6 Design Trends To Ditch For 2026

Summary

Dear Alice | Interior Design

Episode: 6 Design Trends To Ditch For 2026

Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: Jessica Bennett (A), Suzanne Hall (B), and Contributor (C)

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Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, the Dear Alice team dives into the major interior design trends that have overstayed their welcome and need to be left behind as we move into 2026. Blending their trademark wit, expert experience, and a touch of nostalgia, Jessica and Suzanne (joined by a contributor) unpack why these trends are fading, what’s replacing them, and how broader cultural shifts are shaping our homes. The episode is full of practical tips, memorable analogies, and plenty of candid takes.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: A New Decade of Design

• The hosts open with reflections on how the design world feels primed for a major shift, akin to the dramatic transformation of the 1920s.
  • "We felt it at market in '25. We’ve been feeling it for a while in our projects. This sort of drumbeat of greater, bigger, full-on, hit you in the face design. And I’m ready for it." (A, 01:19)
• There’s a palpable sense of excitement about the possibilities and innovations ahead, and a recognition that social uncertainty often spurs bolder, cozier, and more expressive home environments.

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2. Trend 1: Sterile Show Kitchens

[03:24]

• Why it’s outdated: Design editors and shelter magazines are moving away from kitchens that look unused, staged, or “perfect.”
  • "They want homes that look like real people live there... what the editors are looking for... Show us your weird. Show us your really personal, unique take on the kitchen." (A, 04:07)
• What’s replacing it: Authentic, lived-in, story-rich spaces—even kitchens with visible “messiness” and family personality.
  • "Say goodbye to that untouched, unlivable show kitchen." (A, 05:13)
  • Homes and Gardens' popularity for highlighting cozy, historic, layered spaces.
• Emotional resonance: The team connects this trend to society’s craving for comfort and nostalgia during uncertain times.
  • "I think there’s a real safety and security in that.” (B, 07:46)

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3. Trend 2: Neutral-Only Interiors (Including Black-and-White Palettes)

[08:49]

• Why it’s outdated: Overuse of beige, cream, white, and black leaves interiors cold, impersonal, and “hotel-like."
  • "This includes broader sameness that lacks contrast or story... Now we’re going the opposite of that, where the sameness isn’t what everybody wants. They want their unique story told." (A, 09:01)
• What’s replacing it: Personal, colorful, layered, story-driven spaces reflecting heritage or individuality.
  • "Nothing’s going to say home like that to people... tap into things that mean something to them." (A, 10:13)
  • Pattern is returning—on sofas, draperies, lampshades, and beyond.
• Context: Neutral palettes reflected a wider societal need for calm, but now people are responding to social uncertainty with richness and exuberance.
  • "Like the early 1920s... millions and millions of people dying. And the response to this was all of this great big, beautiful, booming fashion and architecture..." (A, 13:46)
• On skill: The shift will distinguish true designers from amateurs.
  • "The way things are moving, I think it’s going to separate the good from the great." (C, 12:01)

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4. Trend 3: Excessive Minimalism

[17:12]

• Why it’s outdated: Stark, empty spaces may look “chic” but lack warmth, narrative, and humanity.
  • "Minimalism that removes warmth, character and narrative... it feels like there’s just too much pressure to do that and to live like that." (C, 17:16–17:31)
• What’s replacing it: Permission for collections, imperfections, and displays of lived-in reality.
  • "I feel very apocalyptic about minimalism... okay, humanity’s been wiped out, robots have taken over." (B, 18:00)
  • Pop culture reference: Kim & Kanye's ultra-minimal, all-white home as the former “height” of the trend—now seen as cold and not enduring.

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5. Trend 4: Light Toned Woods (Especially Pale White Oak)

[19:08]

• Why it’s outdated: Overuse of pale, washed-out woods has contributed to neutral “fatigue” and lacks depth.
  • “This is floors, millwork that skew overly blonde or washed out. Part of the larger neutral fatigue conversation being replaced by richer, warmer woods that add depth and grounding.” (A, 19:19)
• What’s replacing it:
  • Richer, deeper woods (especially walnut); options for sheen or exotic grains (like burl, bird’s-eye maple).
  • Strategic layering and careful furniture selection can “rescue” existing pale wood floors.
    • “Medium is just like where you want to stay, I think.” (B, 21:54)

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6. Trend 5: Open Concept Floor Plans

[21:55]

• Why it’s outdated: Open concepts, once prized for “togetherness,” can feel empty, noisy, minimalist, and difficult to design intimately.
  • "The open concept floor plan is on the clotting edge instead of the cutting edge." (A, 22:32)
• What’s replacing it: More defined, divided spaces for privacy, coziness, and story-rich interiors.
  • Tips for open concept homes:
    • Add architectural millwork or paneling to visually break up space.
    • Darker paint colors—including ceilings—for coziness.
    • Space planning: rugs, screens, plants, and art to create “moments.”
  • "It's all about the layers and pulling depth." (B, 20:33)
  • "You get to create a scene and a feeling of safety and security in smaller spaces." (B, 22:21)
• Broader context: Forced uniqueness as not everyone can (or needs to) do a gut renovation; encourages storytelling.

