By Adam Bailey
New Year, new home features, new ideas. Enter home design ideas for 2024—a forecast of trends that will be shaping the upcoming year, and beyond. With the pandemic in the rearview mirror (fingers crossed), mainstream home designers are predicting that home design will take on an optimistic turn filled with vibrant colors, new furnishings, and sustainable DIY projects while maintaining a love for nature-inspired textures and accessories. Take a look at what’s trending now.
1.Go Bold in the Kitchen.
The phasing out of the all-white kitchen continues, and the penchant for color is visible whether coating cabinets in bold, unexpected hues or updating the color of the walls. Grab that paintbrush and get to it. Rich cool tones, such as peacock, royal blue, or emerald green, are colors that create a stunning contrast when combined with quartzite or marble options. Look no further than the Thaxton home in Pierremont (August 2023) for inspiration. You have two unique, distinct elements, but when combined, they make a grand statement—where high gloss and lacquer finishes further emphasize this jewel-like kitchen space.
2. Rethink Bathroom Walls and Floors.
If your bathroom floors or walls need a facelift in 2024, try going the retro and creative route with shapes such as squares, rectangles, hexagons, rhomboids, and, yes, even circles. These tile shapes have made appearances for hundreds of years, and though the shapes aren’t new, the variety of tile sizes available has given them a refresh. Opt for tiles with combos of white, gray, and black to nail that classic vintage aesthetic. Alternatively, try larger tiles paired with your cabinets, like the SB home feature from September 2023, boasting touches of metallics and iridescent glazes
3. Feature Pools, Outdoor Fireplaces, and Enhanced Patios.
The addition of water features such as inground pools, fountains, and small ponds is predicted to be one of the hottest trends in 2024. This is particularly true of features such as natural pools, which filter themselves using plants and can enhance your landscaping and your use of the yard.
Another element that’s showing up in outdoor living spaces is the outdoor fireplace. Firepits have long been a popular addition to outdoor spaces, but new outdoor fireplaces are a more permanent addition meant to make your patio feel much more like a living room than ever before. This year, try using decorative fireplace surrounds as well as unique mantels that help dress up the area and make it feel homier.
4. Upcycle Housewares in a Glam Way.
Before you dispose of dishes, picture frames, and even large furniture items that have seen better days, think about ways to repurpose these pieces to give them some new life. Saw down that dining table and turn it into the coffee table of your dreams, or as blogger Sara McDaniel of Minden (June 2023) did in her own home—the kitchen island is made from reclaimed wood, locker baskets from Springhill High School are used above her mud bench, and her greenhouse is made from the original windows of her house.
5. Mix Textures and Fabrics.
Mixing textures and fabrics feels more relevant as we head into 2024. Consider balance, movement, and direction, and whether you want the feel of the space to be soothing or energizing. If you have a long linear rug, for example, you can either intentionally carry that theme through with vertical patterns up a wall or completely break it up with a solid or more organic rounded feel to furniture and walls that stop the line. From April 2020, a midcentury modern home on Cross Lake used dark accents in small doses, such as the sitting room chairs, couch, and tufted ottoman, which perfectly contrast with the exposed brick, fireplace, and white backdrop without overwhelming it. Decorative rugs softened the look—a look is repeated for emphasis in adjacent spaces.
6. Mix and Match Old with New.
Styling antique finds alongside contemporary furnishings will never go out of style. The thrill of combining these items is incorporating modern pieces into more traditional spaces, or vice versa, such as tossing a French Louis chair into a modern space. Or do as Mary Patrick Baucum (October 2021) did with her dining room, which perfectly blended the common threads between the objects—like color, texture, and shape. Just don’t go overboard by adding too many periods into one room. Also, say goodbye to the standard-looking light fixtures and opt for something that makes a statement instead. With today’s lighting technology, you can experiment with globe styles, heights, and finishes to create a custom statement.
7. Closets Continue to Reign.
In the realm of modern living, the concept of closet design has evolved significantly. Gone are the days of closets being mere storage spaces. Today, they reflect personal style and organizational savvy. The transition to custom closet solutions marks a pivotal moment in home design—just as Yvonne Davlin did with her closet (September 2022). This personalized space was tailored to fit her unique lifestyle, ensuring that every inch was optimized for efficiency and aesthetic appeal. Her custom closet perfectly showcases how we think about personal space, from bespoke shelving units to intricate drawer systems. Today’s trend is leaning towards minimalistic designs that offer both elegance and functionality. Sleek lines, subtle color palettes, and innovative materials are now at the forefront of cabinet design.
