A Guide to the 26 Most Popular Interior Design Styles

Sharp straight modern lines, cozy traditional woodwork, and natural Japandi simplicity. The huge range of today’s hot interior design styles will never leave you wanting for choice. Some designs combine the old and the new, the east and the west, the rustic and the modern. Others are built to dazzle with glam, luxury, and avant-garde colors. In this article we break down today’s most popular interior designs.

Traditional

Even in our fast-paced modern world of tall skyscrapers of steel and glass, there’s still a home for tradition. Traditional design exudes an old-world yet timeless feel. Its dark wooden features and beautiful velvet and silk fabrics suggest a calm, orderly, and simple aesthetic. If today’s angular monoliths aren’t your thing, traditional design lets you take a page from history. 

Tradtional Was Never So Irresistable

Modern

Maybe you’re not one for tradition, and prefer to live on the cutting edge of modernity. In that case, modern design is what you’re looking for. Its sharp straight lines have no time for sweeping curves or garish colors. The modern home is all about being sleek, free of clutter, and simple in every way. Put simply, modern design is your house if it was designed by Apple. 

Some of the Most Popular Design Styles

Contemporary

It’s easy to confuse this contemporary design style with modern. Contemporary is, after all, a synonym of modern. But in terms of interior design, contemporary style is more like the modern design style’s younger brother: similar, but different. Unlike its more rigid sibling, contemporary style allows for experimenting. Contemporary designs can be fluid, curvy, and even draw from other design cues. 

What is Contemporary Design?

Transitional

There’s something to be said about having the best of both worlds. Case in point is the very popular transitional design style. What’s better than taking the best of tradition, and the sleekest of modern style, and creating a trendy combo? When done right, transitional homes are full of warmth, balance, and style. The old and new live side by side, as they always have.    

How to Achieve Traditional Interior Design

Mid-Century

Take a trip in time to an era when cars were the size of boats, when rock and roll was the next new thing, and when a chocolate milkshake cost just 35 cents. There’s nothing quite like a mid-century house, with its 1950s “functional yet stylish” furniture and chic minimalism. The mid-century aesthetic incorporates a tasteful melange of different materials, organic lines, and gentle curves. It’s a great balance of the world of old and the fresh optimism of the new.  

Mid-Century Fusions In Interior Design

Rustic (Shabby Chic)

Keeping in sync with the natural world makes us healthier and happier. A rustic home draws from nature itself, bringing raw elements such as wood and stone into your abode. The beauty of the rustic design is its flexibility. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to this design style. It allows reclaimed materials, antique furniture, bare stone, and modern features to all coexist in harmony. 

Create A Rustic Look In Your Home

Industrial

High timber ceilings, exposed brickwork, and metal fixtures. The industrial design style is meant to stand out. Its raw, unfinished feel, gives it a stark and distinct look. Industrial houses don’t try to hide or embellish things, and that’s what makes them so unique. They’re a celebration of beauty through utilitarianism, and a great fit for apartments, lofts, and modern homes alike. 

Industrial and Other Popular Design Styles

Eclectic 

Variety is the spice of life, and the eclectic style is anything but predictable. It's a pioneer of the unexpected, a haven for bright colors and eccentric patterns. It draws from the past, from international styles, and a mixture of other design elements. But in the unpredictability there is order. An eclectic home may have many different design cues, but it should always be a tasteful array, rather than a chaotic mess.  

What Eclectic Design Is and What It Isn't

Coastal 

There are few better ways to make your home feel bright and spacious than to give it that Hamptons coastal feel. The coastal design gives you the cheery airy lightness of the beach with cool neutral colors and beige furnishings. Wood, of course, is a must for that shoreside boardwalk feel. If you want something cozy and simple, the Cape Cod style is another charming option with its simple symmetry, and its traditional English cottage feel. 

Coastal Design for An Escape Right at Home

Ranch 

Adding rural charm has long been a popular way to spruce up the home, and the Ranch style delivers. If you want a trendy blend of modern simplicity and western charm, look no further. There’s something so relaxed about a ranch-style home and its neutral color palette. For even more ruggedness, a farmhouse-style design infuses a rustic feel into everything from your furniture to your appliances. Or you can go with a country-style interior design for an even more vintage-focused feel. 