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7. Trend 6: Overused Trendy Textures and Fabrics

[25:44]

• Why it’s outdated: Boucle, ribbing, fluting, and viral designer patterns (like Kelly Wearstler’s Graffito or the “cracked ice” motif) have become overdone and lack longevity.
  • “The issue isn’t the texture itself but it’s the overuse without longevity.” (A, 27:09)
• What’s replacing it: True originality, higher-quality or vintage fabrics, “the real thing” with depth and story (e.g., genuine Sherpa or vintage boucle).
  • "Do the real thing. Do the real thing." (A & B, 29:28)
  • Authenticity is key; knock-off and mass-produced textures lose desirability.
  • Personal anecdote about a vintage boucle-and-fur coat that still draws admiration for being unique.
    • "The authentic story, the vintage story, that's the desirable thing." (A, 30:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the shift from perfection to authenticity:
  • “Show us your weird. Show us your really personal, unique take on the kitchen. Nobody wants this anymore.” (A, 04:07)
• On nostalgia as comfort:
  • “You want to be at your mom’s house. You want that feeling and you want those smells… there’s that nostalgia that is what we’re craving.” (B, 08:03)
• On the skill required for coming trends:
  • “If you’re hiring a designer today, it’s going to be to really design like you give a damn. Every single thing has to be considered.” (A, 12:01; 12:29)
• On the failed minimalism trend:
  • “I feel very apocalyptic about minimalism... humanity’s been wiped out, robots have taken over.” (B, 18:00)
• On overused textures:
  • “We’re even redressing some stuff that’s boucle in… it’s time for that and it’s become a time stamp.” (C, 28:25)
  • “Do the real thing. Do the real thing.” (A & B, 29:28)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 - Reflections on the new year and design’s cyclical history
• 03:24 - Trend 1: Sterile Show Kitchens
• 08:49 - Trend 2: Neutral Only Interiors
• 17:12 - Trend 3: Excessive Minimalism
• 19:08 - Trend 4: Light Toned Woods
• 21:55 - Trend 5: Open Concept Floor Plans
• 25:44 - Trend 6: Overused Trendy Textures & Fabrics

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Tone & Style

The episode blends humor, warmth, and a deep-seated passion for design. The hosts remain candid—often irreverent—with their critiques, but always focus on empowering listeners to embrace originality and comfort. The advice is actionable, especially for listeners who want to “design like [they] give a damn.”

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Final Thoughts

Dear Alice’s critique of outgoing trends offers an engaging primer on the next wave of interior design. It’s a call to make homes more personal, layered, story-driven, and truly lived in—turning away from sterile, “perfect,” or mass-produced sameness. The large societal and emotional forces at work ensure these trends are more than superficial: they represent a new paradigm in how we seek belonging, security, and beauty at home.

Transcript

[A]

Hello everyone. Welcome to Dear Alice. Today we're going to be talking about six trends to ditch for 2026.

[B]

Oh, I'm so excited.

[A]

Happy New Year, guys.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Are you ready for 26?

[C]

So ready. Yeah, I'm always ready for the new year because I, I feel like that's where I set all my goals and I'm like, I'm doing this and then, yeah, we'll see how and yeah, see how it goes.

[B]

We're living in the future, like 20, 26.

[A]

Guys.

[B]

I'm like, the first quarter of the century is out like onto so.

[A]

Isn't that weird?

[C]

Yeah, it is so weird.

[A]

Gosh, I'm gonna probably die in the next 25 years.

[C]

Come on, say that.

[B]

Stop. Every time my mom says, I'm like, absolutely not. You will not. Thank you.

[A]

Just kidding.

[B]

Anyway, change the subject.

[A]

26, I know. That just. That just shot me right in between the eyes. I can't even believe. Yeah, it is starting a whole new quarter century. Yeah, we're doing it. Here we are.

[B]

Think about like the 1920s, like what a crazy time that was. And like what design wise. Yeah, that did. As far as like shifts. Yeah, we're feeling that. We're feeling a shift.

