Expect to see these interior design trends in 2026
Olive wood religious sculptures from Jerusalem for sale at GSP mall
Jack Mansour, owner, talks about his kiosk, Jerusalem Hand Craft Work, inside Westfield Garden State Plaza on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
Dark, moody color palettes mixed with warm earthy tones; mixing natural materials with rich, tactile textures; and curved furniture — these will all be interior design trends for 2026.
In the new year, interior design is expected to emphasize personal expression; highlight rich textures; and create spaces that feel cozy and inviting.
If you’re looking to freshen up your space and need some inspiration, these trends are a good place to start. But remember to focus on your own personal taste, rather than adopting all of the big trends.
“A big thing for me in design in general is that there are going to be trends, and I think they’re important for just the excitement of interior design and keeping things feeling fresh and new,” said Hannah Kern, founder of NJ Living by Design in Montclair. ‘But when you’re doing a project for yourself, I really truly believe that you should be choosing things that make you happy, not choosing things based on what is a trend.”
Warm earthy tones with dark, moody shades
We started to move away from plain, cool-toned colors in 2025 with more rich and earthy color palettes paired with subtle pops of color. And in 2026, we’re going a step further by mixing those warm earthy tones with darker, moodier shades.
“Clients are looking for moodier colors. I’m seeing more colors schemes that are darker overall with grayish plums, raspberry shades and colors like that,” said Terri Fiori of Fiori + Co. in Wyckoff. “It’s a little bit more intimate of a palette, and it’s just very welcoming and enveloping.”
Colors like mauve and burgundy are also expected to be popular in the new year, Kern said, as well as rust, terracotta and other spice-colors, especially for furniture pieces.
Similarly, with the exception of Pantone’s “Cloud Dancer” — a balanced, pure white with subtle warmth — many companies have unveiled rich, deep hues for their versions of the 2026 Color of the Year. This includes Etsy’s “Patina Blue,” James Hardie’s “Iron Gray,” Benjamin Moore’s “Silhouette,” Behr’s “Hidden Gem,” Valspar’s “Warm Eucalyptus” and Clark+Kensington’s “Hazelnut Crunch,” among others.
“I think it’s just coming from the fact that we swung so far in the direction of really crisp grays and stark whites that now people are craving those warm and cozy colors,” Kern said. “Paint especially is also such an easy, low cost thing to do that if you want to change it again in two years you can. So I do see people getting a little bit more bold in paint colors because it is a somewhat low risk commitment, which I’m here for. I love color.”
Natural materials and rich, tactile textures
Using a mix of natural materials and rich, tactile textures to create vivid, layered spaces will continue to rise in popularity in 2026.
Starting with stone, Kern said that marble, quartz and quartzite — particularly variations with warmer beige undertones, like Taj Mahal — will be incorporated in kitchens and bathrooms, as they have been for years. But you’ll also find them used for surfaces on coffee tables and end tables, as well as other accent pieces.
“We’ve also seen a limestone resurgence, especially in backsplashes, as well as in tables, coffee tables and things like that. It has a really nice subtle texture to it,” Kern said.
Wood, particularly in darker stains like Jacobean and dark walnut, will continue to be used in big ways in 2026. While white oak isn’t going anywhere, Kern said she thinks these deeper wood tones complement the bold, moody color palettes that will emerge in the new year. Just make sure it’s a neutral shade, she said, rather than one that has too much of a red or yellow undertone.
Aged metal like tarnished brass, blackened steel and patinated copper will also be used to add a vintage feel to spaces; while plush materials like velvet, sueded cotton, wool blends and textured tweed will be used to add more depth.
Curved and circular furniture
In 2026, it’s all about softening those hard edges that have ran interior design for years. So the new year will bring the rise of curved furniture — think circular coffee tables, crescent-shaped accent chairs, rounded ottomans and curved couches.
These pieces go hand-in-hand with the recent resurgence of vintage furniture, as Fiori said people have been gravitating towards things that make their space feel more cozy and inviting rather than cold and rigid.
“I would say we’re veering towards almost like the Art Deco or Bauhaus-type style with more curves, so not necessarily the traditional styles when you think of vintage furniture but the classic pieces that will elevate your space,” she said.
Accessorizing with lamps and intricate artwork
For decorative touches, Kern said people are leaning into lamps to create a more cozy atmosphere in their spaces rather than just using overhead lighting.
With this, she said it’s important to balance out these light sources by using a mix of table and floor lamps. Both her and Fiori also said that lamps have become a way for people to incorporate more art into their homes.
“I’ve also noticed lighting fixtures that are not just these basic, beige fixtures. It’s these more sculptural pieces of art that add more into a space,” Fiori said. “It’s multifunctional because you have a piece of art but you’re also illuminating your space.”
Kern said she’s seen a resurgence of the Tiffany lamp because of this, which helps give textural depth and a nice glow to a space.
And for wall art, intricate pieces that add movement to a room are taking over the classic flat art that’s been so common. This includes handmade, woven pieces with lots of texture, Fiori said, as well as sculptural designs with lacquered brass or rope, Kern said.
Themed or curated rooms
Fiori said she’s recently had to curate more themed or personalized rooms, and believes this is a trend that will continue into the new year.
Whether it’s a full room or just a designated space within a room, like a home bar or a reading nook, she said it’s a way for people to create a unique experience for themselves.
“They’re just spaces that are dedicated to one member of the family. I think it’s just a way of treating yourself. And not that other members of the family aren’t allowed in that space, but it’s a very personal space that is just focused on one person in the family,” she said. “I created a bar or like a pub for my clients in the lower level of their home, and we recreated her mother’s hometown in Germany with a German-style pub. So it’s these really special, experiential type of spaces.”
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at [email protected].
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