With 2024 just around the corner, now is the perfect time to have a look at the top design trend predictions for the year ahead. Here, we have worked with the leading home renovation and design platform, Houzz to reveal the top 10 leading trends for 2024.
With a community of over 65 million homeowners and home design enthusiasts and more than 3 million residential construction and design professionals, Houzz has unique insights into how people are designing their homes.
Now, let’s see how a need for cosiness and warmth, plus a changing urban environment are influencing our design choices.
- Elevated kitchen islands Image credit: Nicola O’Mara Interior Design | Elliot White Photography
Kitchen islands have become a mainstay in kitchen design, installed by 38% of kitchen renovators according to the 2023 Houzz UK Kitchen Trends Survey. Still, the trend for raising them on legs is a new twist that we are beginning to see. This can help make a bulky item appear lighter and slimmer, by allowing light underneath, and it continues the trend for homeowners wanting their kitchens to feel as carefully designed as other living spaces in the home with islands being treated as a valued piece of furniture.
- Autumnal colours Image credit: Boffe Design
Last year a shift from cool colours to a warmer palette was predicted, and we can now expect to see an evolution of this trend next year, with rich autumnal shades taking centre stage in 2024. Red, arguably the colour of the season during September’s fashion weeks, is beginning to creep into interiors, with warm shades such as plum and burgundy making their way into kitchen and home designs on Houzz. Tones of ochre, terracotta and caramel were all spotted throughout this year’s Decorex show and designers on Houzz continue to highlight the versatility of earthy green shades.
- Brown-toned marble Image credit: Simpson & Voyle | Anna Stathaki Photography
Echoing the move into a richer colour palette, marble worktops and surfaces are set to feature more prominently in 2024, with dramatic, statement marbles taking the place of cooler-veined variants. These bold, brown and gold veined marbles pair beautifully with a rich, warm colour palette, and we are seeing them crop up in more kitchen and bathroom designs ahead of the new year.
- Rebel gardening Image credit: Steve Williams Landscapes
With a changing climate and a growing awareness for sustainability within garden design, pros on Houzz report that seismic change is coming for outdoor areas. From rubble gardening–the idea of turning brownfield sites and building waste into thriving gardens–to drought-tolerant designs and an openness towards naturalistic and less regimented planting schemes, we expect to see a more radical approach to the way we view our outdoor spaces in the years to come.
- Squishy, sumptuous seating Image credit: KERV Interiors | Fiona Walker-Arnott Photography
Curved shapes, soft textures and squishy furniture are all set to be very big in interiors next year, putting the emphasis firmly on comfort in the home. Curvy chairs and sofas upholstered in super soft, luxurious fabrics were a standout feature at this year’s Decorex event, and they’ve begun to make their presence felt on Houzz too. Boucle will continue to feature heavily next year but we also expect to see more sherpa and sheepskin designs in comforting tones of beige and caramel emerge.
- Traditional wall treatments Image credit: MW Architects | Taran Wilkhu Photography
An interest in traditional materials and crafts has been growing for a while and this looks set to continue, with traditional wall treatments such as lime wash making a comeback. Increasingly spotted, lime-based paints can create a timeless, relaxed finish as well as being an environmentally friendly choice. For this type of painting work, you may consider hiring professional painters.
- Stacked tile patterns Image credit: Aflux Designs
Conversely, when it comes to tiles, designers are turning tradition on its head. The trend of stacking tiles vertically rather than in a traditional horizontal brick pattern looks set to continue into 2024. Designers on Houzz are using thinner subway-style tiles positioned in straight vertical lines rather than staggered as with a traditional brick pattern to create a quiet but impactful statement wall in bathrooms, kitchens and even living spaces.
- Bare wood kitchens Image credit: E J Studio Ltd | Pete Helme Photography
Painted wooden kitchens have long been popular, but an emerging trend of unpainted wooden cabinets is starting to creep in, with more examples pointing the way to a rising trend. From warm oak to statement plywood, the trend is to show the grain of the wood and allow its warmth and beauty to shine through.
- Naturescapes Image credit: designed by Martha Ashby for Coordonné
Bringing nature into the home is an enduring trend but it looks set to become more literal next year, with designers predicting that we will see large-scale wallpaper naturescapes introduced into designs. Tapping into the desire for a connection to the outside, large-scale wall designs allow homeowners to immerse themselves fully in a natural setting, from a beach to a woodland.
- Creative lighting Image credit: Leili Design Studio | John Sciarrino Photography
Expect the unexpected when it comes to lighting. This year saw a growing interest in biodynamic lighting, and next year lighting is set to get even more bespoke. We are seeing designers get more experimental, from incorporating statement wall lights that are almost pieces of artwork, to using small portable lamps which can be moved from room to room or introducing well-planned lighting schemes that can be adapted throughout the day.
