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A
Foreign.
B
We are going to be talking about the different interior design styles.
A
I'm very excited about today.
B
Ones in 2025. When I think about maximalism, I'm like, I want to be friends with them.
A
Oh, for sure. You know, like, it's like, in super stories. Interesting.
C
Yes. Yeah.
A
Way more fun. I love it when we get a client that's just like, houses. And even, like, we and son, they're like, we're not done. I'm like, no, we're not. We're just getting started.
B
Hello, everyone. Welcome to Dear Alice. We are going to be talking about the different interior design styles.
A
I'm very excited about today.
B
Ones in 2025.
A
The true Hollywood Story.
B
Each one behind interior design styles. Do you want me to tell you something, you guys? I learned. I learned the definition of a style. I didn't know what postmodern meant.
C
Yeah.
B
Like, I knew it was like, post war and whatever. I was picturing it being like, car, concrete walls and kind of brutalist and very minimal. I'm excited to get into this podcast. I learned something, and I feel like today everybody's kind of all about personal style. When I see people getting dressed, different influencers and whatnot, their take on it is so fun and fresh because it's their personal style. And so we hope that some of these terms are going to help you define what your personal style is. And maybe you just didn't know what it was called. Like, I didn't really realize what postmodern was. And we have different ways of describing it. So we're going to get in here and we're going to talk about. About the top 10 styles that are really hot right now in 2025, and give you a term for this as you sort of discuss it, and one of these is going to really resonate with you. I. As we were going through that, I was like, this is so you sue. Or you're probably like two or three of them. Yeah.
A
But say I'm like, don't be. Don't be sad about kind of mixing them because, like, your style is personal and so you can have influences from this and influences from this and make it your own.
B
Yeah. Yes. And it's even more interesting, I think, when we do the mashup and we've.
A
Brag, Lena, that you know.
B
Exactly. Yeah. So let's dive into it.
C
Sweet. Okay, so the first one is modern rustic farmhouse, which is not modern farmhouse.
A
Yes. Okay, so let's get.
C
Let's define this.
B
Let's go clarify this, because when you talk about the top styles of 20, 25. You're like, modern farmhouse, ain't it? It's not. It. It made people sad. The big HGTV article came out in the New York Times last year saying how sad it made everybody to have white walls and black windows. This is not that. The modern, rustic farmhouse. Our good friend sue hall over here lives in the modern, rustic farmhouse, not because it's a trend, but because it sincerely resonates with your being. And you found this incredible 1970s property with a barn on it, a full acre of land, and you have made it so dope. And so you. Yeah. Do you want to define the style?
A
I will. I want to say just, like, the whole farmhouse. I think that that is just, like, call. I. I think you mentioned that, like, this. What was it? Kind of homesteading. You know, like, that was kind of a big, like, word. And we're all just, like. We all want to, like, keep our own bees and, like, make sourdough bread and have a garden and chickens and, like. And which, like, I love that idea. I love that not everyone can have that, but I have that happening all around me. So, like, when this, like, property became available, we're, like, doy. Like, this is, like, the most fun and feels like the best thing to have a barn for our boys and to just, like. And I think it goes along with a really. A more relaxed person. I think the person that has this style, what is more relaxed or wants to be more relaxed because it's just a more casual way of living. And I think the surfaces are a little bit more humble, and you're okay with, like, a little bit of a mess. Not everything is, like, tight and postured because it's farmhouse living. So I think that that also goes along with, like, the rustic, if you like, Sundance, if you like, like that mountain living. This is also. That modern farmhouse was. What we all like, was just, like, soft sadness. Like, we're all over it, but it was just, like, really crisp and optic and, like, that hard contrast of bright white to, you know, really, really dark. And, like, it was it. I didn't believe it.
C
I was just gonna say not a farmhouse at all.
A
No, it wasn't a farmhouse. And so I think, like, this. We're just trying to correct that terminology now and saying rustic farmhouse, which I'm totally all about. And I think it's a really honest way of living. And I'm like, I'm totally into the trend, if you will, but I don't know if we want to, like, we have like really great definitions. We can kind of really define this for you. It says a modern rustic farmhouse design is a style that blends the cozy, welcoming elements of a traditional farmhouse decoration with the clean lines and contemporary touches of modern design. Which means basically like we have, we're a farmhouse, but we're living in the 21st century. So that's what that means.
B
Charm of rural living. But then you have a polish of mod of living in the modern day.
A
Yeah, exactly.
B
But yours was built in the 70s, truly rural before Highland was even much of a city. This was some of the first homesteads in the city of Highland. And they moved out there because nobody was there and that's what they wanted. Right. Since then, it's become completely enclosed with tons of busy neighborhoods, houses, places to eat, you know, car washes, all of the modern day convenience. So that's the modern side of it. But you still have this honest, rusticated, just really beautiful, natural light, big trees, really mature landscape.
A
Mature. We have irrigation, we have water shares. We have like it. It's like being off the grid, but.
B
Being close to the freeway and in a modern setting. Yeah. And then all of the changes that you're making to it today are modernized by the new plumbing fixtures and tying into the city sewage system.
A
Not on septic anymore. Yeah.
B
Yeah. Suz has, you know, cows on both sides of her. Right. Like little hobby cows. Yeah. And it's really, really charming and a fun way to raise kids.
A
And I think is we don't have sidewalks.
B
Yeah.
A
If you don't have sidewalks, just. Yeah. Consider yourself. You're. You're living the modern, rustic farmhouse life.
C
Yeah.
A
So definitely.
C
That's awesome.
B
They say it honors handcrafted materials, natural textures, and a grounded way of life while keeping the look fresh, clean, and quietly refined. So think of it as warmth meets structure, lived in meets edited. And we have a few IM images if you guys are watching this podcast on Spotify or on YouTube. And these are. This is a style that ARC Digest wants right now. All the publications are asking for. And it is really honest, but still so chic.
