At Who What Wear UK, we spend a lot of time talking about fashion: new-season trends, the latest It items, the divisive or the viral aesthetics. Clean girl! Quiet luxury! Bohemia! Y2K! It's a fast-paced, fun and ever-changing world. I wouldn't exactly be revealing anything new by saying that interiors and fashion are closely tied; they both reflect the wider culture, the mood of a season and of course, personal taste.
Whilst it might be silly—frivolous, even—to suggest you should change how your home looks every year or whenever a new trend rolls around, there are benefits to being abreast of the changing mood. For example, if you're renovating or decorating, it can inspire you far beyond a Pinterest board. It can also serve as an indicator of how you really want to live beyond just having a clean and comfortable home, and, most importantly, how you want to feel in your own environment.
So what are the core interiors trends of 2026? As ever, there are many! And naturally, they also reflect what's happening in fashion right now. After years of a quiet-luxury hiatus which celebrated all things minimalist, clean and pared-back, we're now entering a time of joy, colour and experimentation in style. The same can be said for our homes, with chintz, colour and vibrancy paving a new path after years of "vanilla girl" interiors dominating. Interior designer and model Flossie Hughes has observed a similar movement.
"One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is how much bolder people are becoming with their interiors choices. There’s a growing confidence in colour, pattern and statement materials. People are leaning away from overly safe or neutral schemes and are instead embracing spaces that feel personal and expressive. As many people have returned to the office post-lockdown, there’s a renewed desire to clearly separate home from workplace. Rather than defaulting to whites, greys and beiges (which are often seen in the workplace), people are opting for warmer, richer palettes and more character-driven interiors. The home is no longer just a neutral backdrop; it's becoming a sanctuary and a form of self-expression," she says.
In the same vein, we're witnessing a direct backlash to the clean girl: enter the "messy girl" era. When I scroll Instagram and Pinterest, I'm seeing more authentic, "lived in" environments instead of tidy (arguably sterile) and staged homes that feel photo-ready; products left out in the bathroom, desks that look like they're actually worked at and kitchens that one might use for cooking and eating (the shock!) are showing up much more in interiors content online.
Another huge trend in fashion is the comeback of boho fashion. Not just in its early 2000's "boho chic" iteration that was defined by Sienna Miller and Mary-Kate Olsen, but also in a way that feels much older, that celebrates folksy embroidery, earthy colours and natural fabrics. This very same thing is happening in our homes right now, not just with decorative items that feel adjacent to a folk aesthetic, but an emphasis on more natural materials and organic colour palettes.
Of this, Hughes says, "The interior design mood for 2026 is what I like to call the editorial interpretation of Mother Nature. We’re seeing the return of Earth’s raw, natural colours and materials, reintroduced in a far more elevated way as refined focal points rather than rustic accents. Shades like burgundy, teal and chartreuse are emerging alongside materials such as Calacatta marble, travertine, wrought iron and burl wood. There’s a clear emphasis on texture and depth, with finishes that feel considered and timeless rather than purely decorative."
That being said, there's also a place for those who lean more minimalist and look to man-made products. Stainless steel has prevailed as a key material in the home (not just in the kitchen) in recent years, and we've seen a notable return of glass tiles and postmodern furniture with plastic, fiberglass and chrome accents.
In essence, there's an eclectic mix of rising trends prevailing for 2026, and styles suitable for all tastes and home environments. Below, I've listed the seven I think are worth noting, along with homeware picks to help you bring them into your own space.
The 7 Biggest Interiors Trends in 2026
1. Folk Bohemia
Style Notes: In 2026, the modern-folk movement in interiors is a little like the boho revival we're seeing in fashion. A few years ago, the term "bohemia" from an interiors point of view might have conjured up images of rattan ceiling lights, whitewashed walls and crochet wall hangings reminiscent of holidays in Mexico and Bali. But now, this newer brand of folk style feels more artisan, cosy and eclectic. No longer just drawing from a neutral palette, this folksy iteration of bohemia feels joyous and colourful. Hughes best describes the modern-folk trend as a combination of "styles that create a very cosy and soulful space," as she says in one of her videos. "It incorporates a mix of wood patinas, earthy tones and artisan textiles, all of which add a lot of character to a room."
