Interior Design Trends for 2023
We are now in 2023 and if you've been wondering what's coming next in this constantly evolving world of home design and decor ideas, then look no further!
We've rounded up some of our favorite forecasts and predictions for 2023 so you can start incorporating them into your own life
No more white kitchens! Look out for more earth and wood tones…
In the last decade, the interior design industry has seen an explosion of different trends. Some have stuck around for years, like mid century modern design, reclaimed wood, and Scandinavian style furniture in a space. Others are so fleeting that we can hardly remember their blip on the radar.
We are now in 2023 and if you've been wondering what's coming next in this constantly evolving world of home design and decor ideas, then look no further! We've rounded up some of our favorite forecasts and predictions for 2023 so you can start incorporating them into your own life—and maybe even beat the trendsetters out there who will use them first.
Sustainable Design
If you’ve found yourself on our website then you know that we focus on sustainable interior design.
Fortunately for the planet we aren’t the only ones. Many companies large and small are implementing their values and what the market is demanding.
Sustainable design is a conscious effort to create a home that is environmentally friendly. This approach to interior design considers the environment and strives to reduce consumption, waste, and pollution by utilizing sources that are renewable, recycled, and low toxic. The goal of sustainable design is not only to help protect the earth's resources but also to improve indoor air quality.
In addition to these practical considerations, more people are becoming aware of the psychological benefits of living in an eco-friendly space. Having clean indoor air quality is important to everyone’s health and has both short and long term implications, especially in children.
Vintage Furniture
For as long as I’ve been in the design industry (since 2004!) I have always used vintage furniture in both our own designs and when working for other interior designers.
During the height of the pandemic vintage furniture became an important staple of design due to the disruption of the supply chains.
This trend isn’t going anywhere, and we love that vintage furniture is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, while also creating a more eco-friendly home. Sourcing vintage is all about reusing old pieces of furniture in new ways.
Vintage items are a great way to implement something unique and personalized into your home design. You'll be amazed at how much character these pieces have compared to their new, mass-produced counterparts that come from factories overseas.
As for trending design styles on the vintage market, right now we are seeing a lot of pieces from the 70’s and 90’s. There is also a nod to neoclassical designs featuring Greek Key patterns and column motifs.
Pictured right: A Côte d’Azur home by Jean-Charles Tomas with the highly collectible Mesa cocktail table by .H. Robsjohn-Gibbings.
Raw Materials in Restoration
Exposed brick, unfinished wood floors, and stripped back ceilings of buildings has become a staple of renovation in buildings built pre-mid century.
Our team has executed this numerous times in both San Francisco and Durango. One of our first projects where we dove into this foray of design was when Buck was on the renovation team for our former long-term employer, Ken Fulk. His design studio (shown above), dubbed “The Magic Factory,” was where we both worked for nearly twenty years combined. This building is now for sale for a cool $8.9 million, check it out here. Fulk recently was inducted into Hospitality Design's hall of fame for his restoration of historical commercial buildings.
At our new design studio in downtown Durango we have been peeling back the layers of plaster, carpet, and wallpaper and have unearthed some beautiful raw finishes. In the beginning of my interior design career we would have polished up those discoveries but now we, along with other top designers, are stripping down to uncover the original raw elements and leaving the wear and tear as evidence of the building’s history.
The best part about this now evergreen trend is that anyone can do it. It also reduces the need for new materials which is better for the planet and your budget. Some examples of this are doing away with plaster to uncover the original brick, removing drywall to expose the raw steel beams and pipes, and pulling up carpet to reveal original hardwood floors.
Nature Themed Patterns and Decor
A wide variety of nature themed design elements are showing up in many of the interior design magazines that we reference including Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. The cover of Architectural Digest’s January 2023 issue is a Los Angeles living room that bridges the inside and the outside with large windows, exterior landscaping mirrored with indoor trees and a green, pink, and oak color and materials palette. Read and check stunning photos about that amazing project from Studio Shamshiri here.
Biomorphic shapes are on the rise for both furniture, lighting, and patterns. Biomorphism is defined as life-form (bio=life and morph= form).
Biomorphic shapes are often rounded and irregular, unlike most geometric shapes.
One example of a now coveted and sought after design is the Mesa coffee table by T.H. Robsjon-Gibbings designed in the 1950’s. It is stunning and is garnering prices of more than $300k at auctions as of late. (See the above example!)
Some other examples of more accessible pieces are the Sassolino Burl Wood Nesting Tables from Crate & Barrel, The Bates Bunching Table from our local source, Artesanos, and The Vestry Tables from Maiden Home.
In conjunction with the Biomorphic theme are the mushroom patterns and shapes we are seeing everywhere and the floral patterns that are still showing up on wallpaper and fabric. Plus the still present use of stone and wood on walls, ceilings, and the more typical countertop and flooring application.
Wrapping up 2023 interior design trends:
Sustainable Design: With more technology and more knowledge, sharing this is more of a movement than a trend. Let’s keep it going by supporting companies that are doing the right thing.
Vintage Furniture: Reuse, reduce, recycle! Buying anything vintage helps with sustainability and style at the same time!
Raw, Organic Feeling Materials: If you’re restoring an older or historic space let those architectural elements take center stage if possible.
Nature Themes: Biomorphic shapes which are soft and organic feeling are among nature themed designs along with floral patterns and mushroom shapes and patterns.
There are so many more I didn’t have time to include! Check out the 2023 Winter issue (coming soon!) of the Four Corners Real Estate magazine to read more interior design trends that I am seeing and that forecasters are predicting.
Thank you so much for reading this post! I appreciate you and hope you’ve found something helpful.
What is your favorite idea or product listed? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t forget, sharing is caring. If you know someone who might be interested in this piece feel free to pass it on!