A
It's very editorial.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah. I'm like, it's. It the. It's the discipline and just the ease of the styling that's so fantastic.
C
It has has like soulfulness to it too. It's not. Yeah.
A
The food is going to be farm to table. Like their eggs are fresh, you know.
C
Yeah.
A
The smell is like fresh cut grass.
B
Yes.
C
Yeah.
B
And you can hear the bees in the trees.
A
Yeah.
B
The bees from the trees. And I'll say this one thing that we've learned, we've probably said it here a million times, is that glam is out. So this really perfect, overly polished lifestyle is something that the magazines do not want. This is a story that they want to tell right now. And oddly enough, not oddly, but in sync enough with this is. These are the things that are really popping up, I think, on these huge Instagram accounts is people making bread and people, you know, I mean, you milking cows.
A
Country music has never been hotter.
C
Feeding chickens, I'm gonna say.
A
I know.
B
Yeah. So there's this huge Malone. This huge resurgence toward this. And. And of course, the way of life goes right along with it. So this trend is called modern rustic farmhouse.
A
Yep. And you. They forage those branches from the tree outside?
B
Of course. Or they would forage wildflowers.
A
Yes.
B
Ex. It would never buy them. Okay, so you do buy them.
A
Yeah, I do.
B
Yeah.
A
But notice I'm like, there's not a lot of rugs, because, again, they. They probably have boots on, and they're probably dragging in some dirt. So I'm just saying, like, a lot of these are just, like. It's just a little bit, like, less layered, a little bit more humble, more honest materials. Plaids. I think all. Yeah, all the stains are just exposed. Then. Okay, there's this last one that is. Again, it's a little bit more. But I wanted to put this in here just because there was one article that I read that I resonate with a lot as far as just like, you still are involving just like the. I guess the year and era that the farmhouse was, you know, whether it was colorful was all in tile, which I resonated with, because I'm like, I have a 1970s farmhouse. So when it was time to do my bathroom remodels, I was just like, I'm going to lean into the 1970s. I'm going to go color drenching. And if I could have gotten the plumbing suite in blue and green, I would have, I'm sure. But just like to really just kind of embrace, again, the ONS material all around you. Be it would be a tile, be it paint, be it whatever plaster or whatever it is. There's a real honesty about having just, like, one honored material kind of surrounding you. So I love this picture. I love. Again, the setting's incredible, but again, it's just honest. I know exactly what it is.
B
It's easy tell the people that are listening what they're seeing.
A
Jess is so good at that. I'm Sorry. I forget sometimes, y'.
B
All.
A
Right, now we're looking at, like, this math, this, like, setting. It's. I don't know where it's at, but, like, there's fields and rolling and trees and everything in this massive picture window. And we just have a simple run of dining chairs on a dining table with beautiful greens, and the whole thing is some type of TNG that wraps up and around the whole space. And it's painted in this, like, really kind of citron green. And I just think it's so beautiful. It feels fresh. I feel the grass inside. So again, I think, again, natural. Even if it's not a natural material like a wood, I use natural colors. Green tile, blue tile. Like, colors that you see when you look out the window. Pulling that inside, I think is part of this whole movement of this rustic farmhouse. And, like, I just love that image so much.
C
Okay, the next one is maximalism.
B
Maximalism, yeah.
A
And you can be both. You can be a maximalist farmhouse.
C
Yeah, definitely.
B
I have to say this. When I think about maximalism, I'm like, I want to be friends with them.
A
Oh, for sure. You know, like, it's, like, in Super Stories.
C
Yes.
A
Way more fun.
B
Totally. You're like, I'm bored. I'm going over to her house. She's going to. I'm going to lay on her couch, and she's going to gossip to me and tell me all the stories of. Of her days back when or.
A
And I'm going to peek inside the boxes that she has. Stacks. I know. She has cool collections.
B
Got candy. She's got cigarettes in one, she's got.
A
Stories in another, she has pictures in another.
B
She's got brooches on.
A
She's got wigs.
B
Yeah.
A
She's.
B
She's got high heels and all the things. Like, this person is an.
A
There's not an empty closet.
B
Absolute blast. Yeah. This. I. I really, really love this design style. Sue, will you define maximalism for us? I sure will.
A
Maximalism. Maximus design is a bold and exuberant style that embraces abundance, layering, and vibrant elements celebrating more is more instead minimalist, less is more approach. It's characterized by the use of both colors, clashing patterns, which I love, and a curated collection of unique items to create visually rich and personalized spaces.
B
Love.
A
I love that. I love clashing, and I love curating.
C
What do you think?
A
So good.
B
And the boldness of it. Curated. They're just always collecting. The room's never done.
A
I know. Which is really, really fun. I love it when we Get a client that's just, like, house isn't even. Like, we install them. They're like, we're not done. I'm like, no, we're not. We're just getting started.
C
So it can. I think maximalism can feel cluttered, but what's. What. Yeah. What's the key to, like, the organization.
B
If you're not a maximalist.
C
Okay.
B
Which you are not.
C
Okay. Yeah.
B
Right.
C
Yeah. I mean, I.
A
They call it curated clutter.
C
Okay.
A
Like, a lot of, like, magazines and, like, articles out there.
B
Yeah. And this person's never met a stranger. They just like.
C
Yeah.
B
You know what I mean?
C
Yeah.
B
They're talkative. They're in your business. They're comfortable asking any questions.
C
Everyone knows.
B
Yeah, everyone knows every party, you know, because they're going to keep the conversation going. They're gonna. They're gonna be holding court in the corner with a bunch of ladies and telling them stories. And, you know, they're dressed like they're dressed.
A
The layers to the nines and the.
B
Outfit itself could do the talking, but they're also. They're also doing the work in. In every way. They're doing the most. You know, I love this.
