What’s Hot, What’s Not
This is the first time I wrote about “What’s Not” in my blog. Reason being is that I didn’t really feel inspired by what was “Hot” for 2023. To read further and form your own opinion here are the top design trends for 2023 according to Architectural Digest.
So, now here are the trends from last year that you might need to part with. Sometimes, it’s worth taking the quiet quitting route and slowly phasing out
trends from your life before it’s too late (and you’re in deeper than you ever intended to go). There is always a caveat when it comes to any design trend whether it is clothing or interiors: Context matters. Yes, trends come and go, but at the end of the day, taste is subjective, and there’s no room for the negative projections of others in spaces that make you feel safe, happy, and true to yourself—however the interiors are decorated. These days, the design cycle is less fleeting than a
fast fashion garment: It’s a bit more challenging to chuck your Chesterfield sofa just because it’s not “in” this time next year. (If you wait long enough it will come back!) That being said, we
do live in an incredibly fast-paced digital era where crazes become hyper-obsessions until they very quickly reach a peak, become oversaturated, and pass their prime.
Blobby everything everywhere
Structure is in! While we love blobs,
wiggles, and the childhood delight of curvy shapes reminiscent of elevated childhood Play-Doh creations, there’s something nice about pronounced lines bringing a bit of form into a room. This isn’t a cue to completely abandon all things blobby; it just means when there’s a craze for one, like a pendulum, we expect to see a rise in the other. Let’s cut it out with the boutique hotel vibes!
Squeaky clean kitchens
Under the same vein is the extremely modern
minimalist kitchen, which you’ll often find in all-white or gray. There’s not a single bowl on the counter, and god forbid any eccentric marbling in the counter stone! Often, the cabinets will come in a high gloss polish, but certainly never a glossy appliance in sight. A terrifying place to cook. The only true squeaky clen kitchen is when your home is staged for selling!
Open floor plans
Earlier this year, we informed you that
the open floor plan is not disappearing anytime soon. That being said, post-pandemic, the reality remains: If you’re living in a city with limited space and home is for work, sleep, and everything but the kitchen sink, then you want it to function as such (dividing our desks and pelotons—when possible—from our living rooms.) Not to mention, the most charming parts of the home are often the smallest spaces we turn into something cozy, like this perfect breakfast nook in
Alex Bass’s West Village apartment. The original concept of the
guest room might be dead, but that doesn’t mean you should stop compartmentalizing through physical spaces too. Boundaries are important, people!
All-white and gloomy greige interiors
Is it just me, or is everything suddenly starting to look like an RH catalog? The whole
greige palette is unnecessarily exhausting: Any decor item you come across, if it’s not white or gray, it’s on its way! Yes,
all-white can be sleek and minimalist, but just as often it feels devoid of any personality or fun. If you’re looking for a better interpretation of this aesthetic, try all-white with a subtle splash of color, like the kitchen in this
Upper East Side apartment—it’s only one wall, but it brings a whole other dimension to the space. Not to mention how too much
gray can really dampen the mood of a room. You don’t want your space to feel like it gives off “nobody’s home” vibes, as we like to say.
Color-coordinated decor
From black-and-white photo clusters to color-coordinated bookshelves, this finicky and unnatural look still feels a bit more like a curated Pinterest page than the intimate rooms of someone’s actual home. You should be able to stick a new book on your shelf even if there’s only space in the pink section. Open your mind to all the possibilities for arranging things.
Non-functional objects
This makes me crazy. Objects for object’s sake. With limited space comes limited decorative objects. With that in mind, we’re likely to see a shift away from those without function and an increase in those that add both visual intrigue and purpose. Last month,
AD editor
Sydney Gore brought our attention back to
vegetable decor, one of the many timeless porcelain artistries that put the fun in functional. Now you finally have an excuse to put your
plates on the walls! When Sebastian Zuchowicki’s traditional client unexpectedly requested
a ping-pong table for the dining room, he accepted the challenge and found the perfect piece from
Sean Woolsey Studio that wouldn’t detract from the French Deco themed condominium. (Pro tip: Lighting is a great place to start if you want to integrate a unique piece that serves a purpose, as seen inside the Parisian apartment of
Julien Sebban and Jonathan Wray.) For a more advanced course, take notes from interiors stylist Colin King and
study every inch of his Tribeca loft.
TV-centered living rooms
In this day and age, screens are a central part of most people’s daily lives. Perhaps just as integral for the evenings. That being said, if your setup is one sofa facing a screen, it’s hard to attract anything but. So even if your space is small, find a small way to make it more interactive. Whether that means two sofas facing each other instead of the wall, or adding an additional lounge chair in the corner, let’s talk to each other! (Dare I suggest bringing back the conversation pit?)
Chesterfield sofas
Even though the
Chesterfield sofa is undeniably charming and an easy way to achieve the modern farmhouse trend that will
continue dominating in 2023, it might be time for a bit of a break. With the grandma-chic SoHo House aesthetic sweeping the stage of perhaps one too many homes these days—with the Chesterfield front and center—we’re interested in seeing different ways of pulling off this rustic, homey look. This could mean going lighter and loftier à la
Beverly Kerzner’s Hudson compound, or more eclectic and homey like
Sienna Miller’s English country cottage.
Color-coordinated decor
From black-and-white photo clusters to color-coordinated bookshelves, this finicky and unnatural look still feels a bit more like a curated Pinterest page than the intimate rooms of someone’s actual home. You should be able to stick a new book on your shelf even if there’s only space in the pink section. Open your mind to all the possibilities for arranging things.
Chill on the bouclé
Yes,
bouclé can exist in any color, but it’s one of those things that feels inherently beige in essence, you know? Maybe it epitomizes the all-white panic room, but there’s something about seeing it everywhere that feels extremely unsettling. (The next pandemic dealer that reupholsters a flawless vintage furniture piece in the fabric will be receiving a complaint directly from this desk.) Regardless,
bouclé was everywhere for a moment, but the time has come to
try something else. The deliberately pill-y fabric has its place—I myself am the owner of a much beloved bouclé
sectional sofa—but certainly not in every home.
