You may have heard about recent design trends like maximalism, sustainability, bold color, mixed metals, natural wood grain, statement lighting, quiet luxury and more. As always, there are many new and continuing decorating trends to explore. This can make it hard to know what to incorporate and what to leave behind. We checked in with three talented local interior designers, to find out how they approach decor in key areas in the home and how to make trends the inspiration not the focus.
Living Rooms & Family Rooms | YourDesignPartner.com
Mason Interior Designer and Owner of Your Design Partner, Ricci Jackson, has been interested in creating comfortable spaces since she was a little girl.
“I drove my mom crazy every time I changed my room around. I'd fall in love with my space all over again, just by shifting a few things for better placement and room harmony,” explains Ricci.
In 2010 she jumped into entrepreneurship founding Your Design Partner, focusing on exploring the emotional connection clients want to feel in their homes.
When approaching a living or family room, Ricci says, “One of the most important questions I ask my clients is how they want their living or family room to feel. I ask what activities are common for them and if they have favorite elements they'd like me to design around, for example, cultural or heirloom pieces.”
As for trends, Ricci says, “I look to them for inspiration, but I tend to pay more attention to how my clients want their homes to feel. Trends come and go. What's more important is making sure my clients feel heard and proud of what we create.”
When she does incorporate trends, it’s all about small doses. Ricci explains, “I will typically add in what I call ‘seasonings’ (easy-to-change accessories). I might paint or wallpaper a single accent wall in a trendy pattern or color to wake up a room or to add a fresh point of view. This way it's palatable, doesn't overwhelm the space and can easily be changed when a newer trend comes around.”
Ricci is inspired by the 2024 trend of dopamine decor for living rooms and family rooms, which is all about using bold colors to create feel-good spaces that evoke joy.
“An easy and affordable way to introduce the dopamine trend is to infuse colors into your space with paint, accent pillows, an area rug, etc.,” Ricci explains.
Sustainable design is also a simple consideration to incorporate by reusing and repurposing pieces of furniture you already own.
“One of my favorite projects from last year was updating a piece of furniture our clients already had. It was an entertainment center that felt less than inspiring, but having it professionally painted in a bold color made it the star of the room,” shares Ricci.
Kitchens & Dining Rooms | PattiJohnsonInteriors.com
Patti Johnson of Patti Johnson Interiors, based in Lebanon, has similarly been intrigued with interior design since childhood.
Patti shares, “From the age of 7 I would pour over the shelter magazines that my mom received monthly and determine how I could make the rooms in the photos better.”
In her work today, she still loves finding ways to help people improve their home life and environment.
“There are so many elements of design that can improve well-being other than just aesthetics,” she explains.
Patti advises that designing for the client rather than a trend is paramount and helps create a classic and timeless interior.
“I like to create a current look and feel to my projects, however, I tend to avoid anything too trendy. I often have to advise clients against certain design elements because they will feel stuck with it five or more years down the road,” says Patti.
Designing or renovating a kitchen and dining area requires not only understanding how the space will be used (who cooks in the home, will they be entertaining), but also resale, budget and client education. While white kitchens have been around for decades and aren’t going anywhere, Patti is seeing more color and natural wood tones being infused back into kitchen spaces.
“One welcome trend is a bit more color and the warming up of spaces. I did more non-white kitchens with colorful granite in 2023. Blending a white perimeter with a wood tone or a painted island is also a must. Natural stained and wood-toned cabinets are also currently making a strong statement.”
Warmer tones can mean more exciting and personalized backsplash options as well as more lively, varied countertop styles. Patti also sees formal dining rooms coming back, offering a great way to express some personality.
Bedrooms | Abby.DecoratingDen.com
Abby Connell of Decorating Den Interiors, also based in Lebanon, loves to create long-term relationships with her clients, seeing them through various projects and different phases of life.
“We’re often with many of our clients through major life changes; the birth of a child, purchasing or building a new home, marriage, divorce, aging, an empty nest and the list goes on. We develop personal, lasting relationships with our clients which makes what we do worthwhile,” shares Abby.
She also advocates for timeless design, especially for investment pieces in the room. Fun, trendy decor should be able to be replaced or relocated in the future for an easy update.
“Timeless design does not have to be traditional,” emphasizes Abby. “We have made very modern spaces timeless, it's just a balance of elements used to create the perfect space.”
She is currently loving warm wood tones that are popping up in design, “They just add so much to a space and I love incorporating them into a project.”
Bedrooms are often put off in favor of focusing on common areas for family and entertaining. However, the bedroom is where everyone starts and ends their days and the design plays heavily into the psychology of restfulness.
“I love bringing soft and comfortable items into the bedroom whether it be bedding, window treatments or a cozy sitting area. We also use color theory in bedrooms to make sure that we create peaceful, restful spaces. Most of the colors and patterns that we use are more subdued with softer lines and edges,” explains Abby.
