{"id":765783,"date":"2026-06-28T00:29:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/765783\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T00:29:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T00:29:58","slug":"the-6-top-living-room-trends-to-watch-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/765783\/","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Top Living Room Trends to Watch in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated5 min read<\/p>\n

VERANDA editors know that when it comes to designing a home we shouldn\u2019t play favorites\u2014but it would be disingenuous to say that the living room isn\u2019t one of the spaces we look forward most to reimagining. After all, no matter the size of your home, the living room is almost always the place friends and family gather the most to relax and spend time with one another. That\u2019s why we\u2019re always on the lookout to see what emerging trends and launches will shape how these living spaces function.<\/p>\n

Since the coronavirus pandemic, people have spent more time designing their living rooms as the soul of the home, forgoing monolithic furniture and creating intentional layouts that promote connection and comfort. Overbearing sectionals have been replaced by more sculptural sofas dressed in lustrous mohair and velvets, the color palette has turned moody with rich hues of chocolate brown and burgundy flooding our rooms, and television has become the least exciting part of the entire space.<\/p>\n

As we head into 2026, San Francisco-based designer Anu Jain of Atelier Oleana<\/a> predicts the living room will get more and more personal and curated. \u201cThe living room is evolving into a personal gallery\u2014expressive, emotionally resonant, and layered with artisanal pieces that invite you to sit, sip, and stay awhile, rather than collapse and scroll,\u201d says Jain. \u201cIt\u2019s a shift from efficiency to enchantment, from convenience to composition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here, Jain, along with architect and designer Lara Apelian, designer Regan Baker, and VERANDA\u2019s own style and market team share the trends they predict will rule 2026. And while you should always design with your needs and lifestyle in mind, these emerging styles certainly offer inspiration for the living room renovation you\u2019ve been dreaming of. Read on to see the six trends design experts predict will redefine our living rooms in 2026.<\/p>\n

Trends to watch for 2026:<\/p>\n

Art as the Starting Point\"nick<\/p>\n

Experts often call out color palettes and textiles, statement furniture, and antiques collections\u2014and even the occasional rug\u2014as the starting point for a room\u2019s scheme. However, Lara Apelian notes that treasured art has increasingly become the main focal point and inspiration when designing living rooms. She explains that rather than thinking of works of art as a last finishing touch, starting by designing around the collection can kick off \u201ca dynamic energy that we pair with furniture pieces, storage, color and texture.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the art collection takes center stage, this trend doesn\u2019t mean the living room should take the form of a rather stoic art gallery. Instead, those hues in the artwork should flow through the room in the form of colorful textiles or lacquered furniture pieces. Think of more modern or abstract works as a striking juxtaposition to any more traditional silhouettes or centuries-old pieces. Historic oil landscapes or portraiture can ground the overall scheme of a room, bringing a timeless quality the space may be missing.<\/p>\n

Beneath Painting by Michelle Daisley Moffitt\"Beneath<\/a>Beneath Painting by Michelle Daisley MoffittSculptural Silhouettes\"deniot<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not an exaggeration to say that the curved sofa was the most coveted piece of furniture of 2025\u2014and those sculptural lines are only expected to extend into chairs, lighting, and small tables for 2026. Jain notes that there is a \u201cquiet confidence\u201d to these curvaceous pieces hitting the market that beautifully softens more classically lined furniture and linear architectural elements when paired in a living room. The effect leaves the room feeling organic and layered, with a look that sings across different decorating styles.<\/p>\n

San Francisco-based designer Regan Baker adds that the \u201cresurgence of scallops\u201d\u2014from the backs of sofas to the lips of coffee tables\u2014emerged in 2025 and will only increase in popularity in the years to come. The decorator explains this whimsical shape speaks to more \u201cclassic design,\u201d adding a lightness to dark wood furniture or pieces upholstered in heavier florals or geometric fabrics.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Pattern Play \"michael<\/p>\n

More and more, people are increasingly experimenting with the design of their home, often realizing the reward almost always outweighs the risk. While this fearless exploration is often focused on color, Baker believes that pattern play will take a major role in living rooms for the next year, with people playfully pairing different motifs from the upholstery to the walls.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are really wanting patterns and mural-like scenes in their living rooms,\u201d says Baker. \u201cLeafy motifs with complementary shades of green are also growing in interest. Plaid is a classic pattern that continues to hold strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jain agrees that we\u2019ll be seeing more living rooms filled with layered patterns, adding that the popular tonal palettes of today will translate into patterned textiles that stay within the same color family for the upcoming year. She further explains more artful textiles\u2014subtle jacquards, micro-motifs, and dreamy ombr\u00e9s\u2014will also reign as people play more with individuality in design.<\/p>\n