A
I will say when I'm doing my own styling, because I have a lot of stuff and I have to, like, put things in piles away, and I'm just trying to analyze that right now. I'm like, how do I keep it from, like, feeling too much? And, like, you always have to. I'm, like, looking at this image that's on the screen, which is, like, this beautiful, like, library living setting that we're looking at right now. Three chandeliers, incredible colorful rug, and they have a lot of different. They have, like, two benches, like, a bunch of benches around the center table with all these books stacked. What makes it not feel cluttered is the fact that they organize the space. Planning to be straights on this one. If everything. Everything straight. The stacks are straight. Like, they have everything kind of, like, gridded and angled. And those were, like, at angles. Or you start doing weird stuff like that. That's when it becomes cacophonous. And it's not organized clutter. You have to keep some stuff on the streets, which I find myself doing a lot is, like, in my book arranging. I keep everything straight. I'm not putting it on an angle. I'm keeping things lined up and layered underneath things so that at least. Even though there's a lot, it at least feels organized. So I think that that's one tip. When you are, like, Styling furniture or accessories is just to like, don't worry about, like, I'm gonna it on an angle. Things will land the way they land. And that's like the beautiful thing about maximalism is you're gon trinkets and you're going to collect and put things here and there. But to have like an organized base.
B
Layer, well, organized chaos, that is especially.
A
That organized base layer is so important. Then like, you can just like have a party on top and keep putting stuff on top and you're never done.
B
She's never done shopping. It's. The space is never finished.
A
She's so fun.
B
So fun.
A
Maximalist. If you want to hang out, like, we're ready. This last one, just when you first saw this, you're like, this feels very kw. Yeah.
B
When I think of Kelly Warsaw, I don't always think of her as a maximalism. And I don't know if this is her own residence or somebody that is a maximalist that she worked for, but there is a fun tension going on between. She's got her channels. Wallpaper on the ceiling. She's got this incredible finish work of dental molding on top of dental molding happening. Paneling on the walls. All of the rugs are different. And then she has all different eras of furniture happening.
A
But she has a lot of pairs which organizes also.
B
Let me just say everything in the room is expensive, which also feels really good in maximalism. More otherwise.
A
More is more. More expensive on more expensive, please.
B
Yes, that. That is the maximalism that we love. Right. Otherwise it's a garage sale.
A
Yeah.
B
And it's happening in my basement. And let's just call it maximalism.
C
Yeah, exactly. That's a garage sale disguise. Yeah, totally.
B
I'm like, I got something that's not good. Looking down there.
A
Maximalism disguises maximalism in yard sale.
B
So I do think what you're saying suits uniforming things, pairs of things. Symmetry within maximalism. And then you can go ahead and have those patterns fight top and bottom with each other. And that becomes art and design.
A
Even the organization of, again, these, like two blue leather channeled sofas marrying each other like that. Strict organization that repeat, like, organizes the eye to absorb everything else around it. Like, that's done well.
B
That is done well.
A
High five, Kelly. You know what you're doing? Like, it's really good. We know it's good, good, good. Think about, think of this full time.
B
Hey, guys, this is the dark horse for me on the list. Postmodern. I said to Seuss, let's Just skip postmodern, because who cares about concrete walls?
A
Absolutely not.
B
And sadness. You know, that's what I thought postmodern was. Guys, postmodern is. I think the star of the show.
A
Brutalist is dope, too. I just want to say, like, in the whole postmodern, but postmodern. Do you want to define it for them?
B
I sure do, friend. Postmodern design emerged in the late 1970s and peaked in the 1980s and early 90s as a reaction against the rigid rules and minimalism of modernism. Where modernism favored function, restraint, and rationality, postmodernism embraced expression, irony, and visual complexity.
A
I love that.
B
Yeah. So post modernism is a really good time. And if you're watching, then you're getting to see some of the. The fun, wacky things going on. Sue, do you want to narrate what they're looking for? And I'm going to give a few.
A
Okay. I think post. Yeah, postmodern is a lot of, like, sculptural pieces. Like, either, like, with global influence, artists, influence abstractions, things like that. What we're looking at right now is, like, this really cool living space, which I love what they did on the ceiling, too. They created this, like, lid with this tray and a pinstripe on the top. I just had to say that out loud because I'm like. It's a really cool, like, lift on that room. And then the chandelier, like, you see the chandelier coming down, and I don't know if it's just like, this woven or rattan. Like, all these arms are, like, stretching out of it, so it feels like it's art.
B
Yeah.
A
Like, all the pieces look like art.
B
Yes.
A
Which I think is so fantastic. And the profiles are interesting. And again, it's nothing. It's nothing that you would be able to find, like, create a formula for. I don't think postmodern. I think it is all in the mix of gathering these different items that feel like art on art online.
B
I love that. So good. Shapes are exaggerated, abstracted, or whimsical. And designers broke the form follows function rule.
A
Yeah.
B
Sometimes form came first, but they're really into clashing hues, graphic patterns, vivid palettes where I'm color blocking. Yes.
A
Why we like color blocking.
B
That is why we like it. There also is a material mashup, so laminate with marble, chrome with lacquer, plastic next to wood, high meets low, glossy meets raw. Ornamentation was back. And surface treatments, whether marbled, mirrored, patterned, they were all celebrated. So.
A
So into it.
B
Yeah. Postmodern design.
A
Even, like, can you go back to that last one, Cory? But even here, like, with all these things, notice the two chairs, two main chairs and the sofa are the same.
B
Yeah.
A
So again, you have these uniforming things, and you're okay seeing repeat. But then you have all these, like, just one off art pieces just, like, smattered between them.
B
And I think it's so fantastic, the contrast jumping out to me, like, obviously that chandelier, which is like, 18 different arms holding light bulbs. There's a sculpture in the corner. There's a triangle cocktail table. You really see the arms of that red chair. So you're seeing these shapes that are really standing out, even though there's uniformity happening. Yeah, yeah.
A
It's so good.
B
It's so fun. It's rule breaking. It's layered. It's expressive. It values attitude over purity and personality over perfection. If modernism was tailored black suit. Postmodernism is fashionable, editorial, unexpected, ironic, and unforgettable. Yep.
