Interior trends to watch in 2026

Minimalism is out – bold colours and textures are in

Minimalism involves paring back décor, reducing what you have on display for only the essentials, and opting for whites, greys, blacks or beiges as your colour scheme. And while it was once favoured as a way to decrease clutter and create a sense of openness in a home, designers are now saying this can feel stiff and impersonal.

One reason for the decline in this trend is the impact of the Covid pandemic on home design. People were in their homes so much that they wanted to invest more in their spaces. Even when people started travelling again and returning to the office, they still wanted the cosy, comfortable home.

Interior designer Lucinda Sanford says, “clients seem to be more open to interiors that look like they can be touched, appreciating designs that can add their own personality to.”

Colour capping

Totally opposite of the minimalist style is colour capping, which involves using paints in various tones of the same colour family to transform your space – and your ceiling.

You can opt for more neutral shades for a less maximalist look or go for deep burgundies and rich blues. For example, you might choose one colour for your walls and then choose a slightly darker or lighter shade of that colour for your ceiling. This creates a softer, more balanced look, than leaving your ceiling white.

If you want to take this trend a step further, you can opt for double drenching. This technique involves coating all available surfaces – walls, ceilings, radiators and woodwork – in two or more colours from the same palette. This is bold and creates more of a contrast than colour capping.

Closed concept layouts

For years we have been knocking down walls or building extensions to create a more open-plan living space in our homes. But could that be a thing of the past?

The closed-concept layout, which is slowly growing in popularity, is about going back to separate individual spaces. Designers say people now want distinct spaces to live and work in, and be able to personalise these spaces.

With this, you can have a bit more fun with design – each room can have its own personality, rather than one big space that you have to decorate in one way.

It’s also easier to stay organised. This is particularly difficult to do in open layouts when all of your belongings are on display.