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December 30, 2025 \u2014 6:17pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n Ask any experienced interior designer or stylist about trends for the new year and you\u2019re likely to be met with the same answer: \u201cI don\u2019t do trends.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, even most of us non-professionals consider ourselves immune to the whims and vagaries of design trends, especially when we\u2019re talking about the way we craft the spaces we live in. In truth, though, if you\u2019ve found yourself cultivating a growing collection of indoor plants, experiencing a preference for earthier wall colours or falling in love with art deco design, you have been influenced by some of the strongest trends of the past few years, making you just as susceptible to broader design directions as the rest of us.<\/p>\n Which is nothing to be ashamed of.<\/p>\n In that spirit, we\u2019ve spoken with a range of design professionals about what to expect next year, what they\u2019re loving right now, what they\u2019d like to see more of, and perhaps one or two things they would happily say goodbye to.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with an unashamed trend monitor. Each year, paint company Dulux releases its Australian forecast for the following 12 months in the form of three colour palettes. Among other tools, the forecast is largely based on international indicators, particularly new designs and releases at the annual Milan Design Fair, to which the team travels each year.<\/p>\n Colour and design manager Lauren Treloar says that of the three palettes released earlier this year, she expects Elemental to be the most popular with home owners in 2026. Heavy on warm neutrals such as Hog Bristle Quarter and Blended Cream, it has added depth with shades of caramel and gold, as well as chocolate browns and steel blues.<\/p>\n \u201cElemental features a lot of earthy tonal shades which are perfect for people looking to introduce more colour in subtle steps,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s little by little. It\u2019s warm whites with golden brown hues so it\u2019s all about layering, with some warm greys creeping into the palette. It gives stillness and structure to a space.\u201d<\/p>\n While she thought Cloud Dancer was a surprising choice for Pantone\u2019s Colour of the Year for 2026 \u2013 \u201cwe typically see bolder colours from Pantone\u201d \u2013 Treloar expects the neutral white will be popular with interiors lovers.<\/p>\n For more adventurous types who really want to create a sense of connection and sanctuary, Treloar says the depths of the Evoke palette will appeal.<\/p>\n \u201cEvoke is very nostalgic,\u201d she says. \u201cWe think those colours will be really popular, especially into the cooler months \u2013 it has this rich feel and character-filled colours like blush pink, melon and warm mustard. It\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article As well as the choice of colours, Treloar expects the popularity of colour drenching \u2013 where the same colour is applied to skirting boards and architraves as well as walls \u2013 to gain further traction in 2026 as home owners become more comfortable with the concept and feel confident to experiment.<\/p>\n \u201cNext, we\u2019ll see colour capping, which is more popular in commercial spaces [at the moment], where you can see shades or similar colour being used on the ceiling and on the walls, but deeper on the ceiling and lighter on the wall,\u201d she says. \u201cIt elevates the space and creates a sense of luxury and brings another dimension to a room.\u201d<\/p>\n Sydney-based stylist, author and podcaster Jono Fleming has extensive experience creating commercial campaigns, styling for leading interior design magazines as well as creating beautiful homes for an array of clients. He is not a fan of Pantone\u2019s choice for 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cCloud Dancer felt like a cop out to me,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s inoffensive, but it doesn\u2019t really say anything about who we are or the moment we\u2019re living in on a wider scale, not just in interiors and fashion.<\/p>\n \u201cThe colours I saw a lot of during the Milan Design Fair felt more like a response to the world; they\u2019re richer and more emotionally charged \u2013 purples, chartreuse, deep reds, burgundy tones. They\u2019re bold, fiery colours that feel expressive and human, rather than neutral for neutrality\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n He suggests 2026 will see a greater emphasis on pattern, with the most beautiful interiors focused on layering. His hot tip: don\u2019t hold back.<\/p>\n \u201cPattern on pattern is having a moment,\u201d says Fleming. \u201cOne of the clearest signals for me is how people are embracing pattern again, and not just as an accent. We\u2019re seeing pattern layered with pattern, florals with stripes, prints that feel decorative rather than restrained.<\/p>\n \u201cKendall Jenner\u2019s recent Architectural Digest home tour, designed by Heidi Caillier, is a great example. That floral sofa moment alone feels quietly influential. It gives people permission to be braver and to treat pattern as something to live with, not just admire from afar.