most part, do you, boo!