[A]

I've been like restyling my office and I have two different books from two different publishers. Both thick, like 2 inches thick. Gorgeous big design books. Both are called Paris in the 1920s. I think the 1920s was such a shift for so for. For not just Paris, but also America, just style wise. And I feel this huge shift that's happening right now in. We felt it at market in 25. We've been feeling it for a while in our projects. This sort of drumbeat of greater, bigger, full on, hit you in the face design. And I'm ready for it. I wonder what's going to be on my kids shelves in the future. If it will be like, you know, the 2020s. The 20 really probably be the 2025s. It'll be more remarkable to talk about in design.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, I'm just so excited about what's headed. What's coming our way.

[C]

Me too.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean if you think about the 1920s, it was like, you know, on the heels of like World War I and then, you know, before the Great Depression, but then also like a lot of innovation and we're kind of sitting in that pocket right now with that industrialization.

[B]

It really is.

[C]

We're like, what is go. We don't even know what's going to happen. Like so Talking about design, like, you know, before we started recording, like, there's a lot of stuff happening and stuff we've been seeing for a long time, and now it's kind of like coming to pass and it's just. Yeah, super cool.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But to look forward to an exciting time to be in the design industry and fill it. And I mean, I have to say, for fashion as well, we're feeling a huge paradigm shift. Yeah. But I mean, before we get into that really quick, I just want to say, quick reminder, in the new year, if you guys want to work on design in your home, we do have a free consultation service. We've got designers that have the whole Alice Lane Rolodex at their fingertips. All 200 vendors, the product that we're creating, the stuff that they know is launching, they are such a great resource. They can put your house in CAD space planet for you, work through with the right size rug or custom use palms. I can't even tell you the resource that this is, and it's such a cheat code, and it's completely complimentary. And it's called home furnishing Design. So if you want help on your space, even if it's just buying a rug, maybe it's getting the sectional right, maybe it's the whole scene. Go to our design services tab on our website. Scroll down. And it's called home furnishing Design. Fill out the questionnaire. They're going to get back to you same day, and they can start dreaming about your project with you.

[C]

Okay, well, we already talked about what we're looking forward to in 2026. Let's talk about the things we need to leave behind. Okay, so we have six design trends to ditch in 2026. And the first one is. Is sterile show kitchens.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Break that down for the people.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, we continue to hear this from so many of the shelter magazines. What they're looking for is they want homes that look like real people live there. And we have been employed by so many very successful clients that want the beautiful show kitchen. And then they have actually a kitchen behind the kitchen, kind of considered a pantry or dirty kitchen, or they call it the dirty kitchen, where they can. Like, maybe that's where the microwave is. Maybe that's where this. The freezer full of hot pockets is for the kids. It's. You know what I mean? It's. It's second ovens in there. It's a lot of storage for food. But there really has become this sort of dirty kitchen behind the show kitchen. And I don't even know how often the show kitchens get used, maybe for holidays or whatnot. Fascinating that now they're saying that is out. They don't want this perfect kitchen. What the editors are looking for. It's almost like they're looking for smaller spaces, cozy spaces, stories that tell a story. Show us your weird. Show us your really personal, unique take on the kitchen. Nobody wants this anymore. Like, if you have these spaces, nobody's going to publish them for you. Nobody. It's not part of the conversation anymore. Well, it's.

[B]

It's too perfect. And for, like, year, a couple years now, like, I don't know how many, like, they've been saying, like, we don't want glam.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Glam is like. I think it's this, like, image of perfection, you know, where, like, the imperfect, you know, the, like, the. The messy, undone hair, you know, and just, like, natural beauty, you know, is kind of taking key. And that also is, like, I think, coming into our kitchens.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know.

[A]

Yep. And the stylists that are styling for photo shoots are making it look undone, look lived in, look believable. So say goodbye to that untouched, unlivable show kitchen.

[B]

I. I will say Homes and Gardens has, like, taken over my, like, algorithm on my Instagram, and it is. I see home tours, like, every other post of just, like, these incredible. Just, like, lived in hundreds of years, these homes. And, like, I can't not get enough.

[A]

Oh, they're so.