A
This is like the outfit at the Grammys that, like, everybody's just like, did you see? Yes. They did this next picture that we're looking at. Again, it's just like, I love this play on stripes that again, none of them match. But you see this, like, repeated, you know, principle of the stripe on the wall. You see the stripe in the rug, and you see that stripe on that sofa. It is so fantastic. It is. I'm just like, normally, like, you'd put all those. You might feel like cacophonists, but when you get it all together and you just unapologetically, like, shut the door, and you're just like, this is me. It's dope. It's so, so good.
B
And I feel like it is design. Like, this does not feel like amateur hour. Even though it could really first, you know, I mean, it could first. I feel like this also when. When we were first pulling all images out, and granted, none of these are Kel porcelain, but I feel like this hits the nail on the head for. How do you define Kelly's style? I would say is postmodern. It's breaking all the rules. It's having fun. It's using unexpected materials together. It's really focusing on those shapes and, like, the repeated clashing patterns and all of that.
A
Even the ceiling, that, like, repeated stamp. You know, you have the repeated globes on the. On the light fixture, but then you have these color blocking out, so you really understand the shapes. You guys, I just want to say something really fast, like, you know, hopefully you're starting to define your own style. As we're talking about these things, I always knew. And I think you're the same way, where we're not, like, a ton of pattern. Like, we're more. We like more color blocking. Because I like a lot of. I like a lot of items. I like a lot of art and stuff. So everything in my house, yes, it's opinionated, but, like, I had, like, a solid pink rug. Solid. You know, just this sculpture over here. This sculpture. Anyway, I just recently replaced my pink rug with another pink rug that had a pattern in it, and it feels like a mariachi brand is on my floor. Y'. All, like, it is. It is really cute, and my eyeballs are getting used to it, but I'm just like, I miss my solid pink rug. Or there's just something about just, like, having. I think this will be great as far as forgiveness for the season that I'm in. But you kind of like, as you start to, like, experiment, pull things in here, like, it's. It's okay for you to say, that's not me. This one was more me, you know? And just, like, I think that that's a really good exploration as you're trying to figure out who you are, because that was just, like, further validation and, like, what I knew. But then I was, like, pulling Jess. I'm just like, this is what this looks like, right? It's not quite. It's not quite me. What are your thoughts? I'm like, formula. But I would say I'm, like, formulaic. Like, it has all the right colors. It has, like, everything. That should make it great for somebody else's brain, just not mine.
B
Isn't it cool, though, that you know your personal style? Yeah. Because anybody else could put a pink rug to replace a pink rug, and they're like, I did it. It. I completed the task. But because you're so in tune with your personal style, you're like, I'm not a pattern. Because you know where your pattern comes from.
A
All your art. No, I'm like, I don't even see my little African chair anymore. You don't see the line. You don't see the line work anymore.
B
Which is like a piece of sculpture. Yeah. Yeah. Kind of hijacked your brain.
A
Yeah. So anyway, it's good. Such as trying to really narrow down what your eyeballs, like, really stare at a lot of images and understand these things so that you can define who you are, so that you make a better decision on your next buying machine. Like, buying, like. Yeah. Trip.
C
Edit things out that aren't feeling like Marie Kwondo. Yeah, yeah.
A
It does not bring you joy. Get rid of it.
B
I'll go over to Susan's house next. It'll be in the basement.
A
I told that.
B
With Legos all over.
A
It's so funny. I told Tom that that night after we put it down, he, like, just got it all down. And I was just like, you're going to hate me. I'm just like, I don't have your husband for you.
B
And you're like.
A
You're just like, yeah, I don't like. It's not.
C
That's hilarious.
A
I think it's right. And he was. He was so cool. This is like, what, 20 years of marriage. He's just like, we can put it in the basement. And it was just like.
C
Exactly.
A
Anyway, it's a great rug.
B
Yeah, it is.
A
But I should put a picture of that next to the other one.
B
Oh, more postmodern. This is the sofa that everybody just loves.
A
It's so good, that modular line. But again, just that repeat. That's why it was so modular. Cuz you could like expand it everywhere and it kind of just becomes backdrop noise. Still sculptural.
B
Those of you listening, you know the sofa that kind of looks like it's almost like a LEGO brick. It's marshmallowy and everybody wants it right now. And it has these, like, cool little chrome sort of details on the side that wrap around it and also emphasize the bubbliness of it. This, of course, is hitting right in that pocket of these shapes. It's not form follows function. It's, you know, it's. It's just like, so fun to look at and you can just happen to sit on it.
A
So, like, you want to go sit on it. Yeah, like, and have it just wrap yourself.
B
Just like the ultimate postmodern feeling. So fun. Once again, same sofa, but this one's in leather and this one's a little bit more cacophonous.
A
Like in its.
B
This rug feels so 1980s. The lamp also feels so 80s. Yeah. The unapologetic use of color. Just a lot of fun. So postmodern. Super expressive. Very designer. It's. It's eclectic in a different way. And you can spin it to be. Be more maximalist or more minimalist, but you're really focusing on all of these fun, playful shapes. Sculpture as like, you're living in.
A
As with sculpture, I think all of us have a little bit of this, like. Yeah, this in our soul.
B
Yeah.
C
Suze, I heard you got cozier's new luxury blanket and I want you to tell us about it.
A
I did. It's my very favorite new toy. It's the bubble cuddle blanket from Cozy Earth and it's this faux fur that is the softest blanket I have ever experienced. All my family, we all go downstairs, we watch movies together almost every night in the summer and we all fight over our blanket and I think I won. I have the bubble cuddle and it is so soft and furry and I just, I love it so much.