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f you or anyone you know needs help implementing or sourcing any of the things discussed here, contact us here or you can book a complimentary call here.
Designing and facilitating a sustainable home and lifestyle for our clients is at the core of what we do at Dorothy Parker Design. Dorothy Parker is a certified Green AP through the Sustainable Furnishings Council and brings this unique knowledge to create a naturally beautiful home for your family.
Although Dorothy Parker is a Durango, Colorado native, she cultivated her design prose in San Francisco for more than two decades. For ten years, Dorothy worked with renowned designer Ken Fulk, who is now an influential tastemaker with international projects and offices in San Francisco and New York. While working (and wearing many hats) on some of Fulk’s most notorious projects, Dorothy perfected her craft and learned the art of installation as a critical component of the success of a design.
What is the Difference Between a Interior Decorator and an Interior Designer?
Many people wonder what the difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator is.
The answer for an interior designer is simple, it’s either an interior design degree or a minimum of 6 years of experience under a professional designer.
Many people wonder what the difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator is. As someone interested in linguistics I wanted to explore the actual definition of each.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the definition of a designer is “one who creates and often executes plans for a project or structure”. Similarly, the definition of a decorator is “one that designs or executes interiors and their furnishings”.
Aside from dictionary definitions, what is the actual difference in practice? The answer for an interior designer is simple, it’s either an interior design degree or a minimum of 6 years of experience under a professional designer.
What does this mean for the client and their project? Let’s take a look at some of the small and big differences.
Space Design
This quote from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design perfectly states the difference:
“Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building, while interior decorating is the furnishing or adorning of a space with decorative elements to achieve a certain aesthetic. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.”
Both decorators and designers know how to pick out furniture and know how it will go into a room. However, a designer will be more likely to use Autocad to create drawings of floorplans and elevations for your space. Autocad is the industry standard for interior designers, architects, furniture designers, and many other design industries. CAD stands for “computer aided design” and due to its price and complexity is overall not used by people who have not been trained to use it.
The advantage of using Autocad is that the design is easily adjusted and duplicated for different purposes. For instance, when it comes to a renovation project there will be multiple plans including:
The Floor Plan with architectural details such as cabinets, windows, and doors.
A Furniture Plan showing the placement and layout of the furniture and large accessories.
The Construction Plan shows what walls are being moved and/or eliminated.
Design Elevations showing pieces in scale and place.
A Ceiling Plan showing where lighting is to be installed.
And lastly, an Electrical Plan that shows outlets and switch locations.
To do any of that by hand would be extremely time consuming and not as accurate or detailed.
Experience
There are many industry groups for both interior design and interior decorating.
For interior design the most prominent group is ASID which stands for the American Society of Interior Designers. There are different levels of ASID memberships and, as a general rule, to be accepted to their organization one must have a degree and/or at least six years of full-time interior design work experience.
Having been in the interior design industry since 2004 with notable and experienced interior designers, I evidently have much more than six years of experience. Additionally my business and life partner has a background in construction specifically for interior designers and helps with renovation and design plans which gives our business an added level of knowledge and expertise.
In contrast, to become a certified interior decorator, one must only complete a course that can take as little as two weeks. Once you get your decoration certification you are on your way to home decoration.
Construction Knowledge
This is likely the biggest difference between decorators and designers. Designers have structural and technical knowledge and skills. A designer can look at a space and can work with contractors and or architects to modify the physical space of a room or a whole home.
For instance, with one of my local clients we are moving a wall and all of its components including electrical and even modifying a vent pipe size to expand the size of the kitchen. For this we will work with a number of trades including demo, wall framing, drywalling & finishing, electrician, and other installers. Our team will oversee the whole schedule and process including creating the plans for it all.
Decoration
In contrast to renovation knowledge, decoration is where designers and decorators are in alignment. Both trades have knowledge about color, pattern, styles, trends, etc. Again here is the execution of it all and the designer or decorator’s experience level. Obviously if someone has been practicing for a long time they will have knowledge and experience that is of great use. When a full service designer is involved they will oversee the paint that is applied, the lighting that is installed, and any other trades that bring the design to life.
How do you pick?
If your project doesn’t need renovations or more than a painted wall, a decorator can certainly get the job done. However a designer can do it as well. So what should you look for in either one?
My advice is to pick someone who you have a good connection with both stylistically and personally. A few good questions to ask either a decorator or a designer are:
What is your design process like?
What type of services do you offer?
What is an average budget for your projects?
How long will it take?
Are you taking new clients and if so do you have a wait list?
Who is on your team and will they be working on my project?
Also you can always ask for references. Many interior designers do charge for a consultation however they don’t charge for exploratory phone calls. When you do either, be sure to have any of your questions ready so you can make the most of your time with them.
Recapping the differences:
When it comes to a project interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design. The main reasons for this are:
Experience in the interior design industry for at least 6 years or an interior design degree.
Working relationships with construction trades.
Computer aided drawings with the industry standard, Autocad.
Construction knowledge.
Thank you so much for reading this post! I appreciate you and hope you’ve found something helpful.
Want to know more about our sustainable interior design services? Email us here or you can book a complimentary call here.
Designing and facilitating a sustainable home and lifestyle for our clients is at the core of what we do at Dorothy Parker Design. Dorothy Parker is a certified Green AP through the Sustainable Furnishings Council and brings this unique knowledge to create a naturally beautiful home for your family.
Although Dorothy Parker is a Durango, Colorado native, she cultivated her design prose in San Francisco for more than two decades. For ten years, Dorothy worked with renowned designer Ken Fulk, who is now an influential tastemaker with international projects and offices in San Francisco and New York. While working (and wearing many hats) on some of Fulk’s most notorious projects, Dorothy perfected her craft and learned the art of installation as a critical component of the success of a design.