[B]

I can't. I feel. I feel like I'm watching the. The cottage and the holiday, every second reel. Like, it's so good. And I'm. And I'm just. I'm here for it. I'm here. And I think it just, like, allows us to bring out our collections and to celebrate them and just, like, bring out mom's old cookbook and, like, have a picture up and, like, brain frame that recipe. And I think that there's, like, a lot. A lot of love and storytelling in this undone ness. Or just, you know, just this lived in. And, like, I think the food tastes better. I think, you know, the lights dimmer. I think the smells are gooier and yummier. I think there's a real. A real mood to it. And so even. Even if clients are asking for, they want a kitchen that isn't going to be as, you know, as messy or as industrial as the accessory kitchen or the scullery. We're still making it feel lived in and still making, like, the layers feel believable and authentic. And so that's important. So if you still want to subscribe to a show kitchen or one that's just like, not. Doesn't have the chaos of, like, what you live with day to day, and you have room to do that accessory kitchen. That's cool. We're just going to want to make sure that that main kitchen still feels loved and lived in. So. Yeah.

[A]

And I think that the believe or the. The person, the watcher of these. These stories on Home and Garden UK or wherever else you're seeing. I feel like as we look at them, we're like, I could live like that or, oh, wouldn't that be so great to. To just be there and have the conversation with the cook or to be the sou with them. It's like you have this. It's like a magnet. You have this pull to want to be with them. You can feel their warmth. You can feel their authenticity and the believableness.

[B]

You're the soundtrack in your mind and it's awesome.

[A]

Exactly. I'm on board for that.

[B]

I am on board for it.

[C]

I would say sterile, anything. Like, I feel like, you know, this past Christmas season, watching movies like Home Alone and the Family Stone, like these, like, warm homes that just feel lived in and like people gathering there and stuff. I'm just like, that's what life is about. Like, that's what. I'm so drawn to that right now. And I. I feel like everybody is. And so that's what I was saying at the beginning of the episode. That turn towards that is what I'm super excited about.

[B]

I think there's a real safety. I think there's a real safety and security in that. And so like, you were talking about with like, fashion camera, if you said it out loud yet, or just before we started recording.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

With uncertainty of some things, like in the world and the economy and those things. Like, you. You want to be at your mom's house.

[A]

You do.

[B]

You want that feeling and you want those smells. And so I really do think there's that nostalgia that. That is what we're. We're craving. Like, that's why, you know, in. Not only in, like, publications like Shelter magazines, but in. Just in our own homes. I'm like, even my mom's just like, I noticed the other day I was looking at a picture of, like, my house from 20 years ago. Not much has changed. And I'm like, I don't. I. I don't like touching my mom's house. Is that funny? Because I'm like, it's perfect. Like, don't move that thing, because that's always been there, and I love it there. And I don't want to. I want my kids to know that that's always there in grandma, you know? So I. I do think that there's, like, a real safety, especially in times of uncertainty. Certainty that we're responsible to create for our clients and for ourselves. Yeah. You know, just like, to make it a safe place. Yeah. So, yeah.

[C]

The second thing to ditch is neutral only interiors, including black and white homes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Amen.

[A]

This overuse of beige, cream, black and white palettes tied to quiet luxury homes that feel flat, cold, hotel like, rather than personal. This goes along with what we were saying about the show kitchen. And this includes broader sameness that lacks contrast or story. I think there's been this certain look that everybody is easily adopted. I remember when I first got married in 1996, the Pottery Barn was, like, all the rage. You would live for that Pottery Barn catalog. And I remember a girlfriend would literally mimic the catalog in her house. She would find out the color of paint, and then they started. They started carrying their paint. She'd have that exact shade of red. She would copy the catalog exactly to be able to get this look so that she felt like she was successful, you know, because that was, like, all the rage. And now we're going the opposite of that, where the sameness isn't what everybody wants. They want their unique story told. We want to be able to do that in. In your home as a job as a designer. That is the great work of interior design is getting to know the client, getting to know their story, know where they hail from, know where their ancestors come from. We just barely are doing work right now for a girl. She's from the Czech Republic, and we were able to take motifs from the Czech and use it in the ceiling. And it brought tears to her eyes in her design pitch because we were able to tap into her history and use that in her custom new home. Nothing's going to say home like that to people. You know, when you can tap into things that mean something to them and have that come to life in their home. So, yeah, I'm excited to have those neutrals only interiors be done away with right now in the world where we're kind of in this uncertain time economically.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It's been really strange. We've had so many talks of tariffs all through 2025. We've seen, you know, wars, rumors of wars. There's. There's. I don't know. You could name all of the things that are happening in the world.

[B]

Disasters everywhere.

[A]

Exactly. Yeah. So things that make us feel insecure. And a response to this I was. Listen to fashion folks talk about it is that people want to feel the opposite of that. They want to feel successful. They want to feel like the world isn't so uncertain. And so we are turning to these trends that make us feel successful. It's. We're starting to see brush fringes put on sofas and pillows again. We're. We're using trims on draperies. Like real old school decorating is coming back in. It makes us feel full and like everything is great.

