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Open thread: Top interior design trends of the 2010’s

Pam Kueber - Updated: June 9, 2021

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

The revival of midcentury design — both ‘modern’ and ‘modest’ — was one of the trends that took hold during the 2010s. Above: Wren and Willow’s little bit of perfection kitchen remodel.

This website is about design through the decades, and with that in mind, we’ve done stories and open threads about top residential interior design trends in the 1940s, the 1950s, the 1980s, and the 1990s. We’ll fill in those missing 20th Century decades soon, but meanwhile, I was thinking: Now that we are about 2/3 of the way through the 2010’s, let’s try and begin to capture the top interior design trends while they are all around us.

A KEY RULE RE COMMENTS: Regular readers are aware that I am not a fan of certain contemporary trends. But for this story, I will not opine. Let us — with objectivity and no judgment on aesthetic or other values — just make a list. Note, I may not approve judge-y comments; I am trying to keep myself focused on equanimity — it’s is not something I’m naturally programmed for, I’m working on it.

Top interior design trends of the 2010s:

I’ll start with a few that I think make the list.

  1. Gray is the Color of the Decade: Did the popularity of this color reflect the economic malaise of the Great Recession? Gray was used in abundance, on: Walls, kitchen cabinets, flooring, upholstery, and more. By 2017, the gray trend is fading (white walls, for example, seems to be ascendant.) 
  2. Bye bye Granite, hello Quartz: The long-lasting supremacy of granite on kitchen counter tops came to an end. Trendy folk who can afford them want quartz countertops. Even trendier folk, with even more dough re me, want giant slabs of Carrara marble.
  3. Retro Renovation Revival: The time finally came for midcentury design to experience a revival. Circa 1995, when I first started looking, there were like ZERO midcentury modern-style sofas for sale. Today, there seem to be HUNDREDS. Classic midcentury modern design penetrated the design and decorating culture, and midcentury “modest” got its due, too: The success of the Save the Pink Bathrooms campaign — which made these vintage bathrooms desirable again, at least among some cohorts — is just one example of how granny’s choices finally started getting some respect.
  4. Upcycle This: Propelled by online sites like etsy and pinterest, the 2010s saw the biggest revival of crafting since perhaps the 1970s. Chalk painting old furniture… turning ball jars into pendant lights… ‘put a bird on it’ everythings… and much more

What do you think of my list so far?
What else should go on the list?

More stories on design trends:

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184 comments

Comments

  2. mrspetunia says

    This has probably been mentioned, but Shaker style kitchen cabinets. Or if not shaker, clean lined and minimalist.

  3. Karen Shackleford says

    As a cabinet designer I see a lot of loosely based arts and craft style with shaker doors predominating right now and farm house sinks. Or a midcentury nod with flat slab cabinets. Straight lines and simplicity. Islands in almost every kitchen. Really light pastels or really dark jewel tones. Quartz in marble looks and a surpring resurgence in splarkly quartz which reminds meof vintage sparkly laminate.

  4. Midge Brock says

    Can we just rid ourselves of “Live, Laugh, Love” ONCE AND FOR ALL ????

  5. Kelly Wittenauer says

    The following should be included on the list:
    gray, griege, granite counters, huge “chef’s kitchens”, large “spa/retreat” bathrooms, closets the size bedrooms used to be, pallet upcycling, rough-textured “reclaimed wood”, elaborate laundry/mud rooms, painting over woodtoned furniture & cabinets, barn doors, word/sign art, vessel sinks, furniture style vanities, outdoor kitchens & fireplaces, man caves & the female equivalent craft rooms, dark or gray-stained hardwood floors, oil-rubbed bronze, subway tile, tiled backsplashes, busy, imposing exteriors with an abundance of finishes, materials & roofs. Mid century replaced shabby chic, but is now giving way to industrial, urban rustic & glam.

    I have to disagree with those who said open-plan. That began with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses & went mainstream in modern post war tract homes. Fewer but larger rooms, replaced lots of small separate boxes, to make homes feel spacious in spite of limited square footage. And the current era “open-concept”was already ubiquitous on HGTV as Y2K came at us.

  7. Beth Pierce says

    Open concept, every remodeling or flip show starts with the walls they are removing to achieve, “the open floor plan”.

  10. LuAnn says

    I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention the trend toward the “Chef’s Kitchen”. Huge industrial-looking stainless gas stoves with red knobs, ginormous stainless refrigerators, microwave under the counter, dishwasher drawers and wine fridges. White, more white and some gray, although lately I’ve started seeing more colors (mostly bright blue) for either the upper or lower cabinets. No kitcsh or homey in sight. And, of course, an extremely large kitchen island.

    • Carolyn says

      Which is funny, yet sad, since so few people know how to cook or use these appliances spawning the “meal kit” movement plus everyone’s too busy schedules.
      But it looks really impressive!

      • CarolK says

        I may be weird but I’ve wanted an industrial/restaurant range since before they were a thing -since the mid-70s. I’d also would not mind at all a Sub-Zero fridge. I’m not getting a Wolf range but maybe Thermador or Blue Star cooktop. I do cook, however. Everyone was telling me not to cook for Mother’s Day, but I wanted to because I really enjoy it. Cleaning up afterwards, not so much.

        I’ve got a ceramic cat vase that I intend to put in the kitchen after it’s renovated. If you’ve seen some of Julia Child’s later shows from Santa Barbara, she has a similar cat near her sink. Hers is a tabby and mine is tortie. but our real cats were tabby and tortie. I also got a bulldog cookie jar for Mother’s Day from my oldest daughter. I’m also going to put my mom’s old sideboard in the kitchen. It’s not quite an English kitchen dresser, but it’s close. I hope my kitchen will have an inviting, friendly, farmhouse vibe.