Nickey Kehoe Rectangular Hassock\"Rectangular<\/a>Nickey Kehoe Rectangular HassockEmotionally Charged Neutrals\"bromley<\/p>\n

All the experts agree that moody color palettes centered around rich browns ruled this year, but expect to see a wider range of these grounding hues drenching our living rooms in the next few months. People will still feel deeply connected to palettes inspired by nature, but these upcoming hues pull from unexpected natural pigments, such as bone, clay, smoke, ochre, and terracotta\u2014and gemstones and minerals like jade, citrine, malachite green, lapis, and garnet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a movement toward emotionally charged neutrals: shades that feel ancient, yet modern,\u201d says Jain. \u201cWhen clients crave boldness, it\u2019s not primary\u2014it\u2019s poetic. Think storm blue velvet, plum lacquer, saffron silk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Folie Chambre The Lacquered Clover Table\"The<\/a>Folie Chambre The Lacquered Clover TableThe Wet Bar\"a<\/p>\n

In decades past, the living room often was centered around the eyesore we all love and hate: the television. Yet as we enter 2026, people are yearning for gathering spaces that don\u2019t prioritize technology but instead focus on fostering connection and conversation. Jain explains, \u201cClients want zones\u2014for play, for stillness, for hosting. Rooms that encourage life to unfold in layers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jain and Apelian note that one of the most common requests they have been getting from clients is for jewel-box-like wet bars for entertaining. Whether more concealed or prominent, these cocktail corners bring an opulent touch to the room, offering clever ways to display the client\u2019s collected glass collection and treasured knickknacks. Plus, it gives homeowners a chance to easily whip up their signature house cocktail that\u2019s sure to be the topic of conversation among guests.<\/p>\n

\"Grant<\/a>Case Goods With Movement\"mikel<\/p>\n

It may seem counterintuitive to describe stationary wood furniture as having strong movement, but that\u2019s exactly how our style and market team would describe the latest case-good launches seen at the fall High Point Market. VERANDA\u2019s Style & Market Director Rachael Burrow Rummel distinctly noted the pieces exhibited \u201cstrong grains\u201d and \u201ccathedraling,\u201d signaling a departure from heavily stained or painted wooden pieces. Traditional case goods, in general, are seeing a strong resurgence, especially in living rooms, as people look for more unique\u2014and frankly stunning\u2014storage solutions for everything from their children\u2019s toys to their wide collection of books and heirlooms.<\/p>\n

19th Century French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Marble Top Vitrine \/ Bookcase\"19th<\/a>19th Century French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Marble Top Vitrine \/ Bookcase\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Sarah DiMarco (she\/her) is the associate editor at VERANDA, where she produces and edits engaging content covering design, architecture, art, gardening, and travel. Since joining the team in 2019, she has written captivating house tours, in-depth features on emerging design trends, practical gardening guides, and inspiring travel stories. Over the course of her five-year career, she has cultivated a strong network of multidisciplinary designers whose expertise she frequently draws on for her stories. Prior to joining VERANDA, she earned her master\u2019s degree in Magazine, Newspaper, and Online Journalism at Syracuse University. When she\u2019s not writing or researching her next feature, you\u2019ll find her experimenting in the kitchen, making pottery, or volunteering at the Desert Island Supply Co.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"5 min read VERANDA editors know that when it comes to designing a home we shouldn\u2019t play favorites\u2014but…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":765784,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[76,354,355,49,48,272381,272382,2910,272379,356,784,75,787,237154,1642,217005,272378,272380],"class_list":["post-765783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-collection-home-renovations","tag-collection-vds-gold","tag-content-type-feature","tag-contentid-9f1a2aee-d6cf-40bc-a196-778baa28d107","tag-design","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-entertainment","tag-hasproduct-true","tag-issyndicated-false","tag-locale-us","tag-read_time-6","tag-shorttitle-6-living-room-trends-to-watch-in-2026","tag-subsection-design-trends"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=765783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/765784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=765783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=765783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=765783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}