[C]

Comforted.

[A]

Comforted. Yeah. Color. We're seeing a lot of pattern again, not just in wallpaper. Like we're doing this in every way. Custom lamp shades. We saw when we went to visual comfort that you can com.

[B]

Any Schumacher. Any.

[A]

Yes. In Schumacher fabrics. Any of the shades and the chandeliers and real big decorating is what's coming back. And it's gonna.

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's a. It's a free game for y' all that are. That are doing design. It's. This is employing new tricks that maybe you haven't gotten to try before because we've been living in these neutral only inter. I think people can do that for themselves. I think if you're hiring a designer today, it's going to be to really design like you give a damn.

[C]

Yeah. And the way things are moving, I think it's going to separate the good from the great.

[A]

Exactly.

[C]

Because it's. I mean, I. The whole neutral only's interior that looking at it feels easy to accomplish. I think that's why a lot of people probably gravitated towards it. Like I could do that same exact thing like you were talking about your friend. You know, not so much now, like just using pattern on pattern and color drenching. There's a lot of thought and a lot of education that needs to go into making decisions.

[A]

Every single thing has to be considered. I mean, right down to the colors of the trims that you're using on those lampshades. You know, like every little detail. It's. It's a game of color theory. It's. It's a game of knowing how to contrast it. What's going to play well together. Temperature, temperatures, undertones. Yeah. Knowing. Knowing the best fabric makers to be able to pull these. These tricks off and even the upholsterers to be able to flow match those patterns onto. From the top of the seat cushion onto the boxed cushion. Down onto the deck, and then I'm sure nail heads are going to come right back behind it. Like all of these. All of these tailoring tools. You've got to be good at it if you're going to play the game.

[C]

It's going to push quality up too, which is great because it's going to.

[A]

Be huge learning curve, like uncertainty in the world. The other end of that, like, the balance in the scale is that this is what. This is how we're responding to it. It feels and looks so successful. I think same thing like we were talking about with the early 1920s. Think about what was going on. We had influence. The Spanish influenza was going on, like into Covid. Yeah, yeah. 50 to 100 million people died. You had the great world. It was called the great war at the time. They didn't know there was going to be another war.

[C]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

The great war was going on. Just millions and millions of people dying. And the response to this was all of this great big, beautiful, booming fashion and architecture. And architecture, yeah. Response to this. So there's this real cause and effect going on. And we're in the middle of feeling that drum beat coming as designers, and we get to respond. And I love the second point, that neutral only interiors. We're saying goodbye to that in 2025.

[C]

People are going to look back on the 2000 and 20s, you know, and.

[A]

Like you said, probably the latter of the gray interiors.

[B]

Like, they were so white houses.

[A]

All the white houses with black windows. All the white interiors. The white on white with beige. And go. What happened? Yeah. They were so sad.

[B]

They were so sad.

[C]

And then. And then they'll see the, like the division. Yeah, yeah. Which is what we're. That pocket we're sitting in right now, which. Which almost feels a little bit uncertain, but, like way exciting.

[B]

I know, but the industrialization of the 1920s to like, the AI capabilities of like anyways into the great unknown right now. And so that is why we just, like, need a little bit of safety at home, which is, I think, such a privilege to do what we do is to make people feel safe in an uncertain world. How cool.

[C]

This is what we can control.

[B]

And you can do that for your own families at home by paying attention, designing like you give a damn. Like, making a safe place for your. For your people. Y. That's what. What. That's what all interior design story.

[A]

Tell your story.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Yeah. Buy the original art.

[B]

It's a renaissance.

[A]

Quit buying the condo art.

[B]

Yeah. And I will say, even like, you know, separating like the good from the great or just like those that like know how to do, employ these tricks. Like even when we go to market, there are people that do whatever trend is coming up. They know how to do it great and they consistently do it great because they're good at design. But like when the pendulum shifts and when like now we're seeing pattern on pattern, there are some that you're like, oh, they're trying. Well, they're trying. It's not, it's not being completed correctly, you know, and you're just like, oh, I hope they get a new stylist because they're not looking very good.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, so even professionals, like if you're a professional designer, like get some books if you don't know how to do this, like study this out. Like this is, this is not for the faint of heart. Like this. This takes some like real thought and study.

[C]

Jess, when the holidays wind down, what's the one thing you crave most?