C
Cozy Earth also has amazing bamboo sheets that come with a 100 night sleep trial. So try them out. If you don't love them, return them hassle free. There's also a 10 year warranty because once you feel this level of comfort, you'll want it to last a decade. So head to cozyearth.com and use our code Dear Alice for up to 40% off. That's cozyearth.com code Dear Alice. And if you get a post purchase survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Because your bed should be more than a place to sleep. It should be your happy place. Cozy Earth makes that possible. The next one, Bohemian.
A
You guys, this was part of the SEO search that y' all are loving. Bohemian still.
B
This is Suzanne's favorite. Suzanne went through a bohemian era when she was in college.
A
College. You have to get your wiggles out, y'.
C
All.
B
Yes.
C
It's part of learning.
B
It is part of learning. Do I tell them what you had in your dorm room?
A
Yeah.
B
Or your first apartment?
A
Well, I'll tell you. Yeah. Growing up like this was in like even high school. Like I had a hammock.
B
High school. Yeah.
A
Yeah. I had a hammock. I had a bunk bed and I got rid of the top bunk and I put a hammock.
C
Why not? Yeah.
A
I had glow in the dark. Stars like hung from like strings nailed into my ceiling. I had, I burned incense, I had a strobe light and I had a beaded curtain.
B
You've been everything.
A
I've done it all.
B
Yeah.
A
I've done it all.
B
I do think of bohemian design or boho. This is a free spirited, eclectic interior design approach with the emphasizes personal expression and individuality. I do feel like a young, emerging Suzanne Hall.
A
Just little girls are figuring things out.
B
Yeah. But you see the style and you're like, oh my gosh, I have to. My mom never lived like this. This is me. Right? You want the opposite of how you were raised. And so all of a sudden you've Got vibrant color and pattern and te. And you've got all these natural materials, often woven things or handmade things. Right. You've had all those bracelets on your arm. You're like, now I. I made a bracelet. I can make a hammock.
C
You know what I mean?
A
It's. It's so crafty.
B
But usually with natural materials, you've got some.
A
You got macrame.
B
It's real free form, layered.
A
And I do think I crocheted something.
B
Every single. At some point in their life has been boho, don't you think?
C
Absolutely.
B
And she, like, maybe didn't even comb her hair for a while. She's like, I'm doing dreads.
A
I'm gonna see what happens. Yeah. It's the summer. No one cares. I was about to say, I'm like, I feel very like Urban Outfitters. And ironically, I remember, like, being in Santa Monica on the promenade and going into Urban Outfitters in this phase of my life.
B
Yes.
A
So it all iconic. I was just like, this is me. You know when you're like a kid and you're just like, I belong.
C
Yeah.
A
You know, you watch Saved by the Bell and you're like, that's me. I found my fold. We've all.
B
Every girl has been.
A
We've all bought the succulents. We've all done it. Yep, definitely.
B
And so I can see how that's trending for someone at some point in their life. It's part of being. I was gonna say it's part of girlhood, but Corey, I don't know. Did you experience that as a boy? Did you ever crave.
C
No, no.
A
You wanted as a young boy.
C
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
B
It. This is more example of boho. I don't know what we're looking.
C
I mean, like a southwesterny, like, pattern, like rug too. Yeah, yeah.
B
Cactus, Southwestern, woven in leather sofa with a hide over the top of.
A
You probably have a peacock chair around the corner.
B
Most plants that you've ever experienced. Yeah.
C
Hanging suckers.
A
Crazy.
B
You can see the chair hanging from the ceiling. That's the vibe.
C
Yeah, yeah. Some driftwood, maybe.
A
Smells like dirt.
C
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly. Yeah. For instance, you know, incense from the.
A
Rastafarian bishop that you bought it from on the Promenade.
C
Yeah.
B
Cleanliness.
C
There's a. For sure. A record player and some records and stuff. That's the thing with that too. Yeah, yeah.
A
There might be some, like, paraphernalia in there.
C
Yeah, yeah. Taking some ribs in the morning.
B
Okay. Okay.
A
None of us are really employing boho right now.
B
Unfortunately.
A
Respect. You young. You. You young ladies that are trying to. You're figuring it all out.
C
So New Traditional is the next one. And we were talking about this before we recorded, and I was saying, like, man, it feels. That's like, is tradition transitional? To me. But Jess made some good points, so let's. Yeah, yeah.
B
So I'll define it. New Traditional is a modern take on classic design. It's grounded in timeless principles, but updated for how we live today. It respects history without being stuck in it. Think of this as an elegant but edited with an eye toward balance, proportion, and subtle personality. It's traditional, but with a twist. New Traditional is gracious and timeless with just enough modernity to keep it feeling current. You guys know those traditional homes that are so trad that you're pretty sure you lived like that once before and your mom or your grandma did it. And especially right now, because the 90s are kind of having this resurgence, and I get a little itch under my collar when I see them completely interpreted almost the exact same way. The palette might be different, so I tend toward new traditional. I like a fresher take on it. I still think you can. I still think you can employ some of the old tricks which make it feel historical and expensive. And you have. I think everything's done in really high taste, good taste. But if you take a fresher palette, then I think it feels more like new traditional instead of the way that our parents did it.
A
Agreed.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah.
B
So it's about honing the past while making space for the new with a fresh lens on the whole thing. So let's show them a few images. Those of you watching, you can tune in for this. If not, we'll try and describe them. So in this room, we've got this. This is kind of space planning. You've got the sofa face off, and we have two. I'd call them olive green velvet sofas. Doing a face off with a fireplace at the end of the room, a gilded mirror over top, beautiful gold or brass bowl fixture. I do feel like the cocktail table is a little bit more simple and transitional.
A
Yeah.
B
But then you have that.
A
A little bit more Parsons looking.
B
Yep. And then you have that sort of empire side table that's got a marble top. But then I feel like all the styling is really bright and poppy and happy and almost Kate Spade.
A
Yeah.
B
Do you know what I mean? Or like, Tory Burch lives here. So I think those fresh fashion sort of compliments and colors that you're using can give you that fresh, that new traditional Feeling where the old traditional might.
A
Use hunter green or they might be law books.
