interior design
Whether you want to sell your home for top dollar this year or simply crave a refresh, you need to know the biggest home decor trends for 2023.
If you’re getting ready to sell, you might think there’s no need for updates – after all, this is a seller’s market! Homes are selling like hotcakes!
But even in a seller’s market where the inventory is low, a well-staged or recently renovated home can mean multiple competitive offers, a rapid sale, and settlement above the asking price.
If you’re simply staging or completely renovating, read on to find out the latest interior design, landscaping, and home building trends for 2023.
The modern farmhouse craze with its white and gray interiors might be a thing of the past. Current interior design is moving away from subtle and embracing more color. People crave earthy, organic colors that are a welcome transition from starkly neutral interiors. Particularly on-trend are corals and soft blush pinks. Even red is having its day!
In response to the minimalist trend that swept design during the pandemic, interior decor is leaning towards the biophilic look. People want to be surrounded by the things they love in a nature-inspired, easy-going setting. There’s a strong emphasis on rhythm and comfort in the home. Designers lean on natural materials like bamboo settees and sisal rugs to pull together a soothing environment.
In a further nod to biophilic design, plaster and limewash are showing up more often to make spaces both small and large feel extra cozy. The rough-hewn texture emphasizes unique, artistic handiwork that discerning homeowners truly appreciate.
Grandma’s antique dining set is back en vogue as the move towards refurbishing vintage furniture gains traction. Despite the availability and affordability of fast-furniture, homeowners are frustrated with furnishings that don’t last and aren’t durable. Savvy shoppers and designers scout thrift stores, antique malls, and flea markets to outfit their homes in quality-made vintage pieces that will stand the test of time.
It’s time to make your workspace earn its keep. After scrambling to carve out a work-from-home area during quarantine, many homeowners now prefer a multifunctional, welcoming space. Home offices are trending towards the comfortable and away from strictly utilitarian. People want large windows for natural light, multifunctional furniture for family members to work or study, and room to relax.
Gone are the days of a cavernous great room with the giant rear-projection tv front and center. People are now drawn to using living rooms for actual living. With a focus on socialization and relaxation, designs include comfortable seating arranged to encourage camaraderie and long conversations rather than screen-watching.
After the stress and drama of a long day, people want to unwind. Even for those who work from home, a place to escape is much needed. In a further departure from the minimalism so popular during the pandemic years, designers now see more emphasis on wellness and self-care. Spaces such as luxurious spa-like bathrooms, listening rooms for vinyl-collecting audiophiles, and home libraries all create havens within the home.
What would the movement of warmer interiors be without gold accents? Gold hardware, light fixtures, and door handles are having a moment, and many designers see this as more permanent than just trendy. If your home is still sporting brushed nickel accents, it’s time to update with gold.
Let’s be honest: doing laundry is neither glamorous nor exhilarating. But just because your laundry room (or mudroom) is a hard-working, utilitarian space, it can still be enjoyable. Designers are carrying a home’s interior theme into all corners of the house and elevating common rooms to make them both functional and aesthetically alluring. Even focused on chores, we still appreciate fine design!
White cabinets, subway tiles, and open shelves had their day. Now, homeowners are opting for warm wood cabinets where they can hide away clutter (amen to less dusting!), the textured imperfections of handcrafted tiles, and kitchen friendly paint tones like navy blue or green to further enhance the warmth. Much like the movement towards coziness and comfort in living areas, kitchens are following suit.
Trendy interiors are bringing nature into the home, but trendy exteriors are doing the exact opposite! People are creating conversation-centered areas in their outdoor spaces with fire pits, durable outdoor furniture that mimics indoor furniture, and water features. The final goal is a relaxed place to gather.
If you’d love a pool but don’t have the space, consider a plunge pool as an alternative to the usual full size. Plunge pools are perfect for people with smaller yards who don’t necessarily need to train for the Olympics. Their smaller footprint also makes it easier to incorporate into an outdoor seating area. Added bonus: it looks like a water feature when you aren’t serenely soaking!
We tend to limit social gatherings to the backyard, and keep the front yard presentable for the neighbors. But landscape designers are encouraging people to use their front yards more. They’re installing fire pits with built-in seating, adding water features, and building lush gardens to replace some of the lawn. Much like bringing the indoors outside, people want to expand their opportunities for relaxing at home.
Thanks in part to our time spent at home during quarantine, and in part to inspirational images (hello, Downtown Abbey and Bridgerton!), the cottage garden style is making a comeback. But this isn’t an old-fashioned garden; think sweeping masses of hydrangeas surrounding huge rose bushes, lacy fronds of greenery, and casually laid gravel paths. The beauty of a modern cottage garden is that it takes nostalgic plants typically seen in manicured gardens and uses them in a decidedly un-fussy way.
Interior designers and homeowners agree: the quarantine may have killed our desire for open-concept interiors. People are requesting divided rooms to break up the open concept and give occupants personal space. This is particularly evident with the increase in work-from-home situations and much-needed home offices.
Farmhouse and Craftsman styles still abound, but Transitional is gaining popularity. A mix of Traditional and Modern, the Transitional style is requested more and more among new-build clients who are ready to shake up the Farmhouse look of the last decade.
Savvy contractors and their clients are building homes that are environmentally friendly from the ground up. Solar panels, EV charging stations, and even water reclamation systems are more and more common in new residential construction.
Kitchens are getting a redesign similar to the rest of the home, with people preferring a cozier, more enclosed space. Homebuilders are swapping out open shelving for enclosed cabinets and extra built-ins to hide the inevitable clutter. And since many cities no longer allow natural gas hookups in new builds, builders are opting for induction cooktops instead.
Perhaps in response to more time spent at home during the pandemic, home builders are seeing an uptick in requests for more windows. Natural light is in high demand as people work and entertain at home, and it’s a fitting companion to the nature-centered design that is all the rage.
A well-updated home can make all the difference in the world when it’s time to sell.
Even in a seller’s market, where inventory is low and qualified buyers are scrambling to place the top bid on properties, good presentation matters.
Fresh paint and new carpeting helps, but a home that’s on-trend and on-point will have buyers jumping at the chance to be the proud new owners of your gorgeous home!
For more real estate tips, continue following my blog, and sign up for my monthly newsletter!
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends
December 11, 2024
Virginia's Property Market
December 9, 2024
Virginia Real Estate
December 6, 2024
Virginia
December 4, 2024
Luxury Living
December 3, 2024
McLean
December 1, 2024
November 2024
November 22, 2024
Arlington VA
November 20, 2024
Arlington
November 18, 2024
Arlington
Whether you’re buying or selling a home (or both), your success hinges upon the expert advice and services provided by your real estate agent. I’m committed to providing my clients with professional services based on my experience, knowledge and skills.