[A]

I kind of crave a reset. I feel sad when I take holiday down and everything kind of feels empty. And so I always look forward to getting new sheets and new towels and this year I'm getting cozier. SP Baja bedding set. It's the one set they have where you can have the complete matching set. Actually the sheets, the duvet cover, the quilt, the coverlet, they have this really beautiful kind of brownish rust hue in a stripe. They also have a greenish one which would be beautiful in Florida or Texas or anywhere. I just love, love the way this looks and of course the hand. We all love the premium fabric on Cozy Earth's bedding set.

[C]

And then every purchase from Cozy Earth is risk free. They have a hundred night sleep trial so try them out. If you don't love them, return them hassle free. But trust me, you won't want to start the new year off right and give your home the luxury it deserves and make home the best part of Life. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code Dear Alice for up to 20% off. That's cozyearth.com code Dear Alice. And if you get a post purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Refresh your routines with comfort that makes every day feel like a new year. Trend number three to ditch is excessive minimalism, which I'm super excited for.

[B]

Yes, I've never felt happy about this.

[A]

One, but yeah, the stark empty spaces with no personality or lived in feeling minimalism that removes warmth, character and narrative from home. The backsplash against the backlash against homes that look like no one actually lives there.

[C]

That's. That's the thing I'm excited about most because it feels like there's just too much pressure to do that and to live like that. And like, I see, you know, like the movies I was just barely talking about or Nancy Mein. Like, those homes feel lived in and relatable, I guess. Yeah.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And it's just like that permission to just not have to be minimal and everything, you know, in its. Everything into place and in its place and just feels freeing a little bit to me.

[B]

I feel very apocalyptic about minimalism.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, I'm just like, okay, humanity's been wiped out. Robots have taken over.

[C]

We no longer.

[B]

We don't have anything and they burned everything. And so we're going to make sure that this is the trend and taking our souls.

[A]

We have it back. Vacuumed our souls into their. Into their containers.

[B]

We're living in the abyss while they're doing what they ever need to do on planet Earth. That's how I feel about minimalism also. I feel very. Okay. Not that there wasn't some chicness, but like Kim and Kanye.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's what I think of that home.

[A]

Yes, totally. And I know that it was some. Was it. It wasn't Axel Verbort, was it, that did the interiors. I know he employed some really amazing architect, designer, super disciplined. And at the time, I think that would have been thought of as chic. But the home was completely white. I think there was plastered walls at least.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everything is white. Even the Christmas trees I think she would bring in would be white. Like every single thing about it. All of the furnishings and nothing on countertops. Just an absolute. Yeah. Removal of any proof of life. Yeah, it's gone, you guys. We can leave it behind in 20.

[B]

They're not even together anymore. Which shows you maybe not a good foundation to build upon.

[C]

Yeah, exactly.

[B]

Anyway, life coach Sue Hall.

[C]

Yeah. That's amazing. Okay, the next one is light toned woods, especially pale white oak everywhere.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. This is floors. Millwork that skew overly blonde or washed out. Part of the larger neutral fatigue conversation being replaced by richer, warmer woods that add depth and grounding.

[C]

Or a greater. I'm gonna say. Or a greater sheen. Because if you think. If you look at like burl, that's kind of in the blonde. Still down with that, but it has a good sheen on top of it.

[B]

Like a bird's eye maple. Or like that that's still lighter but has, like, interest and Something exotic about it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's still light and honest. Like in these curated homes that we're talking about that we're loving, it has a little bit of everything. Yeah. Like even say, say your home had like white oak floors, you know, you're just gonna, like, the layers are going to be that much more important. Or when you do get a chance to refinish those, you're going to put a medium stain on that and it'll take up beautifully because oak is a really great species to adapt to. Whatever.

[C]

Very classic.

[B]

It's super classic. And like the green on whether it's, you know, figured or rift or whatever has a lot of endearing quality. So I don't want you to think that you did that whole thing and now it's all for not. You're gonna have to start completely over. You can refinish an oak floor and it's beautiful and you can layer on top of an oak floor and it can be beautiful. And it's just, it's all about the layers and pulling depth.