B
Yeah. Will all be employed. And it will feel. It will feel more serious.
A
Yeah. They've collected art pieces and stuff around. Has little frames everywhere.
B
Yeah. So if you're kind of. If you like parts about traditional, but you love this sort of update with a fresher palette, you could tell people your style is new traditional. I think the difference between this and transitional, I feel like transitional leads. It is blending contemporary with traditional. I feel like it's more edited and I feel like the palette is generally more calm.
A
Yeah.
B
They're not employing all the jewel tones.
A
It's not as poppy.
B
Yeah. More images. I love this take.
A
I do too. I do too.
B
We've got a lot of really beautiful stain grade paneling that are happening on the mantel, the walls. I call those, like almost gothic windows. Beautiful ceiling with plaster molding on it. And then furniture. We've got multiple rugs, a huge rug grounding the whole space, and then multiple antique rugs loaded on here. But then that modern art is really, really sort of slaps it in the face and keeps the room interesting.
A
The modern sculpture over this fireplace with all this like wood pan, natural wood paneling on the wall, White plaster up top, still windows, those massive rugs, but all relatively neutral except for that.
B
Very traditional and lots and lots of pattern. We've got tapes on the bottom of the chair, skirts. We've got scallops on the end tables, velvets. Yeah. So a lot of really expensive things happening here. But the palette feels fresh and that art is really doing a lot for the space, I think.
A
Completely. Yeah.
B
Yeah. So the palette, I think the palette makes it feel mostly that new traditional. Let's talk about mid century. This is a style I find a lot of men are really drawn to in the work that we do. Generally he likes some form of contemporary or he like. He'll usually reference mid century and he usually wants one of those iconic chairs right in his space. He has one at his work, he wants one at home. It really defines his style. He feels like he feels at one with mid century design. Sue, tell them about mid century.
A
Okay. Mid century design. You all are familiar with it and we've done like podcasts on. On podcasts on it before, but we're going to give you a definition. Mid century modern is a design style that emerged in the post World War II era, roughly 1945 to 1969. It's characterized by simplicity, functionality, and a belief that good design should be accessible to everyone. The look is clean, optimistic, and often organic, celebrating form and innovation without excess. It's design that quietly says more with less. So again, you had a lot of, as far as just like designers, architects that were creating furniture to go in inside these arc architectural, like monuments. Right. Mid century design. And so the outside speaks really well with the interior with this type of furniture. And you feel a lot of these like cantilevered ceilings that are like the same material outside going inside and vice versa. And so it's all a very natural, organic thing with a lot of discipline in the furniture. I actually, the older I get, the more respect, the more respect. As far as like when you go down to the roots of mid century and you experience some spaces, like, I love it. And I think that there's a place of a little bit in every home.
B
Can you imagine being alive at the time? This feels so original. Yeah. For that, like you've never experienced it before. You know how fun that is. It was like how you had never experienced boho before. And then you did in that moment.
A
I smelled the incense. I was just like, yes.
B
I'm all in.
A
I love it.
B
Like, imagine experiencing mid century for the first time.
C
It would feel so fresh, right? Yeah.
B
Yeah, I think so too. This is how these are some key attributes of, of it. Clean lines, geometric forms, sleek straight lines with soft curved silhouettes. There's no frills, ornamentation or excessive detailing. Just strong, purposeful shapes. Every element's intentional. Furniture is designed to be lived with, not looked at. Often lightweight and low slung. That low slung thing, it's a very, I think Eames Saarinen, Nelson Wagner, bent plywood, fiberglass shell chairs, tapered legs, pedestal bases, pieces that feel sculptural but approachable. And then the materials they used were wood, like walnut, teak, rosewood, and then they used leather, glass and metal. And materials were often combined in innovative waves like wood and molded plastic or steel. So it's things that you just hadn't seen before as furniture. And these shapes just were so iconic and are still today and everybody still collects these things or if they're still being programmed, they purchase these things at full list.
C
And such a break from traditional. It's like. Yeah, I don't know. I like sue said, I feel like there's pieces of mid century modern that everybody could use, you know. Yeah. To me, honestly, when I see an entire space that's mid century, it feels a little stale to me. But using elements of it, you know, here and there is like, can create great interest, I think.
A
You know what we did in Angie Harrington's house of Harrington.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah. There was a couple vintage moments in her house, I think, like, shined so beautifully amongst all of her collections. Like, I love that style, so that's. I'm like, I feel like every house needs some of this discipline and just the clean lines.
B
Yeah. Of it all, it feels so good when there's a lot of other things going on. It's that tension. Tension between the two is so good. Another key component, which I think is really hot right now that we took from mid century is large windows and indoor plants and an emphasis on indoor outdoor living that we got that from mid century. And now today, we see, like, all the nano walls here. It would just be a sliding glass door. Right. But today we took that from them, where we have the whole wall that opens up, and you want that inside and the outside, the views are definitely a part of how you're living. And I know everybody today wants bigger windows than ever before. And a. Are growing plants inside. I know I am. I feel like it does so much for space. You just. You're just finishing up a modern home right now in Vegas, and the first step we did was, let's bring in plants. So we learned it from them.
A
Yep, exactly.
B
Which is really cool.
A
Exactly. I think. You know how we always say, like, the older you get, the more, like, edited and simple. You want things. You pair things back. And I feel a little bit of that right now. Like, even though I just got a pattern drug, I know you're feeling that.
B
Because you have a pattern or just.
A
Like, even I think I'm like, what do I want this, like, land to have? Or what do I want this house to look. Look like, anyway? Like, I do want, like, something a little bit more tailored and a little bit more modern, like, inventive. And I don't know if it's just like, this itch or something as you get older to kind of pull back and, like, be disciplined and do things on the interior that you would anyway. So it is interesting that as you kind of go through your design journey, like, what you're drawn to, you know, and, like, how you feel in space. I think. I think these images are really. I think it indicates a lot. You feel calming.
