We spend a lot of time inside our homes, and when each space is a perfect blend of who we are and how we live, we can truly relax and enjoy moments with family and friends.
Designing spaces that “feel like you” can be difficult and, at times, overwhelming. Should you follow the trends or carve your own path? Many people struggle with this very question, but it’s clear from local design experts that as we move through 2025 and into 2026 the word “trend” has a shifting meaning.
One space, multiple uses
The work-from-home movement of the last few years saw a lot of homeowners fashioning living spaces into work areas. Lately, the shift has moved toward creating multipurpose rooms that capitalize on space-saving design elements with a dual purpose.
“There’s a lot of hybrid things going on,” says Henrietta Heisler, of Henrietta Heisler Interiors in Lancaster. “Rooms can be used for more than one thing. I’ve had a couple of requests for Murphy beds!”
Murphy beds are rising in popularity because they are more comfortable than sofa beds and are neatly hidden inside a wall, or a console, converting a gathering space into an extra sleeping area for guests.
David Lyall, of David Lyall Home & Design in Lancaster, says he is seeing formal living rooms converted into rooms with purpose, such as a relaxed workspace with a big, beautiful table and upholstered chairs where kids can do homework.
“It’s still a room that can be beautiful and still a room that can be the entrance of the house, but has a purpose,” he says.
For Melissa Hess, of Denver-based HOMEbymelissa, an important part of the discovery process with her clients is having them look around their space and think, “How can it function better for me?” She says designing a beautiful space that not only functions optimally but that her homeowners don’t want to leave is a driving motivation for her.
Embracing the unique and minimizing the trends
One shift in interior furnishings has been a turn toward unique and heirloom items. This marriage of meaningful pieces with more modern elements is creating eclectic and highly personalized living spaces.
“My homeowners are just loving this big shift away from mass-produced things,” Hess says. “We are embracing heirloom. We’re embracing heritage. We’re embracing our passions and collections.”
Heisler says she has also noticed that people are repurposing or adding unique pieces to their décor.
If you’re looking to make small, but noticeable changes to a space, consider updating your hardware.
“I like some of the bold and unique hardware that’s available now,” Heisler says. “There’s some amazing doorknobs and hinges out there that are really so special.”
When it comes to following the current design trends, Lyall offers this advice: “I really, really encourage and steer my clients to embrace a more classic and timeless foundation.”
Choose elements “that don’t have a time stamp on them, something that will stand the test of time 30 years from now,” he says. “Where I introduce trends are in things that are easily editable.”
If you want to add trending design styles in your home, Lyall suggests choosing throw pillows and other decorative accessories that can easily be swapped out down the road when those trends change.
Hess makes this argument to her homeowners: “It’s what makes your toes curl. I don’t care that it was yesterday,” she says. “We’re going to go for it. I really feel one of the biggest trends is personalized, customized, not being afraid to be individual.”
Color and pattern, as you like it
Color is making a statement this year with homeowners choosing rich jewel tones and earthy mineral colors, especially in the blue and green families, as accents and to bring areas together.
There has also been a return to more neutral colors, with the most popular being very neutral flesh tones, Heisler says.
Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray is a go-to foundational color for Lyall.
“It’s a color that is like a no-color. It’s not a white, it’s not a gray, it’s not a beige,” he says. “(It’s) sort of a nondescript tone that creates a great initial layer to build off of, but it’s warm and inviting and feels very natural.”
It’s not just pattern, but color, too, Hess says. “People are learning to not be afraid of pattern and mixing pattern,” she says, noting her clients are giddy that they can mix colors and patterns to create spaces that feel original and exciting.
Comfort and durability
If one thing is certain, it’s that homeowners are making choices that are aligning with a “soft, easy living style,” Heisler says.
Lyall says he sees a desire to use more handcrafted or artisan materials, such as tiles, for a more natural, one-of-a-kind feel. He’s also noticed a movement toward lighter, brighter, more natural hardwood floors.
“It creates a beautiful contrast to rugs, to fabrics, to upholstery, and reflects the light, making the space seem larger,” Lyall says. “From a maintenance standpoint, with these lighter floors, you don’t see dust or crumbs or, you know, little fur babies.”
Lyall says he’s also getting more requests for heated floors, especially in areas such as mudrooms where people have pets so everyone can come in from the cold and be comfortable.
Homes are being tailored to our lifestyles and there’s a definite consideration for durability. Heisler has clients with dogs and kids, and while natural floors would be beautiful, the more durable and affordable option is vinyl flooring, she says.
“At the end of the day,” Hess says, “What I care about is that people care about their homes, their spaces, because our quality of life is directly impacted by the way we live in our homes.”
Small changes, big difference
If you feel your living space needs a change but you don’t have the budget for a large-scale redesign, consider how small changes can make a difference, the experts say.
“We could run out right now and in 10 minutes we can make a couple of key changes in our homes, our second skin, that’s going to improve our quality of life,” Hess says.
Having a professional come into your home for a few hours can give you direction on how to improve your living spaces. For small budgets, Lyall says, “I can set aside five hours out of the day, and we’ll come in and take what you have, and I’ll make some really strong recommendations on how to reimagine what you already own.”
Don’t get overwhelmed
Hess says people tend to get oversaturated by social media influence and imagery and lose sight of what’s most important: What makes us love our space? “First and foremost,” she says, “is that it functions for the people who live in it.”
Which means, the biggest trend of the year seems to be creating a living space that speaks to who you are, your lifestyle and what truly makes you feel at home.
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