5 Home Design Trends We’re Seeing Everywhere This Summer

By Brittany Natale
Aug 2, 2022

With summer in full swing, beach days and pool hangs are top of mind for many of us right now. But with so many refreshing home design trends emerging, it’s impossible to not turn our eyes indoors.

The most noteworthy interior design trends this season seem to effortlessly combine comfortable living and minimalism. Many of these trends pay homage to the great outdoors—whether it’s using natural materials or finding ways to increase your home’s indoor-outdoor flow.

The days are hot, but these must-have looks are even hotter. Here’s what our design experts are seeing this season.

1. Monochromatic paint

Photo by Cory Connor Designs

Gone are the days of white trim and molding to frame the paint color on your walls.

Jade Joyner, co-founder and principal at interior design firm Metal + Petal, shares that people are going monochromatic and painting the doors, door casings, trim, and walls the same color. Fireplace mantels are getting painted to match, too.

“Currently, we are designing all of our spaces to have just one color,” says Joyner. “Whether you go with dark or light colors, it’s such a beautiful look.”

Michel Smith Boyd, principal and owner of SMITHBOYD Interiors, says Sherwin-Williams Origami White is the perfect bright foundation for main spaces and corridors.

Want to go bold? Paint a guest bedroom or home office in Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year, Evergreen Fog.

2. Alabaster and natural stone in light fixtures

Alabaster lamp

(Pottery Barn)

Light fixtures designed with natural stone are now taking center stage in living rooms and bedrooms.

“There’s been a big movement to incorporate stone into light fixtures,” Joyner says. Currently, alabaster mixed with brass is especially popular.

Eye-catching light fixtures not only provide light and warmth but can also be a room’s focal point. Because of this, make sure you choose a fixture you love.

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Watch: The Hosts of ‘Unsellable Houses’ Reveal the Design Trends Still Going Strong Today

3. Japandi style

Photo by Sunita Yogesh Studio

Two popular interior design styles—Japanese and Scandinavian—combine into one minimalist, earthy aesthetic known as Japandi.

Sara Mosele, principal at Sara Mosele Interiors in New York, describes this sought-after style as “Zen minimalism with a touch of homeyness.”

Bright, airy, and intentional, Japandi merges rustic and modern elements.

“Most importantly, it is flexible enough to allow creative furniture selections and unexpected combinations,” Mosele adds.

You can create this look in your home by embracing neutral, warm paint colors, clean lines, and furniture made from natural materials. To get started, add a warm wooden side table or a cream-colored couch to a bright, white room. Opt for sculptural light fixtures, light wood finishes on cabinets and floors, and unglazed, organic dishware and pottery.

Smaller details, such as pampas grass in vases or a thriving pothos plant, can also help bring this look to life.

4. Heirloom furniture

Photo by SFGIRLBYBAY

Denise Powers, lead interior designer and manager of design services at Frontgate, shares that heirlooms are making a splash right now.

“The ‘grandmillennial‘ trend has given rise to the incorporation of heirloom furniture,” says Powers.

This style can easily be achieved by showcasing a piece of furniture you’ve inherited from a family member—like a traditional wooden sideboard or a turned-leg dining table—and mixing it with modern furnishings or decor.

Haven’t been bequeathed any antiques? Check out your local thrift shop or online secondhand furniture marketplace for inexpensive vintage gems.

5. Biophilic design

Photo by Erin Roberts Design

Biophilic design has been a hot home trend for a while, but its influence is stronger than ever right now.

This type of design is rooted in creating spaces that connect people and nature, and biophilic homes feature natural materials like wood, stone, and clay.

“This type of home aesthetic uses indoor plants and organic materials,” says Stacy Lewis, owner and interior designer of Eternity Modern.

You can also incorporate this style into the home by choosing earth tones and ocean hues. If you feel like your home is an ode to nature, you’re doing biophilic design right.