The year is 2025—and we’re ushering in a new, bold, and reimagined era of interior design.
While some trendy home decor trends have flourished in 2024 and prior years, a lot of these trends have simmered down this year—like Instagram-centric statement pieces and curved furniture.
Conversely, 2025 has seen a proliferation of new and never-before-seen design touches that have redefined what’s hip and hot this year.
Furthermore, this year has also reintroduced some past hits, cementing their status as timeless decorative elements that are still adored decades after their initial introduction.
From biophilic touchups to the merging of the traditional and contemporary into one timeless creation, here’s what’s hot in home decor in 2024.
Let’s take a look!
1. Dark Wood Panels
One of the most captivating design elements in 2024 is the use of dark wood panels around the living room and dining area, specifically as walls and vertical textural additions.
These panels are placed vertically against a wall, infusing each room with a timeless elegance thanks to their dark and grainy hues.
Furthermore, these dark wood panels add a soothing, natural element to the home—making the dwellers and visitors feel cosy and at peace when surrounded by it.
The best wooden planks for the job are cedar, walnut, and maple. But you don’t even have to use actual wood for the finishing if it’s beyond your budget—you can use faux-painted wallpapers that resemble dark wood instead.
If you want to embrace a more classic and vintage era in your home, opting for beadboard-type walls in darker tones is also a good choice. Just be sure that the furniture present in the room also matches the vibe exuded by the dark wooden walls.
2. Smart Home Technologies
Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are no passing phase—they’re becoming more integrated into our everyday lives. And the house is no exception.
While smart home technologies have been fairly prominent in the early 2020s, they’re still riding an uptrend in terms of mainstream adoption. And that momentum isn’t slowing down.
With smart tech, home-dwellers no longer need to stand up and physically switch the light on or off—they can tap some menu options on an app on their smartphone (or in a device attached to a wall) to do it for them.
Alternatively, they can simply make a request verbally and allow a receiving device like Alexa to execute the command.
Besides that, the lighting can even be controlled and adjusted depending on the whims of the homeowner, enabling them to dim, alter the hue, or customise it to their liking.
The same type of technology exists for other essential home fixtures and furniture, such as temperature control systems, security cameras, and even pet care products.
The pace of innovation surrounding AI and IoT is booming at unprecedented rates, so there’s no question that there will be more functions in this space with every passing year.
3. Unexpected Tiles
In 2025, sterile and basic house designs are slowly getting phased out, and personal flair and individuality are on the rise. People are embracing their creativity unapologetically—and one way this can be spotted in a household is through the tile design choices.
More and more homeowners are starting to make statements with the use of tactile tiles and non-uniform design elements. Instead of opting for checkered and alternating colour schemes, for instance, there’s an uptrend of more arbitrary and random layout choices that express one’s flair.
Besides that, there’s also a rise in more tactile and single, large-scale tiles in bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. These additions make a room pop and add a sense of grandeur to the space.
Furthermore, designers are also becoming more conscious about seamlessly incorporating natural light and weaving it tightly with the tile choices, positioning the entire room as a focal point rather than only specific elements.
4. Biophilic Features
Natural and biophilic features are never not going to be trendy in home decor, and in 2024, this is still very much true. This trend is particularly bolstered by the emphasis on sustainability amidst worsening climate conditions.
Potted plants and hanging greenery are features that add a touch of serenity and vitality to one’s home. There’s a wide range of flora to choose to incorporate in one’s home—from tiny, tableside succulents to lush, sprawling plants like snake plants and dracaena.
Besides being beautiful decorative elements, plants are also great air purifiers. They are also good at uplifting the mood of the house and lower stress levels, which are beneficial for a wide range of people.
A specific trend that’s been on the rise lately is the creation of tranquil spaces in one’s home that feature these natural decorative elements.
For instance, homeowners may build or renovate specific resting areas in the house that can serve as isolated, natural sanctuaries to help people reflect and find peace. Alternatively, rooms may feature large windows that overlook a lush outdoor garden.
5. Overlapping Vintage and Contemporary
In 2024, people started to use both vintage and contemporary elements and fusing them into one layout.
While some people may find this fusion a bit jarring and disjointed, there are many possible ways to harmoniously feature both vintage and contemporary elements to add depth to a room.
For instance, adding a vintage French sofa and rustic wooden table designs with sleek and modern light fixtures can bring a fresh twist to a room.
A great way to enhance a space is by incorporating spring and summer decorations that seamlessly tie into both traditional and modern aesthetics. Bright floral arrangements, light linen textiles, and vibrant color palettes can refresh a room seasonally while maintaining a sophisticated atmosphere.
Another example is adding ornate carpets overlooking a large window can also be a nice mashup between two different periods.
One of the coolest integrations of the old and the new is featuring old art pieces behind a sleek and contemporary furniture set. This can be eye-catching while still being comforting and appropriate in modern times.
6. Warm Minimalism
There’s nothing as serene as a minimalistic home. The absence of clutter provides room for the dwellers to breathe and relax without having a disorganized and cluttered mind.
In 2025, minimalism is still a big trend, especially as more people are downsizing and moving to smaller houses where usable space is becoming more limited.
As more people are conscious about how they utilise space in small houses, they’re also learning how to design their abode in a way that’s inviting for themselves and potential guests. And that’s when warm minimalism steps in.
Warm minimalism is a type of minimalism that embraces the cleanliness of minimalism while still adding some cosy and inviting elements into the space.
Just like minimalism, it still embraces conscious furniture choices and the removal of excess clutter. Visit this link for rubbish removal services in Sydney.
But unlike traditional minimalism, instead of featuring furniture that’s predominantly solid blocks of neutral colours like blacks, greys, and whites, warm minimalist designs embrace soft hues, earthy tones, and tactile and natural textures.
Instead of sterilising a house from its home-like features, the warm minimalist design promotes the homeyness of a home while still keeping it clutter-free.
7. Artisan Craftmanship
In a world where mass production infiltrates home decor, people are starting to hold a greater appreciation towards personalised items that have a human touch and history behind them.
The reason is simple: at our core, we value authenticity and connection—and this can’t be any more true in a world where human and worldly connection is slowly getting replaced by quick entertainment in our smartphones.
Artisan goods made by an expert’s hand offer distinguishing elements to one’s home. From woven textiles to handcrafted furniture, these artisanal pieces elevate a house’s character in more ways than a retail-procured item would.
Furthermore, as the world becomes increasingly more globalised, it’s also more common for people to integrate design elements from overseas into their homes.
These artisanal elements tell a story of where one has been and what one finds meaningful—and displaying these items around the house can be a good way to recall these precious moments and replay these happy memories.