[A]

Runners.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Yeah. Get interesting rugs. I think you can still work with it. And I think as you're buying, making furniture decisions today, you're going to be buying those probably more medium toned, you know, woods and that sort of thing. I know when we have, we have the Brooklyn bleach walnut dresser and nightstand that's been number one in our collection forever. We came out with the medium. We call it the dark walnut, but it's more of a medium stain.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And we're starting to see that climb the charts. So you have options. You can still be more of a paled out version, still a walnut, still a beautiful, perfect undertone, a little bit more casual. Or you can get into what Suze is doing in her bedroom with this, this, this what we're calling dark walnut. It's going to really bring this sort of historical, handsome feeling to those scenes. So there's still options within those. But it's interesting, if you are going to be building a home today, you're going to want to think really carefully about what you're going to put down as your wood floor. Because that decision, you probably don't want to change at least for a decade or ever. I mean, changing woods is painful. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

[B]

And I will say, historically, like the one that has been classic all throughout time for us has been walnut. That medium walnut, like not too dark, not too light, but just stays right in the middle of the road. And like, again, what you layer on top of that, that's where you're gonna, like, show what you're into. But, like, medium is just, like where you want to stay, I think.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I agree.

[C]

The next one is open concept floor plans.

[B]

Please praise. Yes. So happy.

[A]

Isn't this so interesting Floor plans? I think there are come and go.

[C]

Yeah. I think there are some people that are going to be like, no way, but feel it. I was talking to someone about it this morning, and yeah. I think just division kind of like creating spaces kind of gives you, like, more ability to create moments in the home, too.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Like, so scenes.

[B]

You get to create a scene and a feeling of safety and security in smaller spaces.

[C]

We're talking about economics.

[B]

I know.

[C]

Crazy.

[B]

Crazy.

[A]

So interesting. The open floor plan does kind of give you minimalist vibes as well, because you generally end up with a really high ceiling and all the furniture is happening down here lower on this plane. And they don't always address all the space because who knows how to design for that if they're not using a designer? Right. There's a lot that you have to do to try and make that feel warm and cozy. Because what we really want at the end of the day is to feel cozy. Right. So not, I guess, surprising to. The open concept floor plan is on the clotting edge instead of the cutting edge.

[C]

What do you think about, like, obviously people who have open concept homes.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

You're not going to, like, start building walls in. In the interior of home. You could, you know, but what about, like, leaning into space planning and creating, like, moments in the space planning inside of an open concept.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'll say space planning. That if we're just talking just even before we get to the furniture finish work. I think if you have big, big spanning vertical walls and there isn't finished work or just like, it feels like, immense and again, just apocalyptic. By adding finish work, by adding. Adding paneling and some division of space to kind of pull some lines down and have abilities to, like, start doing, you know, either art galleries or hanging rugs or something just to try and, like, hush the space a little bit more. I think I'm like, that's where I would start first if I had an open concept floor. Yeah. I would, like, look at my walls and be like, what could I do there? Where could I take those window lines and start drawing some lines around the space architecturally to add interest and to make it more intimate. That's where I shot. And then I would, like, also consider the paint. The paint color of that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because if it Is white. Now, that's something immediate. If you can afford finish work, say. But you're like, why? I just don't want it to feel so vacant. I would. I would definitely throw paint at it, and I think that that will like, and. And paint the ceiling the same color as the wall and just try and cozy or do something up there to just kind of like hush it down. And I think that that will help with that. And then space planning with your rugs, with your furniture, with your, you know, you can, like, come up vertically. Like screens.

[A]

I was just gonna say screens. Plants, you know, indoor trees, that sort of thing.

[B]

Art, honestly, art can help pull it down.

[A]

Yeah. The hanging, the rug trick on the wall is a great one, but anything three dimensional objects, you're going to become a great curator to make that space feel interesting and cozy and not this minimal, you know, large, open, vast space where only the bottom third has something going on. Yeah. You've got to address that. That vertical height.

[C]

Yeah. Kind of like we were talking about earlier too, with. It's gonna. It's gonna be a high tide that forces boats, you know, to kind of like everyone.

[B]

You're either gonna drown or you're gonna, like, float.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I think it's also going to lend to uniqueness because not everyone's gonna have the ability just to, like, redo everything they've done, but they're gonna have to bring in elements of this, and it's. It's. I think it'll start telling people's stories better.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because it'll force them to, you know, they'll have to think of things in a different way and learn how to do things that they haven't done before, you know, if you're a designer. So it's gonna be. It's an exciting time.

[B]

Everyone's gonna go on a walkabout right now. You gotta figure what you're all about.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Okay. The last one is overused, trendy textures and fabrics.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I love this.

[A]

Yeah, we've seen this a lot. This includes examples like boucle ribbing and fluting fatigue checkered patterns. Viral designer fabrics, for instance. All of you designers know what we're about to say. I hate to name names, but I have to so we can all get on the same page. Yeah. The graffito pattern that Kelly Werser came out with, we're guilty of using it in the beginning. Loving it. Loving that raw, irregular, you know, look that came to the wall. It kind of felt hand scribed. There was also this really weird Thing that came up probably like two markets ago at High Point, everybody was doing a motif called cracked ice. And this was more jagged, and it was like in metal work on the fronts of armoires, in upholstery, cut into velvets. I never liked this.

