Style
Pulse
The design direction for spring and summer 2026
— an edit of the most important
emerging styles by Livingetc’s trend experts
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The Big Design Moments for 2026
The Livingetc editors’ prediction for how everyone will be decorating next season.
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Spotlight: "It's Theater, Darling"
A flair for the theatrical, from set design inspiration to the art of storytelling, is the mood of the moment.
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The Colors Defining the Year to Come
Color trend forecaster Jane Boddy connects the dots between the cultural zeitgeist and the colors we’ll be decorating with in 2026
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Spotlight:
The Sour Set
Fresh and acidic greens are the unexpected color comeback that feel just right for spring and summer, say these interior designers
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ome people have a reaction to the word ‘trend’. They see it as something disposal: something short-lived, and changeable with the wind. Don’t get me wrong, some of them are, but consider this: by cataloguing the trends defining periods of time, we’re keeping a record of the story of design — the innovation in ideas and also how, culturally, we live our lives at home at any given moment.
For 2026, you can find much of that story told in the emerging styles in interiors that seem to have captured the essence of the world right now. There’s a reverence for the old, the vintage, the rare, for example — which, in a time of heavy overconsumption of ‘new’ things and a broader accessibility of design sources, has become the new luxury.
Elsewhere, the design direction offers a reflection on our sense of self. ‘Theatrical’ interiors are a symptom of how we present ourselves to the world in the age of social media, but more than that, it repositions our design obsession from being aesthetic-deep into the realm of story-telling. The best interiors are the ones with a personal history.
You’ll also find trends in color hold up a mirror to society. While you might imagine colors right now to feel more fantastical and rooted in the digital world, given the impact wrought on the creative industries by AI, but our reflection finds there’s much more focus on warmth, optimism, and human connection.
And, that’s to reinforce, a trend is more than just a fleeting moment, and these predictions for how we will decorate in 2026 talk to our hopes, beliefs, and even fears for the year ahead.
Hugh Metcalf
Editor, Livingetc.com
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What's New in the Kitchen?
A guide to the latest innovations and trending,
yet timeless ways to inspire your 2026 renovation
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Spotlight: A Space Oddity
Retro-futuristic interiors that bring bold color and sleek texture are the restaurant design trend now inspiring how we design our homes
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The Bathroom Trend Manual 2026
These are projects setting the tone for bathroom remodels right now — everything from the tiles to the taps
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2026
