The 10 Most Popular Interior Design Trends Explained

There are all sorts of interior design trends, with many coming in and out of fashion as the years go by. While we like to think that, really, there are no rules when it comes to interior design, we love to experiment with different styles. If you’re looking to incorporate a specific style into your home, but aren’t sure what it involves, we’ve explained 10 of the most popular interior design trends below.

Scandi

Scandi, or Scandinavian interiors are inspired by the clean lines and functionality traditionally found in countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The colour palette is typically light and bright, with pale, ashy woods, and muted neutral shades. The aim with Scandinavian interiors is to make the room feel light and airy, perhaps as an answer to the long dark winters experienced in that part of the world.

Furniture should be sleek and functional, with a focus on wood accents. Armchairs will typically be part-upholstered rather than fully covered. Some materials can be used to soften the look, such as sheepskin rugs. Overall, Scandi design takes a “less is more” approach, verging on the minimalist look, but while still valuing clean and beautiful design.

Japandi

Japandi interior design is similar to Scandi style; in fact, it’s a combination of Japanese style and Scandinavian style. The aim of Japandi interiors is to create a peaceful, zen-like environment, with all the functionality of Scandi design alongside warm, aesthetically pleasing Japanese design.

Japandi interiors will focus on clean lines and simplicity, again leaning towards a minimalist look. However, the colour palette will be warmer and incorporate more variety of natural textures, including stone, warm woods, rattan, and glass. Darker accents will be used throughout the room to create more depth. Art work might include organic, abstract shapes, all while keeping to the more muted, neutral colour palette of blacks, greys, browns, and whites.

Cottagecore

Cottagecore interior design incorporates everything you love about rustic, country-house design to create a cosy and welcoming feel. It’s inspired by simpler times, romanticising the British countryside and rural way of life.

Cottagecore interiors will include natural materials – think large wooden dining tables, rustic wooden kitchen work surfaces, stone floors, and a lot of greenery and plants. Antique furniture can help to add to the higgledy-piggledy feel of a charming cottage and vintage rugs can add warmth. Layering rugs of different patterns can bring a cosy, relaxed atmosphere – just stick to the same colour palette to stop it looking messy. Florals are another key part of the cottagecore interior and can be added through upholstery, wall paper, or simply an abundance of real flowers.

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-century modern interiors are inspired by the rich woods and sleek designs of the ‘50s and ‘60s. During this time, homes were focused on being family hubs, and so furniture was functional and simple, but still with beautiful designs.

Most furniture in mid-century modern will be made with rich woods, such as teak, oak, and rosewood. These bring a classic look while being durable and practical, a key part of mid-century modern style. Leather and vinyl are also common materials, and can be softened with plush faux fur. Decorations are kept to a minimum, but the style does incorporate bold colours and patterns with geometric shapes – fun accent pieces are a must.

Maximalist

Maximalist interior design takes the phrase “more is more” to the extreme. Typically associated with Boho and Eclectic design, really anything goes with maximalist interiors. With this style, you’re free to add as many colours, textures, and materials as you like to create a cosy and warm room. Ideally, there will be a touch of cohesion, to avoid it looking messy or overwhelming, but usually if you choose pieces that you love, your personal style will help to bring everything together.

Maximalism is about bold, punchy colours, like vibrant blues, rich reds, and bright orange. Using contrasting colours can help to bring even more dimension and create an aesthetically pleasing finish. You can mix and match the traditional with the modern, both with artwork and with the furniture you choose. There’s no real right or wrong way to do maximalism – you can let your personality and style run wild.

Industrial

The industrial style manages to combine urban design with warmth and cosiness, to create a stylish, trendy interior. Industrial design is all about the materials you use – a key feature is exposed brickwork with metal lighting fixtures, rough wood and concrete, and exposed pipework.

Industrial interiors can be softened with the right materials, such as faux fur and velvet, as long as you stick to the industrial colour palette or rust reds, deep blues, and dark greens. Black is a key colour in the industrial palette, and can be used on furniture, light fittings, kitchen cabinets and more. JB Kind has a range of industrial style doors to help create your perfect industrial interiors.

Minimalist

Minimalism is the antithesis of maximalist interior design. But minimalism doesn’t mean clinical – it’s about creating a clean and simple space that stays warm and welcoming. You can still express your personality with a minimalist room, but just with fewer pieces that are more curated.

The minimalist colour palette typically sticks to neutral tones, with white walls and upholstery. Using different textures can help to create more depth and prevent it from becoming too sterile, and the clever use of an accent colour can also bring more life to a minimalist room. Furniture should be functional – multi-use furniture can help to declutter a space and leave room to breathe.

Bauhaus

Named after a renowned German art school, the Bauhaus style is another design that values function over form, but without compromising on either. Bauhaus sticks with clean lines and geometric shapes, with simply designed furniture that’s practical and beautiful.

The Bauhaus style might be traditionally thought of as sticking with neutral tones, such as blacks and greys, but it also embraces bright shades. With its links to the art world, Bauhaus design doesn’t shy away from vibrant colours, but keeps things simple with primary colours and geometric design, like round coffee tables and rugs with a bold graphic pattern.

Mediterranean

Mediterranean interiors are another geographically inspired design, this time bringing the warmth and coastal feel of countries like Spain, Greece and Italy. The colour palette will typically feature warmer, natural shades, like terracotta, sea green, sky blue, and sunshine yellow. Mediterranean interiors will usually feature a lot of natural materials, such as warm woods, ceramic ornaments, tile, and rattan. Rustic internal doors are a must for the Mediterranean interior.

The focus of Mediterranean interiors is to create a welcoming atmosphere, so there should be ample space for socialising and letting people come together. If possible, there should also be allowance for inside-outside living – if you don’t have capacity for open plan living like they do in Spain, you can bring the outside in with plenty of plants and natural lighting.

Traditional

A traditional interior brings together the classic, timeless features of interior design. Walls will typically be painted a light, neutral shade, such as cream or sand, and contrasted with furniture made from deep, rich woods. For upholstery, the colour palette sticks to rich but muted tones, such as burgundy, evergreen, and browns.

There is a variety of materials used in traditional interiors, from soft leathers, sumptuous velvet, and baroque-inspired metal work. There will be key accent pieces throughout the room, and ample opportunity to express your personality, but traditional interiors shouldn’t be overly fancy or overwhelmed by clutter. They should instead be about creating a timeless appeal and a warm, inviting space.

JB Kind has a huge range of internal doors that are perfect any and every interior style. Download our brochure or contact us to find out more.