Home Design Predictions: 2030

I recently watched a MasterClass on interior design taught by Kelly Wearstler. Although I don’t share her taste, the class caused me to think about interior design. When thinking through the trends over the next few years, I developed a few predictions:

• Stainless Steel Appliances will be out. I think this trend is underway already with the number of matte colored appliances on sale. I don’t expect every kitchen to sport red or yellow ovens, but I think slate, greys and subtle colored appliances will be the dominant sales trend. Brass/copper will come back in a big way.
• Grey will remain in style (kind of). Right now neutral and cool colors dominate. White, blues, grays, and sandy wood are everywhere. I think gray will remain in style, but will carry warmer pink and yellow undertones.
• White is out. Potterybarn and Anthro killed it.
• Fabric? On Walls? I anticipate seeing more fabric wall covers of all sorts in 2030. Expect to see a rise in Persian rugs, accent rugs, and fully fabric walls. Stick-on/removable wallpaper will continue to grow in popularity and esteem.
• Location-sensitive design. No I don’t mean that people will hang a kitschy neighborhood map in their front hall. White, grey, and blue with stainless appliances are in everywhere. Grey wood is in everywhere. Sandy tones are in everywhere. That will start to change. People will start to take regional cues. Colors and uses of space will be defined by the geography and needs of the area.
• Smaller Rooms (at least in the north). Similar to the point above, the trend toward sustainability will infect home design. Big open floor plan houses with 10 ft ceilings and a ton of exposed metal are hard to cool and heat. Home design will start to incorporate smaller spaces with zoned HVAC to better serve the environment.
• Funky Floors. Vinyl floors are back and there is no reason they need to look like wood. This trend will start with wood grain look that includes a few Easter eggs and transition into funky patterned floors.
• Wood Paneled Walls. Sorry Bamboo, I’m not talking about you. Dark wood paneling and billiards green. Name a more iconic duo. Like Bill and Ted, these two took some time off but expect to see them back and better than ever in 2030.
• No, tech will not be embedded. Internet of things will still exist, but only in accessories, not embedded into the home itself. You will have a “smart” lightbulb, but not smart wiring for all lights. Technology growth outpaces home design so it will never make sense to build a truly “smart” home. Sorry, Disney.

All of these predictions point to a larger trend away from cool, minimalist interiors with lots of negative space into warmer, more personalized and intermate spaces. People from very warm climates will likely keep their large rooms designed for airflow, but will incorporate the spirit of this trend through warmer vinyl flooring and fabric wall accents.