London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

The Top Design Trends You’ll Be Seeing in Living Rooms Next Year

The Top Design Trends You’ll Be Seeing in Living Rooms Next Year

From neutral hues to natural materials, here’s what designers say is on the horizon for 2021.

Over the course of 2020, as most of us have spent months sheltering in place, our living rooms have transformed from refuge into multifunctional spaces that now emphasize work, education, entertainment, and hospitality. So as we wrap up what has certainly been one of the most challenging years in modern history, we asked designers and industry veterans what they are forecasting as the top design trends moving forward into 2021. A neutral palette, relaxed seating, state-of-the-art entertainment equipment, and substantial dining tables are just a few of the trends that have emerged from all these days spent at home...read on for more.

            

Relaxed and Cozy


“For 2021 I feel that there will be some major changes, with a departure from midcentury furniture to a more relaxed, cozy look,” insists ELLE Decor A-List interior designer Juan Montoya, who believes living rooms will have more furniture and more comfortable chairs, though smaller in scale. “I think one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture like great antique or sculptural pieces will be incorporated in the decor of the living room and entry hallways.”

            

More Seating Areas


“I think people want a living room that is comfortable, approachable, usable, and functional,” says A-List designer Mark Cunningham. With people spending more quality time at home, he says, adding a games table, a multipurpose library table, and a few seating areas for reading and relaxing will allow the family to still be together in the same room no matter what activities they’re pursuing.

            

Strong Colors Mixed with Neutrals


Houston-based A-List designer J. Randall Powers concurs. “While neutral tones always seem to play most popular, I have seen a big move and nods of ‘yes, please’ to stronger colors and pattern play, almost as if Mario Buatta is getting his last laugh.” As we bid farewell to 2020, Powers believes greens are definitely on the rise, along with a mix of antiques with newly minted pieces. “I can confidently say that brown wood is back with a vengeance,” he says. “As are wicker and rattan.”

            

High-Style Accessories


“For living rooms, we are seeing plush, comfortable seating, rich tones, and layered styling,” says Mara Miller, who with her husband, Jesse Carrier, are principals at the A-List firm Carrier and Company. “Thanks to Zoom backgrounds, accessorizing and styling are finally getting the credit they deserve. We see accessorizing becoming bolder, more artful, and more personal in 2021.”

            

Entertainment Spaces


“Staying in is the new going out,” says A-List designer Brad Ford. “Since people have had to adjust to what outside entertainment looks like, I think you're going to see more attention paid to what that looks like inside the home. Bigger TV’s, better sound systems, and more comfortable and considered lounge seating will become a priority in order to enjoy new blockbuster movies or headlining concerts. Dining in will also change, with a greater appreciation for beautifully designed kitchens, tables and chairs, and dishes and serving ware. For the past year, I think people have tried to strive for, and will continue to strive for, the atmosphere they’ve missed at their favorite restaurant or theater, from furniture to lighting to a great soundtrack.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×