November 1 Issue - Newspaper - Page 14
EDITION 10
Page 14
May 13 2025
Lazzoni analyzed design trend reports
and leading publications to curate five interior design trends that are
back in style in 2025
5 interior design trends that are
making major comebacks
Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.
"wood drenching," which entails the generous use of
wood paneling, especially the dark and dramatic kind.
Like glass blocks and high-pile rugs, this comeback is
certainly 1970s-inspired but it hardly looks like your
grandma's musty basement or the rumpus room of old.
Today's wood paneling uses natural woods and
well-crafted synthetics, and incorporates a variety of
installation techniques to make a warm and
sophisticated space.
The old adage that everything old is new again almost always proves true when it
comes to fashion and design—just wait long enough, and what's cool will inevitably
cycle back. Thought you'd never see the return of low-waisted jeans or built-in
appliances in shades of avocado green? Think again. The cyclical nature of trends
follows what forecasters term "the 20-year rule," where styles from two decades past
reemerge to be interpreted—and desired—by a new audience.
High-pile rugs are plush
Nostalgia is a big driver of the 20-year rule since it's often people feeling a fondness
for styles or objects that were familiar to them during childhood that spurs a
widespread renaissance of, say, mid-century modernism in the early '90s—the math is
rough, but think of mid-century ending in the early 1970s. Retro or vintage design,
especially in home decor, provides a tangible link to the past that offers consumers
comfort, familiarity, and style. Plus, buying vintage home goods is a great form of
recycling!
A staple of homes in the 1960s and '70s, colorful shag
carpets and rugs are making a return, bringing with
them a sea of high-pile, plush flooring in every color of
the rainbow. These joyous pools of longer fibers (flokati
is a favorite) allow a more playful and luxurious
flooring style after years of bare, hardwood floors
punctuated with a few thin area rugs.
The rise of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram has accelerated the pace
with which trends spread and the rate at which retro styles reemerge. Having a viral
moment means that trends circulate faster than ever before, leading some experts to
conclude that the 20-year rule cycle has collapsed into an ongoing series of
microtrends. Even at the breakneck speed of digital culture, styles from the past are
reborn—perhaps multiple times—with fresh takes that reflect the current moment.
Like the wood paneling trend, the reemergence of plush
rugs marks a return to 1970s living and rec rooms of
old but with a new vibe of quiet decadence. Whether it's
used as a solid, wall-to-wall carpet or as an area rug, a
shag rug is a luxurious way to add dimension, warmth,
and character to a room.
Take, for example, the "shabby chic" style, which was popularized in the 1990s and
named after a decor shop in Santa Monica, California, that sold flea market finds and
slipcovered furniture. The "undone" aesthetic, which features rumpled, often ruffled
linens, heavily painted antiques with time-worn layers exposed, and lots of florals,
was certainly referenced (or reborn) by cottagecore in the late 2010s. This trend has
morphed its cozy, relaxed vibe into a trend known as "coastal grandma." The core
DNA of shabby chic—relaxed, feminine elegance—runs through all, boomeranging
back in record time.
While the pace of change may be quickening, the creativity with which design trends
reemerge doesn't seem to suffer—who'd have thought we'd have a name, much less a
full aesthetic to describe the look of women and kitchens from Nancy Meyers
movies? Such creative rebirth is evident across all elements of design, such as in the
paint colors and lighting choices and the influences of particular historical eras or
designers. To explore this rich terrain of retro styles making comebacks, Lazzoni
analyzed design trend reports and leading publications to curate five interior design
trends that are back in style in 2025.
Retro glass block allowing natural light into living space
Glass blocks are back in a big way
For those who think the glass block began and ended with "Miami Vice," think again:
Glass blocks were first made in 1886 in France and used often in Streamline Moderne
architecture of the 1930s. Created from molded glass, these blocks (or bricks as they
are often called) are a low-maintenance, highly economical material that allows light
in while also giving privacy and security.
A popular material for commercial and school design in the 1950s, they reemerged
again in the 1970s and The New York Times noted the renaissance as "part of a more
general return to elegance with polished images of mirrors, chrome and glass."
Perhaps that association with the 1970s is why they are back in vogue, with designers
like Billy Cotton, Elliot Barnes and Darren Jett using them in restaurants, hotels,
lofts, and other residences.
More than that '70s
basement look:
wood-paneled walls
Wood paneling adds a soft warm texture
Gone are the days of the
all-white interiors and the
super crisp, white wall. This
year, it's all about the
resurgence of warm wood,
whether in cabinetry,
furniture, or—gasp—on the
walls. For warming up
interiors, design experts like
editor Hugh Metcalf are
noticing designers using
Smooth curves accentuates premium craftsmanship
By now, the iconic Eames lounge chair is
everywhere—it's iconic for a reason. Graceful, sleek,
luxurious (that buttery leather!), and comfortable, the
lucky ones among us might inherit an original as an
heirloom, and the very lucky might uncover a vintage
one in some out-of-the-way locale. But because of their
ubiquitousness, many design aficionados have moved
on to discover other mid-century bentwood loungers
that execute similar craftsmanship and silhouettes that
aren't as well known and aren't just dupes of the famed
chair.
Increasingly, people are looking to Scandinavian
designs, like the "Siesta" lounge chair, exported by a
Norwegian company called Westnofa and designed by
Ingmar Relling. The Siesta chair was designed in 1965
and appears to be a potential influence on another
famous design—Ikea's Poäng chair, which first debuted
in 1976. A testament to this trend for late mid-century
bentwood alternatives is that in spring 2024, Ikea
released a vintage collection that includes a new edition
of the Poäng, minus the headrest, which is apparently
what the original designer Noboru Nakamura wanted.
Those who believe the world was more interesting
before the rise of the all-white rooms can rejoice: Color
is back in a big way throughout the home, especially in
functional spaces such as kitchens and baths. Vintage
styles like wallpaper, color drenching (or filling the
walls, ceiling, molding with a chosen hue), and
patterned sofas recall the 1950s, as does another big
retro design trend: the pastel bathroom. Think soft pink,
dusty mauve, minty green, and orange sherbert
elegance.
After years of watching Easter egg-hued bathrooms
meet certain destruction on home renovation TV shows,
designers and consumers alike are embracing original
details like pastel fixtures and tiles. In 2023, plumbing
fixture maker Kohler revived its six archival colors for
sinks, toilets, and tubs, all of which are vintage pastels,
reflecting the growing demand for soft colors in spaces.
Inquire at any architectural salvage place about a pastel
fixture, and they'll likely tell you the pink sinks are the
first to go.
Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen
Wegrzyn.