\u201d<\/p>\n Open plan, minimalist design is out, Fleming says.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to spatial planning, there\u2019s also a noticeable move back towards separation. Living rooms are becoming their own spaces again, rather than an extension of the kitchen. Even within open-plan homes, people are looking for ways to create division through curtains, joinery, levels, or furniture layouts.\u201d<\/p>\n Fleming says the emphasis will be on spaces designed to linger in, rather than pass through.<\/p>\n \u201cThink 70s-inspired lounges, lower seating, conversation pits. The goal isn\u2019t to cut rooms off completely, but to let them talk to each other with a bit more structure and intention.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to express yourself and make spaces your own, he says, rather than worry about maintaining overly polished, heavily curated environments.<\/p>\n Related Article James Treble loves nothing better than new projects and new trends and each year, guides industry visitors through emerging design directions via the trade event, Decor+Design in Melbourne. He agrees that next year we\u2019ll see more personalised spaces that truly reflect their owners\u2019 tastes. If you needed permission, he says it\u2019s time to let your freak flag fly.<\/p>\n \u201cGo for some bold, slightly jarring accent pieces to add to your existing scheme. It\u2019s cost-effective, but tells your story,\u201d he says. \u201cMaybe pink orange and navy blue, or some textural fun with some chenille \u2013 I love chenille. Have bedspreads in a few rooms and some statement scatter cushions adding pattern and colour.\u201d<\/p>\n The post-Christmas period could be the perfect time to keep a sharp eye out for a quirky roadside find or a piece of furniture your grandmother no longer wants.<\/p>\n \u201cMatchy-matchy furniture sets are not so much in any more, but they are being merged with more eclectic mixed furniture combinations, like it\u2019s been created over time,\u201d he says. \u201cSomething old something new, an armchair from nonna, a new coffee table, a lamp from the markets.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with earthy colours, Treble says shapes are more organic with curved edges on furniture, shelving, bedheads and island benches. It\u2019s a design trend that has been in evidence for several years now.<\/p>\n \u201cCurves in all their glory are here to stay,\u201d he proclaims.<\/p>\n The I-don\u2019t-do-trends decorator<\/p>\n To describe Lynda Gardener as a decorator hardly seems adequate. The Melbourne-based author, stylist, retailer and designer has refined her bohemian-country-chic-meets-city-vintage style over decades, and she is quick to advise one thing: she doesn\u2019t follow trends.<\/p>\n But there are some things she loves right now.<\/p>\n \u201cI am always drawn to autumnal tones, chocolates, caramels, natural and neutrals, always layering with texture, and patterns this year for me are stripes, all about a stripe,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n She describes her style as timeless, with an emphasis on layered materials that confidently show their age.<\/p>\n \u201cI like layers always, beautiful lush rugs, bed linen, cushions in the tones I love or stripes, even florals,\u201d she says. \u201cI love mixing multiple patterns, such as at home right now I have a checkered rug, stripe cushions and an old floral floor cushion.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it works, all in the same autumnal tones, but it works perfectly \u2013 and definitely not predictable.\u201d<\/p>\n Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox<\/a> every Monday.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n![\"Fortune](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/77b1a42ba3b9b7c74558859feeb98fb2f58e3256.jpeg\")
Fortune favours the brave when it comes to choosing paint colours and techniques. For the full drama, opt for colour capping with a ceiling painted darker than the walls, from the Dulux Evoke palette forecast for 2026.Lisa Cohen and Bree BanfieldThe colour forecaster<\/p>\n![\"Lauren](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/67d148fc8d7e2d275d3eedd4c06a56362cb4c6a6.jpeg\")
Lauren Treloar at the 2026 Dulux Colour Forecast explaining the inspiration behind the Elemental palette. Julia Firak\/Dulux<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/d06a955d3ee889fb1a34f7474c17e998184e60c2.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Fancy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/4338dfd077552a164646bb85417d14438e327224.jpeg\")
Fancy a little colour drenching? This room is enveloped in Dulux Topelo Honey.Lisa Cohen and Bree BanfieldThe stylist<\/p>\n![\"Soft,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/65f88ed511a3497ab0e3534b5e2a7051862c8519.jpeg\")
<\/a>The interior designer<\/p>\n![\"Stylist](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/23b38cd4c78aab464ea710bcfe2938faeb9e71d8.jpeg\")
Stylist and decorator Lynda Gardener has developed a timeless look with layers of natural materials such as linen and timber.<\/p>\n
![\"Robyn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766904251_497_331ef487a58cf72379f05422dc1091e986ea1768883afa3efee48f0daade1905.png\")