2. European Postmodernism
Style Notes: For a long while, mid-century modern was the trending era for antique furniture. Wassily chairs, teak sideboards and cane accents prevailed in the most stylish spaces. Now, however, there’s growing interest in postmodernist pieces from the '70s to the early '90s. From space-age fibreglass coffee tables to Mario Bellini sofas and Togo chairs, these are the trending pieces bringing in Feng Shui in New York, Paris and London right now.
3. Wood Accents
Style Notes: After years of harsher materials like concrete taking over surfaces and floors, wood is finally getting its moment. Adding warmth and dimension to any room of the house; be it in the bedroom with a mahogany headboard or a burl chest-of-drawers, in the living room with panelling and fitted shelving or in the kitchen with a reclaimed pine island or contemporary oak windows; wood, especially when antique and in a mix of finishes, is fast becoming one of the more popular materials in interior design this year.
4. Animal Print
Style Notes: ICYMI, animal prints aren’t just trending in fashion. From leopard to zebra, deer and dalmatian, we’ve noticed animal prints across all kinds of soft furnishings, like zebra rugs courtesy of Nordic Knots, cowhide tubular Bauhaus chairs and chaise longues and, of course, the occasional leopard-print cushion. These patterns look especially chic with the aforementioned postmodern-style furniture, for a cool and confident way to elevate a space, allowing you to experiment with print without becoming too maximalist (more on that below).
5. Stainless Steel
Style Notes: Unlike wood, stainless steel has a definitive man-made, industrial feel. It's affordable, durable and, in my opinion, gets better with age and wear. Stainless steel is a growing preference in kitchens for those who want a contemporary feel. Elsewhere in the home, it's popping up on occasional furniture and fixtures—think side tables and shelving—as well as postmodern accessories and details like fruit bowls, candleholders and coasters.
Whereas trends like chintz and folk bohemia feel warm and cosy, stainless steel is unmistakably cooler, and for me, this is its appeal. It works well combined with tiled or polished concrete floors and blends with modernist furniture and pops of colour. It’s also very '90s and early ‘00s, so if JFK Junior’s iconic Manhattan loft in Love Story is your vibe, then this is the material for you.
6. Charming Chintz
Style Notes: Maximalist to its absolute core, chintz is not for the faint-hearted. Whilst this vintage-inspired, frothy and print-heavy trend feels simultaneously dated and timeless, it’s currently enjoying a major moment. Hotels like The Rose in Deal and the recently revamped suites at The Dorchester in London celebrate swathes of fabrics adorned in floral prints, vibrant hues, moiré silk, fringe tassels and rich velvet.
Often considered kitsch, there’s a cosiness to chintzy décor that feels inviting. Whilst going all out with Bunny MacDougal-inspired dust ruffles and mallards isn’t a requirement, looking to occasional heavily printed furniture like pouffes, adding an accent wall of floor-to-ceiling patterned wallpaper or even sourcing a four-poster bed (I swear, they’re coming back!) are strong suggestions.
7. Girl Mess
Style Notes: This is probably my favourite trend from the list. After a long while of pristine homes that appear staged for social media, we've entered an era of more "real" or lived-in home environments. We could compare this to the demise of the clean-girl aesthetic in beauty; a desire for the more authentic realities of other people's homes is growing. Of course, these homes still feel beautifully curated, but instead of colour-coordinating your bookshelves or ensuring your beauty cabinet only contains perfectly organised Byredo and Aesop products, we're getting acquainted with "girl mess".
This is about kitchens filled with mismatched fabrics and trinkets that evoke memories of holidays, living rooms that look lived-in, with stacks of books used as side tables, open newspapers with a pen on the side to finish a half-done sudoku or crossword puzzle, as well as candles that have actually been burnt is the general vibe I'm getting from the interiors accounts I follow. So, messy girls, rejoice!
