Interior design in 2026 will embrace curated calm over superficial opulence, according to leading designers who predict a thoughtful shift away from recent trends of maximalist excess. Industry figures interviewed by Dezeen Magazine forecast spaces that prioritize human experience and longevity over flashy statements, marking a significant evolution in how living environments are conceived. This movement represents not a reactionary return to stark minimalism, but rather a mature, disciplined approach to restraint that maintains warmth and personality. Key influences shaping this direction include political aesthetics, technological disruption, and urgent environmental concerns. The consensus among designers points toward interiors that support daily life with quiet expressiveness rather than demanding attention through decoration.
The ongoing construction of President Donald Trump's neoclassical ballroom at the White House has emerged as an unexpected catalyst for this design rethinking. Many designers view Trump's overt celebration of decadence as a prompt to examine what truly deserves a place in our spaces. Tokyo architect Keiji Ashizawa explains that memorable interiors aren't necessarily those with the strongest statements, but rather ones where people naturally want to linger longer. Rather than eliminating decoration as an ideological stance, designers anticipate a more careful, selective attitude toward what merits inclusion. This creates calmer, more restrained environments born from maturity rather than strict stylistic dogma. Smita Thomas, founder of Bengaluru studio Multitude of Sins, describes this as disciplined, intelligent restraint that borrows from maximalism's warmth but strips its excess.
Material selections for 2026 will reflect this philosophy through honest, less processed finishes that emphasize meaning and longevity. Designers cite dark woods, aged metals, textured stones, and lime renders as dominant choices for upcoming projects. Chrome is predicted to officially replace brass as the preferred metal accent, offering a cooler, more contemporary feel. London and Lisbon firm director Claire Sá advocates keeping materials in their truest form without over-treatment, allowing natural patina to evolve and be celebrated rather than concealed. Los Angeles designer Kelly Wearstler anticipates slightly off-kilter palettes featuring smoked pastels, mineral tones, and one saturated 'odd' note to maintain vibrancy. EBBA founder Benni Allan showcases this approach through his recent self-designed timber-clad home, demonstrating materials with genuine longevity.
Artificial intelligence's growing influence on creativity has emerged as a central theme, prompting what Bengaluru studio founder Smita Thomas calls the 'battle of machines versus meaning.' While AI unlocks efficiency and imaginative possibilities, designers emphasize the need to prioritize simple, honest, purpose-driven spaces that support real life. Hong Kong practitioner Andre Fu urges professionals to 'design for the senses, not just the screen,' focusing on sensory wellbeing and seamless, invisible technology integration. London designer Tola Ojuolape stresses that as digital and physical boundaries blur, interior design must champion individuality, intention, local context, and authentic experience. Despite AI's benefits, Thomas acknowledges the collective need to harness it for creating spaces we can actually live in, not just visualize.
Sustainability concerns are fundamentally reshaping design processes and aesthetic languages. Finnish creative Joanna Laajisto has transformed her practice to prioritize existing structures and reclaimed resources in response to the climate crisis, noting that construction accounts for 35 percent of global carbon emissions. London's Studio Hagen Hall founder Louis Hagen Hall urges designers to consider project lifecycles, selecting durable materials and pieces that can eventually be recycled. The practice of combining old and new has never been easier, with UK and European culture largely moving away from mid-century space-age aesthetics of everything being brand new. Christodoulou expresses approval that the culture has moved toward working with what exists and employing sustainable materials where new elements are necessary.
Designers emphasize the growing responsibility to approach projects with a global perspective while avoiding cultural pastiche. Studio ŪMA co-founders Amber Pan and Michelle Song advocate for blending Eastern sensibilities with Western modernity to create spaces that feel both curated and alive. Kelly Wearstler advises practitioners to become great listeners and draw inspiration from diverse fields like sculpture, jewelry, industrial design, and vintage ceramics rather than studying only bathrooms when designing a bathroom. This cross-disciplinary approach ensures originality. As the world becomes more interconnected and complex, interior design in 2026 will be defined by thoughtful layering, personal narrative, and quiet authenticity rather than superficial opulence. The reaction to political excess, technological overstimulation, and environmental crisis is creating a more meaningful, grounded approach to how we inhabit our spaces.