[B]

It's like cracked eyes. And every time we'd go into a new showroom, they're like, we got to show you something that we're coming up with. It's really amazing. Cracked ice. And we're like, oh, my gosh, not again. Living worse.

[A]

What happened in North Carolina that all these makers got on board with cracked ice? But I think those. Those kind of things you get really sort of fatigued on. And it does trend. Yeah, it fatigues pretty quickly. So those are a few. Some of the shelter mags have been saying the issue isn't the texture itself, but it's the overuse without longevity. So I think that's what we're feeling from boucle, too. It's just that everybody got on board, and so that's what's making it just feel so fatiguing is overuse.

[C]

And it's dry.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Too. It's so.

[A]

Which was okay when it was new. And there are. There are better boucle's than not, but it's when the knockoff people start coming and they start making their dry boucle's. And then. And then that gets used in all of the really affordable imports. And, you know, everybody's. Everybody's doing it, and it no longer feels expensive or special. I was actually looking down just yesterday. I was wearing this vintage coat. We were up in Park City with my family, and it has, like. I don't even know what kind of fur it is. I don't know what decade it's from, but I think it's. It's gotta be rabbit or something. It's so soft. And then the rest of the coat is boucle, and the cuffs on the wrists are also fur. And the boucle on it is so beautiful. And it's like got a. A sheen in it. And I don't know what the make would be, but it's just like. It shouldn't even be called boucle, but it's that same. There's this looped through it. And there are beautiful ways to do a boucle. It's just the knockoff and the overuse and then everybody being able to create one and putting on everything in the world that's made us so fatigued on it. So that's what we're trying, we're trying to become more original and avoid using these over overused tricks.

[C]

We're even redressing some stuff that.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Boucle in. And for sure it's it.

[A]

It's time for that and it's become a time stamp. Yeah. So moving forward, I think we're all just saying let's leave it behind for 2024 and 2025 and let's not do it in 26.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Bad boucle.

[B]

Reminds me of a starving cat.

[A]

Oh, sure.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which is like, just like as far as, like they're molting. Like it's shedding and you're just like, I don.

[C]

It's just like that there's highs.

[B]

So that's what I'm just like. That's what I'm trying to give you a visual of. Just like the ones that just like the book. The loop is like every inch, you know, more than like, just like density. I think what your coat has is density. And I was even thinking, I'm like in my own house. Because I'm like, we all have it. Because texturally it was interesting. But yeah. The overuse of it and even just like we used to have like the ball pillow.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Of the ball pillow. But we have. We've had it in boucle. But the one that we all wanted and we all naturally felt this way was the one out of real Sherpa. Like from Denmark.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that gives that like high end texture. So I'm like, that's still desirable.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

To me. But it's just like, it's the real thing.

[A]

Do the real thing.

[B]

Do the real thing. Yeah.

[C]

It's the organicness of that, I think, that makes it special.

[A]

And that's why the vintage coat is still so beautiful today. Because it's like these beautiful real fibers that have come together and it's just expensive. It's got a great hand and a thickness and. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

If you follow us on Aline Home on Instagram, Jess has this video of it. I can't remember what stems you're taking. I think it was like our win. Some of our winter stories where you were bringing in like pines and you're wearing that coat and I was with you when you got that coat. And I'm still like, it's so good. I was just like, snap. I'm like half of the comments on the thing were just like, stems are cool, but that coat's dope. Like, I want that coat. Tell me where you got it.

[A]

I color the cream puff.

[B]

Oh, it's so good.

[A]

She only makes her way out a few times in the winter, but, yeah, it's her season right now. She's shining.

[B]

I love it so much. Anyway, so the authentic story, the vintage story, that's the desirable thing?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're bringing back textures.

[A]

Yeah, Agreed.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So good.

[C]

That was it.

[A]

Yeah. Well, if you guys need help with your next project, check out our free design service. It's called Home Furnishing Design. They can get you guys going with a new space for the new year, whatever it is that's troubling you. They've got, again, our whole Rolodex of their fingertips. They're great designers. They're great at solving problems, and they're really good at sectional math, too. So if you need any help again, that's on our website on the Design Services tab. Scroll down. It's Home Furnishing Design. They're going to get back to you within the same day. Honestly, I'm so excited for you guys to get to use them. I think that's all we've got for you this time.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

We'll catch you next Thursday. Hey, thanks for listening. If you like our show, please leave a five star rating.