Discover what’s in and out as we look ahead to an exciting year in home design.
Which trends are in for 2025?
Interior designer Zane Tate says that using one paint colour across the board is in. He adds that a colour wash over an entire room—walls, ceilings, and trims included—makes a room feel larger and taller. He says whole rooms being wallpapered and feature ceilings in wallpaper are also in.
Finally, in for 2025 is curves. “Curved furniture, curved walls, curved ends of kitchen islands and vanities; curves were everywhere at the international design fairs this year, so we will be seeing a lot more of them,” Zane says.
The team at interior design studio Hello Saturday has noticed a shift away from white toward warmer tones. “Greens and burgundy reds are still strong colours; the use of natural colours and drawing the natural environment into the home is important,” they add.
“While we don’t strictly follow trends at Hello Saturday and create unique and interesting homes our clients love, we believe that we are moving into a season of change in interiors and colour, pattern, and texture are strong trends of 2025.
Laura Heynike, senior interior designer and owner of Pocketspace Interiors, is focused on the power of lighting for 2025.
“We are focused on how lighting—both natural and artificial—can increase our enjoyment of an interior.
“Homeowners quite often accept light fittings as a generic product to roll out through the whole space when we should be designing specifically for different zones. This will help us prioritise well-being, helping to create healthier, more inviting spaces.
“You will see lighting play a much larger role as it does not require full-scale renovation but can instantly enhance a lounge wall display or hallway in the evening. Technology is very much becoming an integral part of everyday interior design.”
Which trends are out for 2025?
Minimalism is out for 2025. Hello Saturday rarely see white kitchens and stark white walls these days. Zane Tate agrees, going further to say the minimalist show home aesthetic is out.
“Homes should reflect the people who live in them! Your interiors should be full of pieces that you have collected them over years, not matchy matchy and so generic you can't tell who lives in the home,” he says.
“The boring striped back palettes are a reflection of the dusty year we have all had!” says Laura Heynike. “Much more courageous palettes and patterns are exciting us again in drapery; not another grey sofa.”
Zane also says downlights are down and out. “Why are we still putting four downlights in a room when we can layer lighting with pendants, wall sconces, and lamps?
“We can use lights to change how a room feels and alter it at different times of day. We will see more uplighting which bathes a room in soft light, and lighting around the edges of the room to wash down the walls.”
What has surprised you about design trends in 2024?
Hello Saturday is surprised that the timber kitchen trend has continued strong and has no sign of slowing down. “While the colours of timber have moved to warmer tones, there is still a strong oak love driven by clients.”
The arch trend is what has surprised Laura. “It's a lovely feature but only suitable in a very small number of homes. Still, people could have a piece of it, whether it was an arch-shaped mirror or decorative vase if they couldn't commit to it architecturally.”
Zane has been pleasantly surprised by the return of bold colour. I love using colour in my designs and layering tones and textures. This year, people have been adopting this in a much larger way, moving away from all-white interiors, and seeking rich colours and moody tones in their homes.”
