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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Top decorating trends from the 1940s
- Top decorating trends from the 1950s
- Top decorating trends from the 1980s
- Top decorating trends form the 1990s
Joe says
Without a doubt, the top “trend” has been the return of the mid-century esthetic, with good reason. Very slowly, granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances are losing favor. It’ interesting that gray replaced white, and that the trend is now reversing. Of course that only applies to those who are afraid of real colors. Among us, aqua, turquoise, teal, coral, purple and magenta have gained favor. Citrus colors are also becoming increasingly popular. Here’s something else that’s interesting: People LOVE to see bright colors in the homes of others, but are deathly afraid of using them in their own homes. Where’s “Color Splash” when we need it?
Pam Kueber says
“Keep Calm and Carry On” — do we call that 2010s?
Tom says
Wall art especially “Live Laugh Love”
Gigantic fake 19th century Parisian clocks.
Espresso colored hardwood floors contrasted with grey walls.
Lack of real wood trim and moulding, usually white painted MDF.
Idustrial, rustic, repurposed accents. Barn doors, mason jars, etc…
Moroccan tile pattern on rugs and drapery, usually in turquoise.
White kitchens with subway tile.
Open concept, terrible in cities with narrow lots, usually the main floor in new construction in my area is one single giant room with a white kitchen in the middle leaving the two spaces in the front and back to be used as living rooms, the front being slightly more formal than the back.
Carolyn says
While I understand the notion of having your home “rise up to meet you”, the term “curb appeal” can please be retired. Isn’t curb appeal a selling point and not a description?
Puddled drapes – while gorgeous in concept, they are a nightmare in reality when it comes time to vacuum or sweep. So a knot gets tied into them – ?!
Maybe because the 2010’s were such a turbulent time and the decades (mid-’70’s – 2000) previous were different flavors of vanilla, everything was either a mish-mash of “stuff” or hyper-utilitarian/industrial.
Valeria says
the hgtv mantra: “barn doors”, “open-concept”, “stainless-steel” (everything), “subway tile” in kitchens.
Personally I do like gray for walls, just not all walls and not just basic gray. Probably because I prefer a mix of vintage and modern.
CarolK says
Something I think us RetroRenovation types will like is that Houzz had a story yesterday about open concept maybe not being a good idea and another about pink in the bathroom which actually referred to “Save the Pink Bathrooms”.
Pam Kueber says
I found it, see they linked to our microsite http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/
CarolK says
I was disappointed that the Houzz story didn’t show a glorious pink bathroom complete with pink fixtures.
I did see a couple of episodes of Property Brothers today where the couples were adamant about NOT wanting open concept. They stuck to their guns, too. Jonathan did have some greige walls in his mockups though.
Annie says
I cheered those couples on! I have no problem with semi-open concept (as in, kitchen open to dining room, equipped with a table and chairs). I KNOW why the guys want a man cave in an open concept house: Every person who comes yakking through the great room disrupts the ball game! I am currently looking for a house with a den just for that purpose.
So many trends mentioned in this thread are on my NO list. Thank you, kind people, for reminding me what I DON’T want in a house!
Shannon says
I would add interest in ‘countryfying’ everything, i.e.:
Sliding barn doors EVERYWHERE
Distressed and farm-style furniture.
White. WHITE ALL THE KITCHEN.
Carrara Marble to go with the white-on-white.
A weird mish-mash of industrial decor (brass/rusted ornaments), with seaside pastels and earthy touches like paintings of birds and trees.
OWLS! OWLS EVERYWHERE!
Open concept has spelled the death of the formal dining room, every area adjoins the kitchen now.
Overly ostentatious decor like Victorian sitting chairs distressed in white and gold but with a burlap seat covering(?!)
Fleur delis and chevron…oh goodness, the chevron.
Annie says
Lord, I forgot about the chevron! Let’s not leave out the herringbone patterns! Too much kitsch! The big clocks on the wall that do not work, everything wrapped in rope, burlap, shiplap, and barn doors. White kitchens or two toned kitchens…usually white on the top and a really loud blue or gray on the bottom…or an all white kitchen and a loud colored island (usually a robin’s egg blue). People got rid of the look of brass (80s style) just to go to brushed nickel and now back to brass. Putting in copper just so that someone can end up with an “aged patina”.
Shannon says
I scroll through the real estate listings for Seattle near us, to see the lovely bungalows still ubiquitous to the Pacific Northwest, and nearly feel like crying. So many have fallen to the pallets of grey, ash, charcoal, cream, and beige with nary a wall left standing apart from maybe the bedroom and a bathroom. The boating rope makes more sense in the lake-side homes, if only that was the actual intent of the design.
KStacey says
It seems to me that the top “trend” is to decorate/design for resale value. Or assumed resale value anyway, no matter how misled they may be. Everybody is afraid to use color or do anything not HGTV approved.
Annie says
Of course everything is decorated for resale value. We live in a society now of throwaway houses. Used to be that you grew up in one house. Now the trend is to trade up in house every 5 years. That’s why we hear so much about “starter homes”.
Does anyone else dislike the great room concept? I hate that there is no dining room table. I don’t think that young children are equipped to sit in bar seats at an island (reminds me too much of a tavern). I like the TV room separate where it’s not distracting everyone else. Just HOW MUCH entertaining do all those people do who need an open floor plan? When do they actually WORK?
JM says
I love open floor plans, because we can all be doing different things and still be together. I work in my open floor plan living/dining/kitchen most of the time and only use my office when I’m taking a call or recording something. Our TV is on a cart and out of the way unless in use, but we like having it so that we can watch while cooking sometimes. We do have a kitchen table, and agree that a bar/island isn’t adequate for us. How does one play a board game at an island?
Kristine says
I scoff (cough????) at what HGTV calls “starter” houses. What are these 20-30 yr. olds doing to afford those 300,000.00 starter houses??? Robbing liquor stores??? white collar crime??? back in my day, the starter pricepoint was b/w 85k-120k.. it has eeked up to 154k, but still, there are plenty to be had at the same range where I started back during the 90’s.. btw..I live in Ga.
Beverly says
*cries as she says this* chalk paint
KStacey says
Chalk paint itself can work with a variety of styles. When properly waxed and such anyway. The whole “distressed” shabby not-so-chic application method? Not so great.
Julia says
Reclaimed wood! How many wood palette ideas have we all seen since Pinterest became a thing? A lot! 🙂