Interior Design Styles: A Comprehensive Guide to Top Decorating Styles of 2023

Over time, it’s easy to get bored with your home’s interior design style and start looking for ways to switch up the aesthetics. When this happens, do not worry, as there are several interior design styles to choose from. Some are fads, while others are timeless classics that have stood the test of time. Every style features distinctive décor, furniture, lighting and accessories that give it its signature look.

This article rounds up 15 of the most popular decorating styles of 2023, including styling tips and tricks from reputable designers.

Transitional Interior Design Style

Popularly referred to as the happy medium of interior styles, the transitional interior design style is among the world’s most popular styles. It is your go-to option if you find the traditional style too fluffy and the contemporary style way out of your comfort zone. This style is the perfect blend of traditional elegance and contemporary lines and textiles. Besides, transitional interiors take a minimalistic route when it comes to accessories. The key is focusing the attention on the textiles and furniture, so do not forget to make full use of blankets, area rugs, and throw pillows.

The mix of feminine and masculine is perhaps the transitional style’s most aesthetically pleasing aspect. The style is highlighted with curved furniture and finishes such as rattan, steel, wood and lacquer. Furthermore, the idea of combining two different styles births a beautiful and inviting style in your home.

Traditional Interior Design Style

This décor type is inspired by the pre-1920s French and English architecture and furnishing, focusing on ornate and elegant furnishing. Traditional interior design heavily relies on its ornamental style, with most art and furniture pieces featuring fine detail work. 

While rustic staples like ornamental wood pieces and dark-grain leather are common, traditional décor is pretty eclectic. This is because it leaves plenty of room to experiment with paint, wallpaper, luxe textile and furniture, opulent chandeliers and heritage artwork. Common textiles for upholstery and window treatments for this style include silk, linen and velvet. The fabrics also feature patterns like plaids, stripes, damask and florals. 

Regarding color, you can opt to double down on the darker wood tones, for example, by painting the walls in darker tones or create contrast with ivory. Most traditional-style homes have a neutral color palette with occasional color pops brought in with flowers or oil paintings. If properly done, traditional design style can create a warm and homey feel to any space in your home.

Mid-Century Modern Interior Design Style

This mid-1900s style is characterised by clean lines and minimalist silhouettes. Famous designers like Noguchi, Jacobsen and Eames were the highlight of this age. As a result of the post-war material engineering innovations, new methods of moulding plywood, plastic, and aluminium were introduced. The result? An abundance of elegant and versatile progressive furniture and furnishing designs. 

Color-wise, most modern homes are characterised by neutral colors like creams, beiges and whites. However, you can bring in small doses of bright hues like pinks, turquoise and oranges on curtains, carpets and tableware.

Coastal Interior Design Style

Who says you must live near the beach to pay homage to the coastal interior design style? Coastal style channels the beach with a focus on tranquillity and warmth. It achieves this by combining washed rustic wood, bright lighting and tufted seating. The style’s foundation is a blend of beige and neutrals like white to mimic the sand, with blue being the primary accent color. 

In addition, coastal-style homes should have an airy and breezy feel. The goal here is to blur the lines between the outdoors and indoors. Knowing this, consider keeping window treatments to a minimum. For instance, a piece of light sheer fabric is enough to spread the coastal vibe.

Regarding decorative accents, you can opt for jute ropes, sailboats, seashells and navigational maps, among several other options. Again, ensure you keep them at a minimum. Furniture-wise, coastal décor uses pieces with a comfortable, lived-in feel. Pair the painted and distressed furniture with jute and throw in some plants to bring nature inside.

Contemporary Interior Design Style

This design style is the most progressive, focusing on simplicity, adaptability and innovative form factor. Paying attention to its cosmopolitan environment, contemporary décor merges several complementary and opposing traits. Ethnic heirlooms, minimalist modern, edgy and glamorous chic designs all come together to create this beautiful 21-st century style.

Contemporary design style features sleek large furniture like beds and sofas with a low profile. As for decorative accents, you’ll need to get creative and artsy. So, you can opt for elegant geometric designs or vintage items with traditional embellishments. It is also common to see the use of materials such as glass and metal owing to their light-reflecting properties. Besides, this design style employs neutral color palettes with textured fabrics to add interest. The result is a luxurious modern interior.

Minimalist Interior Design Style

Contemporary and minimalist design styles have a lot in common. For instance, both of them feature clean lines and simple finishes. However, the minimalist style draws inspiration from Japanese design, its main principle being ‘less is more’. Although most minimalist interiors feature a neutral color, you can also use primary colors as accent colors.

Multi-functional furniture pieces are an essential design element in minimalist homes. Because of this, most coffee tables and sofas have storage. Some seats can also be converted into sleeping places.

Maximalist Interior Design Style

This is the antithesis of the minimalist design style, seeking to fuse a vast collection of colors and patterns to enhance a room’s character and aesthetics. While implementing a maximalist interior style may be pretty tricky, the results are breathtaking if executed precisely.

