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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). I have every intention of revealing which design trends are most likely on their way out for 2023, but first I have an important disclaimer to share: 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, I promise it’ll 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.
The blob boom blew up on the internet this year, with delightfully nostalgic amorphous shapes gracing the pages of numerous AD issues. While a host of beautiful and timeless objects spawned from this trend, we do believe there will be a return to an appreciation of more structured forms. Other trends on their way out that we’re hoping will stay there: color-matched decor, for one (think: black-and-white photo clusters, or rainbow bookshelves). Others feel equally devoid of life—and perhaps are therefore dying—such as all-white or all-gray color schemes, and clean-countered kitchens. And don’t get me started on all the iconic designs that have been duped to death! Scroll down for the top 10 interior design trends we’re sending off (and hope you’ll consider quiet quitting) come 2023.
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. What are we here for? Think the antithesis, celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh’s country house kitchen, brimming with bowls, plants, and spices on every surface. It’s warm, homey, joyful, and welcoming—everything a kitchen should be.
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
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 peoples daily lives. Perhaps just as integral for the evenings, as well—even now that White Lotus is over. 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.
Duped to death designs
Ettore Sottsass’s Ultrafragola mirror, Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa, Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh chairs, Roger Lecal’s lipstick mirror… You get the picture. Fakes these days are getting alarmingly harder to distinguish from authentic originals. Sometimes it comes down to the little things: I recently found out that a dead giveaway for fake Jeanneret chairs is in the corners of the wicker upholstery. (They’re meant to be rounded.) Regardless, you’ve most likely seen all of these items in countless homes; unclear whether real or replica. And yes, the originals are timeless design staples—making their dupes ripe for the picking—that will never completely go out of style, but we’re very over the lack of originality. Instead of purchasing a knockoff for a suspiciously mid-tier price, consider commissioning something unique from an emerging designer, or consult a trusted vintage furniture dealer. Nathan Thelen made the sofas in the 1920s house that he shares with painter Claire Tabouret, but of course not all of us have that home advantage!
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.
