After a decade of staged minimalism—spaces that looked pristine but somehow all felt the same—homeowners are craving something warmer in 2026: rooms with personality, texture, and evidence of real life. “You can only do so many shades of white, khaki, or beige before we’re all living in the same home,” says Amanda Barron, marketing director at Esquire Interiors, the family-run Ann Arbor design destination that has served the community since 1952.
That shift away from uniformity is showing up across every category Esquire provides and installs, from flooring, cabinetry, countertops, furniture, reupholstery services, bedding, and wallpaper to the window treatments that first put the business on the map. The result is a year defined less by one “must-have” look and more by a mindset: spaces that feel collected, inviting, and tailored to the people who live there.
If Amanda had to name one headline for 2026, she wouldn’t point to a single sofa silhouette or wallpaper pattern. She’d sum it up in one idea: personality over uniformity. “A cozy, collected, layered look,” she explains, “with a more bespoke, individual feel—pieces that are customized to your home and lifestyle.”
That idea feels especially fitting in Ann Arbor, where design often carries a sense of heritage. “There’s something about Ann Arbor that appreciates tradition,” says Josh Barron, who represents the third generation of leadership at Esquire. “People don’t want to mess it up.” At the same time, Esquire sees a growing appetite—especially among younger homeowners—for bolder choices, mixed patterns, and spaces that tell a story.
Part of Esquire’s story is the partnership behind the scenes: husband-and-wife duo Josh and Amanda Barron. Josh joined the business in the stockroom, working his way through every part of the operation, from repairs to installation to management. Amanda, meanwhile, arrived from a career in marketing and advertising before she made the leap to Esquire and began learning the business from the front desk, answering phones and getting to know the customer experience from the ground up. Their strengths are complementary. Josh focuses on the practical details: how a piece works, how it wears, how it will live in a home. Amanda and Esquire’s team of designers shape the emotional arc: what a room feels like, and what a homeowner is trying to express.
For her part, Amanda is most excited about the return of warmth in color palettes. She points to shades like cognac, terracotta, mustard, and saturated neutrals that lean less gray and more espresso. “Even the darker tones are warmer now,” she says. “They still have that charcoal feeling, but with more richness and depth.”
Alongside warmer palettes, the Barrons are seeing a major rise in texture and natural materials. “We’re seeing more linens, wool, velvet,” Josh says. “A lot of emphasis on organic and natural material.” Wool carpeting, in particular, has taken on new life. “People hear ‘wool’ and think it’s delicate,” he says, but its natural fibers can be surprisingly forgiving, and its warmth and depth are hard to replicate.
Sustainability shows up here in practical ways, through window treatments that help regulate temperature and reduce energy use through Michigan’s big seasonal swings. Josh points to insulating options like cellular shades, and notes that homeowners are increasingly pairing them with automation: blinds that sync with Alexa or Apple so you can set daily schedules, match sunrise and sunset, and create “lightscapes” that make the most of natural light, even when you’re not home.
For homeowners wanting a high-impact update without starting a full renovation, Amanda doesn’t hesitate: “Draperies—side panels—are one of the easiest ways to make a statement in a room,” she says. Even a simple upgrade can dramatically elevate a space, especially when homeowners lean into texture, pattern, and thoughtful layering.
That function-meets-style mindset is reflected in Esquire’s furniture offerings, too. Around five years ago, the Barrons became a retailer of Norwalk Furniture, a high-end, custom upholstery and furniture supplier based in Ohio. The partnership offers homeowners the best of both worlds: comfort and durability, without sacrificing individuality.
Esquire has also expanded beyond Ann Arbor in recent years. A smaller satellite location opened in Plymouth in 2014, offering a curated footprint with their full range of Hunter Douglas products, and bringing Esquire’s services to a new community while encouraging customers to visit the flagship showroom in Ann Arbor for the full range of offerings.
The showroom itself reinforces the philosophy: inviting, approachable, and designed for real life. There’s even a small interactive toddler table tucked into the space—complete with a little fire truck—quietly signaling that families are welcome here (and yes, Josh may have a beer in the fridge for dads stuck in design limbo). As Josh puts it, “We can help you as much or as little as you need.”
And in a city like Ann Arbor—where creativity and quirks are part of the charm—Esquire has seen firsthand how personal objects can transform a space. Josh recalls a client whose home was filled with unexpected finds, including a giant papier-mâché Big Bird she rescued from being thrown away. It was joyful, a little weird, and completely unforgettable; the kind of detail that makes a home feel like someone actually lives there.
In a design year defined by warmth, texture, and the return of individuality, the Barrons’ guidance is refreshingly simple. And when clients arrive hoping for a definitive rule about what they “should” do, Josh brings it back to the only question that matters: “People ask, ‘What’s in style?’ And I go, ‘What do you like? That’s always in style.’”
Learn more at esquireinteriors.com.