10 trends to watch in home design next year

Ready for a home design refresh in 2024? There will be plenty of options waiting for you.

We caught up with Karli Strain, Montgomery’s visual merchandiser, trend specialist and buyer, for expert insight in how home interiors might evolve in the coming months.

Here are 10 themes to watch in the year ahead.

There are no specific trends

One of the biggest takeaways from recent furniture markets: There is no one specific trend in home furnishings.

“There are so many different styles on trend right now, you’re going to find something that works for you,” Strain said. “It’s just much more broad, which is nice because people don’t feel like they have to switch over to a new trend to stay up to date. If it suits your style, anything goes now.”

Green could be queen

Color schemes, like overall trends, are all super diverse right now, from completely neutral to over-the-top, colorful and modern.

“But what I was most drawn to was this really neutral green that is happening, which kind of goes with everything,” Strain said. “To me, green is neutral – we find it in nature – so you can use it many different ways.”

Green also is having at least a moment in cabinetry.

“I feel like green has been up-and-coming for five years, and it finally hit broadly, so now there are lots of offerings in an earthy warm, green neutral color,” Strain said. “It goes really well with caramels and beige, brown, charcoal and navy. You can put anything with it.”

Gray isn’t gone – but warmer tones are crowding out cools

The era of gray in home finishes might never be totally over – but it is being edged out by warmth.

“We’re shying away from the cold, gray tone, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t have gray,” Strain said. “I would say incorporating warmer tones into your gray, like beiges and browns, complements it. You can tie that into a piece of art or a rug or new pillow on a sofa. So you don’t have to get rid of the grays but just warm them up with warm tones. That includes wood tones, whether it’s an accent table or coffee table with a natural wood tone.”

Same goes for the walls. If your walls are gray, consider an easy update.

“I saw people really going toward browns and beiges, even some burgundy and navy and rich salmon tones, a warm terra cotta-like pink where everything really just blends together.”

Hardware hints

When it comes to hardware, again, there’s no one clear trend.

“Black is huge. Brass is huge, especially antique brass,” Strain said. “Chrome is not as popular, but if you’re a modern customer, chrome and brighter gold is still where it’s at.”

In bathrooms, “gold is still super popular, but it’s more of a brushed finish – almost a browner gold,” she continued. “It’s a more neutral look.”

Black makes a splash

Look around newly designed homes, and chances are you’ll spot some black.

“Black literally goes with everything, so we’re seeing a lot of black accents – whether it’s your coffee and end tables, vases, pillows, your metal finish on your dining table, or bar stools,” Strain said.

“It’s easy to mix black with anything. Lots of cabinets are black now. Walls are painted black. Don’t be afraid if you have enough light in the room to paint a dark color. That’s always been something people struggle with, but it can create a lot of atmosphere.”

Black is coming into bedrooms too.

“I’ve seen some really nice black wood in bedroom furniture, and it’s a very natural tone of wood,” Strain said. “Other pieces we’re seeing are very much unstained and unmodified. It’s kind of an oak to walnut bare, natural tone that’s what’s popular now.”

Caning craze continues

Caning on chairs continues to be popular, and Strain thinks it has some staying power – at least on smaller pieces.

“I don’t think it will ever be on the back of a sofa, but the front of a cabinet door or on a buffet or the side of a wicker chair on the arms, a little goes a long way,” she said.

“I wouldn’t go crazy with it.”

Fluting fans

Anything wood in furniture is starting to be designed with some sort of fluting, Strain said.

“It almost has a channeled look, and it’s huge. We’re seeing tons of fluted wood collections, so I think it’s going to be big,” she said.

“It’s a neat way to add texture into a space without going overboard, and it’s fun.”

Her advice: “It could easily go overboard, so pick a couple pieces. Maybe a headboard or nightstand. I think people will be seeing a lot of it.”

Fabrics go cozy

The pandemic-driven appeal of staying home and curling up on the couch is still showing itself in fabrics of choice.

“The warm, comfy, cozy fabrics are really hot still,” Strain said. “The sherpa fabric is still very strong. I think people want to be comfortable in their home, and these fabrics have stuck around because of that.”

Accordingly, the look is a little more casual “and not so serious and stuffy,” she said. “More playful.”

A pop of art

Art in the home could be taking on a bit more contemporary look.

“We saw a ton of almost pop art-looking embellishments on art pieces,” Strain said. “It’ going to be more for a modern person who loves to be a little more daring, and if you like bright color, it’s a great time to do some shopping.”

Or if you’re a bit more traditional, you’ll be glad to know that “we still can’t get enough of buffalo art,” Strain said. “They’re just a beautiful, majestic-looking animal that I think everyone is drawn to. There’s beautiful imagery for sale, and we have a lot more coming.”

Horses and birds also are popular in art, “especially something with crane imagery that works well in a traditional space,” Strain said.

One to watch: The Maximalist

And finally, here’s a trend worth keeping an eye on: Collectors, your design moment finally might have arrived.

“An up-and-coming style is being called a Maximalist style, which is basically mixing and matching everything you have,” Strain said. “It’s for people who like a lot of stuff. Collectors, antique shoppers, people who are very sentimental about things, but it’s about putting it together in a way that makes sense.”

Think of a bunch of eclectic art prints splashed together on a wall, for instance.

“You might have different frame and imagery and color schemes, but you put them together, and it can look amazing,” she said.

A final word of advice: You don’t have to figure any of this out yourself.

Stop in any Montgomery’s location and take advantage of the free design services offered to all customers.