As much as the goal here is to use more of everything, there should be intention Ensure every layer of complexity creates a cohesive mood. To achieve this, you’ll need to switch the vibrant colors and busy patterns with more modest colors and simpler, plainer patterns. In a maximalist style home, you are likely to notice that where there is a bold piece like a lounge chair with elaborate colors, next to it is a muted piece like a rug or a sofa with a plain color. If you have two vibrant and conflicting colors, you can place them close to each other. However, with little to no patterns, you can go all out with the complex prints.

Industrial Interior Design Style

This style dates back to the end of the second industrial revolution when factories in Western Europe shut down, leaving many large buildings vacant. As a result of population growth, people started converting these industrial spaces into residential homes.

Exposed beams and pipes are a trademark of this design style. Materials like concrete and brick are fantastic ways to add character to the space. With this unique style, words like ‘intimate’ and ‘soft’ are uncommon when describing it. However, with the use of ample texture, you can tone down its masculine tendencies. Other common features of the industrial design style include cosy textiles and oversized artwork. The furniture is often unfinished or raw and pairs perfectly with antiques.

Scandinavian Interior Design Style

This design style is one of the easiest to recognize, thanks to its openness and airy feel. Nordic furniture is simple, functional and contemporary. They feature gentle contours and a delicate balance of organic and engineered materials. As for colors, common foundation colors are white with grey tones, although you are allowed to go bold with the accents. Other features of this style are cosy textiles and large mirrors for the ultimate cosy look.

Bohemian Interior Design Style

Over the years, Bohemian interiors have garnered popularity. So if you have been waiting for a sign to hop on the Bohemian bandwagon, now is the time. The design is a free-spirited aesthetic that gives you a taste of every culture and artistic expression. A laid-back boho atmosphere focuses towards nature, though it isn’t uncommon to spot furniture and accents in bright colors and bold patterns.

You’ll instantly feel a nomadic vibe when you walk into a Bohemian-style home. Think displaying trinkets from travels, mixing colors and patterns, rich wood, animal hides and metallic accents. It is impressive how Bohemian-style interiors use things in the most unconventional ways.

Modern Farmhouse Interior Design Style

A farmhouse design style is a modern approach to cabin-inspired interior design. It is mostly transitional with some traditional elements and will surely bring the French Provence vibe to your space. 

The furniture in a farmhouse-style home is made of upholstered linen and distressed wood. Base colors are beige and white, while accent colors are mostly light yellow and turquoise, though you can use brighter colors to bring some pop. Other common identifiers of modern farmhouse interiors include wide floor planks, sleek lighting and open-plan living. The style also mixes metals and is intentional about bringing the outside to the inside by incorporating greenery and raw wood elements.

Rustic Interior Design Style

This décor style emphasises worn organic elements like textured textiles, wooden furniture with noticeable grains, unburnished steel and natural lighting. In a rustic home, you will likely come across a raw wood table, an old-fashioned tufted sofa upholstered in leather and layered rugs. The lighting can vary depending on your desired look. A classic steel chandelier is ideal if you are aiming for a traditional lodge look. However, consider installing a modern ceiling lamp if you are going for a modern twist.

Shabby Chic Interior Design Style

The shabby chic interior décor style uses vintage elements to give your space a pleasant French country aesthetic. The furniture in shabby chic style interiors has a characteristic distressed and worn-out look achieved through two techniques: chipping paint and sanding. In addition, they often possess ornate details like ruffled skirts and carved legs and come in oak grey or beige.

The decorative accessories in such interiors are soft with a youthful feel. Common examples are pastel colors and floral patterns. Other classic additions are lavender and ornamental flowers with blush-toned pedals.

Southwestern Interior Design Style

Over the years, the Southwestern style has evolved and this is likely to continue in the many years to come. The style emphasises a blend of patterns, textures and art from the desert region of the Southwestern region of the U.S. The colors are inspired by the American desert. Designer favourites include cactus green, rust and terracotta. On the other hand, furniture often adorns thick legs and bully finishes. As for upholstery, common materials include suede and leather.

Mexican Interior Design Style

The use of vibrant colors, natural materials and rich patterns are common characteristics of the Mexican interior design style. The style also incorporates plants, botanicals, and a maximalist approach to space usage. 

Furniture pieces in Mexican-style interiors are very simple to accentuate the ornamentation around them. The walls are usually wallpapered or painted in pink, green and burnt orange. Alternatively, go for a pattern or motif. 

While it may resemble Southwestern décor, the Mexican interior design style stands out for its emphasis on bold colors and vibrant art and accents.

Other Types of Interior Design Styles

Besides the above-mentioned interior styles, here are some others you can always explore:

• Eclectic: It combines different pieces to create a culture-rich interior.
• Hollywood Glam: It is characterised by high-contrast color combos and mirrored furniture. 
• French Country: This style is a beautiful, sophisticated blend of traditional, shabby chic and farmhouse styles.
• Asian Zen: Asian Zen interiors focus on sleek lines, eye-catching shapes and a calming atmosphere.
• Mediterranean: This style features color palettes that mimic the sky and sea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

With a vast range of interior design styles at your disposal, there is no excuse for staying in a dull space. Whether you want to channel the calm and tranquillity of minimalist aesthetics or give your home a charming French country feel, you’ll find the above décor styles helpful.