B
Your new rug in there.
A
Look at all those solids.
B
You also love nature.
A
Yeah. No, it makes sense.
B
Which makes. Yeah. Tons of sense. Organic, modern. I think this is another one that's high on our list. We feel this a lot in Utah, especially where we live, mostly because we have Park City, the mountains, Heber City. And this is a style that a lot of people with a second home want to employ. So we'll just. Sue, do you want to define organic modern for this?
A
Yep. Organic modern is an interior design style that blends the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic of modern design with the warmth and natural elements of organic materials. It creates a harmonious balance between. Between contemporary and natural aesthetics, often featuring natural materials like wood, stone, and plants alongside sleek modern furniture.
B
Yeah, definitely. So we're. We're modern. Feels like very, like white and cold and chrome and very simple. This is bringing in those natural materials. Like sue said, your wood, your stone, your linen, your clay, your plaster walls, your wool, your leather. So there's like, honest living materials. Your surfaces are matte and raw rather than polished. And you're even seeing, like, unfinished oak, honed marble, ceramics. And it's just something that feels really soft. Even though it's modern, it's very clean. There's sculptural forms. Like, right now, we're showing you a room where you've got a very organic shaped white sectional that's interesting to look at, and you've got these beautiful organic tables that are mixing with it. Big, huge boucle chairs, caning. So I think this is the way to do modern if you're doing it today. This also feels very California to me. Yeah. And I think this is a really nice. A really nice way to live. A lot of natural light. This space is stunning. Windows being a huge thing. And then look at all the natural materials in that room. The palette's so easy on the eyes.
A
The trees are the sculpture out the window.
C
Yeah.
A
Like, everything else is pretty straight, but all organic material.
B
Real curved.
A
This one's lovely.
B
Again, big trees. They have paneling on the walls here, but ceramics are celebrated on top of beautiful pedestals.
A
It's more of a texture story than a pattern story.
B
Yeah.
A
Like texture and form.
B
Yep.
A
Okay.
B
Art Deco.
A
Art Deco, yeah.
B
This is a fun one. We're kind of playing around in deco land right now.
A
I think. So. Yeah. We have a whole home that's actually Art nouveau, which, like, was a predecessor to Art Deco and anyway. But Art Deco, I think was. Well, we'll just read the definition.
B
Art Deco is a decorative style that flourished in the 20s and 30s, defined by its embrace of glamour, geometry, modernity. Think the Empire State Building. Right.
A
Not the Eiffel Tower.
B
It symbolized luxury and progress in the post war era, post World War I era. An optimistic, bold look that drew from both ancient Influences and emerging technologies. It's all about drama, symmetry, polish with a heavy dose of opulence. Oh, you guys think how fun that would be to be alive just after the war and then have all this progress come out. That whole Empire State Building is stainless steel. Isn't that crazy?
C
Yeah, yeah. I mean, I feel the same way about Arctica that I do about mid centuries that it's a ton. But again, like they were all in. All in. Yeah, yeah. So much respect. And the fact that it's so definitive is, is. Is super cool.
B
Definitely. What else do we want to say about Art Deco? I don't know.
A
I think it's just the lines and the geometry. You know, I think we've done a few different podcasts like talking about Art Deco and it is. Honestly, you guys remember doing a lot of the research, but the design through the decades podcast was really, really fun. It was like a two segment thing where we went through a lot of these design styles. Not these specific ones, but historic design styles in great depth. But it talks a little bit more about like why things were like the reaction to the thing before, which I always find fascinating in a history lesson.
C
Yep.
A
And again, these like straight lines was kind of like a reaction to again, art nouveau. True craftsman, you know, and like some of those organic movements and just these strict lines and the industrialization of just materials and just. And that's why you feel such a strictness with Art deco and the stacking and steppings and I would say my.
C
Favorite part about Art deco is like the moodiness of it. And it's just really. I mean it really is just like.
B
A cool vibe and I like it for commercial spaces. Like I would. I think it'd be fun to eat in a restaurant or maybe go into a hotel lobby and stay there.
A
Go on a dress up.
B
Yeah, me too.
A
And go.
B
Yeah. I. I don't want to live like this, but I respect it. And I think if I was doing a commercial space, something like this, if it made sense, would be a lot of fun to explore and have other people have a big experience in a space with Deco. So interesting that it came up as top design styles for 25. Yeah, yeah.
C
Is our last.
A
Last one, guys.
B
This style, or Scandi is design philosophy from the Nordic countries, like Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Think Suzanne hall, everybody. Look at Sue. These are her people.
A
I'm really pale.
B
It emphasizes simplicity, functionality and quiet beauty rooted in a lifestyle that values comfort, light and conn. Connection to nature. It's designed with a soul minimal, but Never cold. This was. We worked on a project called St. John's and the Husband's favorite style was this sort of Scandinavian. And in some roundups from our publishing agents, they're. They're calling this like calla scanda. Californian. Cala Scandifornian. Where I do think this look is so great on the coast because it is so like light wash, big windows, beachy. Exactly. Blonde floors, sun drenched materials.
A
Linens.
B
Yeah. And then you can start to get some of those Scandinavian forms in if you're pure, like through the shapes of the chairs. You guys know we love chairs and they're gonna bring in certain forms. I mean, you can see there's a papazon in this room. Do you guys remember Those from Pier 1? That great big round?
A
Sure do.
B
Push it. We're like, why aren't my parents cool enough to get a freaking papasan for our house?
A
If you like boho, you like like that some point too.
B
Exactly. But there's always a wood element to the frame, which.
A
A warm wood. It's warm white.
B
It's.
A
It's textual story. Completely.
B
Yeah. Ivory leathers. It's an easy palette to be in. And the first time you experience it, you're like, whoa, am I in a dream? Yeah, yeah. So cool.
A
I live on a cloud. Painted white floors. We're looking at a second image too now. This is like the last image.
B
You have a painted white floor, Sue.
A
I do.
B
You didn't know, but you. And you are Scandinavian. Yeah.
C
Just go to your roots. Yeah, my Nordic roots.
A
Yeah, exactly. But like every. Everything is kind of like painted white, but everything on top of it is relatively neutral. So it's a really easy. It's easy on the eyes, I'll say that. So.
B
Yep. And I think a play for materiality. A lot of, like you said, woods and wovens and textures are in play, but softer forms. I mean, you can even see this cocktail table with a slightly rounded corner. But it's peaceful, I'd say, all in all.
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah. You guys, that is our last style that we were going to talk about today. I hope that this helps you guys identify your own style as you listen to these and watch them. And maybe your mashup of a few things like sue is. And well, I think we all are. We all are.
A
We all are. A little mashup.
B
Yeah, definitely.
C
That's what makes it interesting.
A
I know. Like, especially being like exploring your own personal style. Like, it's really kind of like grab a little here, grab a little there and. And like create something great.
C
Totally.
B
So there you go. Choose two of your favorite three, four, mash them up. That's your personal style. I hope this helps. Thank you guys for listening. Please go check out our online store, alicelanehome.com we you can use a special code for listening and you're gonna get 20% off. It's Dear Alice 20. So go get yourself something really nice. Please rate, review, comment, share the podcast cast. It helps us grow. And thanks again for tuning in. We're going to catch you guys next time. Hey, thanks for listening. If you like our show, please leave a five star rating.
A
Sam.
Podcast Summary: Dear Alice | Interior Design
Episode: 2025’s Top Interior Design Trends & Styles
Release Date: August 7, 2025
In this engaging episode of Dear Alice, hosts Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall dive deep into the hottest interior design trends and styles poised to dominate 2025. Through a lively and insightful conversation, they explore a diverse array of design philosophies, providing listeners with definitions, practical tips, and personal anecdotes to inspire their own home transformations.
[00:05–01:44]
Jessica (A) and Suzanne (B) kick off the episode by expressing their excitement about discussing the evolving landscape of interior design. Suzanne shares her newfound understanding of design terminology, particularly her revelation about what “postmodern” truly means. She remarks, “I learned the definition of a style. I didn't know what postmodern meant” ([00:43]), highlighting the importance of understanding these styles to better articulate personal aesthetics.
[02:03–07:38]
The first trend discussed is Modern Rustic Farmhouse, a refined take on the traditional farmhouse aesthetic that avoids the overly polished and stark modern farmhouse look criticized in media. Suzanne clarifies, “This is not modern farmhouse as everyone perceives it with white walls and black windows” ([02:55]).
Key Features:
Jessica adds, “It's the whole farmhouse calling something like homesteading and you all want to keep your own bees and make sourdough bread” ([04:13]), illustrating how this style resonates with a desire for a grounded and sustainable way of living.
Notable Insights:
[09:52–15:17]
Next, the hosts delve into Maximalism, a bold and exuberant style that stands in contrast to minimalist approaches. Suzanne defines maximalism as a “celebrating more is more instead of minimalist, less is more approach” ([10:45]), characterized by vibrant colors, clashing patterns, and a curated collection of unique items.
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Practical Tips:
[15:17–23:57]
Moving on, Jessica and Suzanne explore Postmodern Design, a style that emerged as a reaction against modernism’s rigidity. Suzanne describes it as a movement that “embraced expression, irony, and visual complexity” ([15:46]).
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Insights:
[25:08–28:40]
The conversation shifts to the Bohemian style, Suzanne’s personal favorite. Boho is defined as a “free-spirited, eclectic interior design approach that emphasizes personal expression and individuality” ([25:32]).
Key Features:
Notable Insights:
[28:37–32:50]
New Traditional is presented as a modern interpretation of classic design, blending timeless principles with contemporary touches. Suzanne defines it as “a modern take on classic design grounded in timeless principles but updated for how we live today” ([28:58]).
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Practical Tips:
[32:50–38:22]
Jessica and Suzanne delve into Mid-Century Modern, a style admired particularly by their male clientele for its clean lines and functional aesthetics. Suzanne defines it as “a design style that emerged in the post World War II era, characterized by simplicity, functionality, and a belief that good design should be accessible to everyone” ([33:19]).
Key Features:
Notable Insights:
Notable Quotes:
[38:22–40:34]
Organic Modern blends the minimalist aesthetics of modern design with the warmth and natural elements of organic materials. Suzanne defines it as “an interior design style that blends the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic of modern design with the warmth and natural elements of organic materials” ([38:43]).
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Insights:
[40:34–43:19]
Art Deco, a glamorous and geometric style from the 1920s and 1930s, is celebrated for its opulence and modernity. Suzanne defines it as “a decorative style that flourished in the 20s and 30s, defined by its embrace of glamour, geometry, and modernity” ([40:51]).
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Insights:
[43:20–45:52]
The final trend explored is Scandinavian Design, a style rooted in the Nordic countries known for its simplicity, functionality, and connection to nature. Suzanne describes it as “a design philosophy from the Nordic countries, emphasizing simplicity, functionality, and quiet beauty” ([43:33]).
Key Features:
Notable Quotes:
Insights:
[45:34–46:51]
As the episode wraps up, Jessica and Suzanne encourage listeners to explore and define their personal styles by blending elements from different trends. They emphasize the importance of authenticity and personal expression in creating a space that truly feels like home. Jessica shares a personal anecdote about adjusting her own design preferences, highlighting the ongoing journey of discovering what resonates best.
Key Takeaways:
Final Advice: Jessica and Suzanne conclude by urging listeners to experiment with different styles, embrace their individuality, and enjoy the creative process of designing their living spaces. They also promote their online store, alicelanehome.com, offering a special discount for podcast listeners.
This episode of Dear Alice provides a comprehensive overview of the top interior design trends for 2025, blending professional insights with personal experiences to guide listeners in crafting stylish and meaningful home environments.