Modern Ranch Interior Designs that Will Make You Crave a Little Country

Mediterranean

The Mediterranean Sea brings together the vibrant cultures of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Europe. In much the same way, your home can also be a crossroads for culture with Mediterranean interior style that will invoke calm, relaxation, and comfort. Give your home some Med flair with a cool white backdrop and some high-quality wooden fixtures, furniture, and patterned tiles.

How Small Touches Can Help Bring Mediterranean Style to Your Home

Scandinavian

As the Scandinavians know all too well, simplicity comes naturally. The Scandinavian interior style is a testament to this with a distinct feel that emphasizes the organic beauty of nature. That means that a Scandinavian-style home is full of wood with subtle metal accents, textiles, and different hues of gray, white, brown, and black. Although it is part of modernism, Scandinavian interior design is often considered a style unto itself. It is one of the most notable for its simplicity and functionality and is a great option for those of us who just want a home that looks as good as it works. 

What Is Scandinavian Interior Design?

Southwestern

It's a great time for lovers of the American West aesthetic. Southwestern interior design takes inspiration from the majesty of America’s Southwest and brings the colors of the arid plain into your home. This means a lot of vibrant colors and rich accents, along with some Spanish-inspired textiles and ironwork. It's a patchwork of cultural cues, with Mexican, Native American, and American Pioneer vibes. The Southwestern design is a dynamic choice from a dynamic part of America.  

Why A Little Country Charm Will Never Go Out of Style

Victorian 

Victorian style is about faking it because you made it. Show off your good taste with glitzy decor complete with sconces, tapestries, and countless ornate wood pieces. Then, complement the ensemble with some dark, rich paint colors, and some cozy brass lighting fixtures. If Victorian design just doesn’t have enough wood for you, there’s always the Tudor style, which combines English traditional motifs with an abundance of dark wood. 

How to Bring Victorian Style Into the 21st Century

Minimalist

If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve probably noticed that minimalism is a phenomenally popular trend. It's been borrowed by countless sister design styles and has become a mainstay of many, many homes. But minimalism is more than just making a place feel empty and not lived in. It's about accentuating the beauty of the living space with natural elements such as light. Unlike the Victorian style, minimalism emphasizes doing a lot with a little.  

What Is Minimalist Interior Design

Vintage

Vintage-style homes usually have a lived-in look complete with vintage fixtures from the past half-century of interior style trends. This is a look that aims to capture the grandeur of luxurious old-fashion style. Wrought iron chandeliers, huge beds, restrained colors, and lots of heavy antique furniture all come together with modern amenities to create an aura of cultured elegance.  

Why Vintage Will Never Get Old

Bohemian

When you think of bohemians, the word “free-spirited” probably springs to mind. The same is true for Bohemian style. It doesn’t follow rigid rules. Instead, the Bohemian style allows you to give a personal touch to your interior design style. There’s so much to choose from, too. Want a home with a Morrocan rug, African baskets, Scandinavian-style furniture, and Victorian light fixtures? That's positively Bohemian. 

Step Into Formless Comfort with Bohemian Interior Design

Hollywood Glam

If you’re in the mind to give your house some of that vintage Beverly Hills pzazz, you can’t go wrong with some Hollywood Glam. This interior style is as flashy as it is opulent. It draws from some of the most luxurious styles, with Victorian-themed furnishings, antiques, and bold colors such as red and purple. In short, Hollywood Glam makes a statement and a strong one at that.  

Hollywood Glam Style Is Not Bound By Time Or Geography

Art Deco

Time to get in an Empire State of mind. New York is after all the spiritual home of the American Art Deco trend. And there’s no better home for such a streamlined aesthetic. The Art Deco style exudes glamour and technological progress, so it uses a lot of geometric shapes, chrome, glass, and sleek forms. It's kinda like modernism with much more flair and ornamentation. 

Why You Need Some Art Deco In Your Life

Cottage

We’d all like to get away from all the hustle and bustle every once in a while. But with a cottage interior design, you can bring the simplicity of rural life to your home. The Cottage interior style uses antique garage sale decor, neutral whites, and wooden fixtures. It gives you that cozy feeling you get from a simple country house.   

Some of the Most In-Demand Interior Design Styles

Dutch

This hot new style has gained popularity since 2020. Much like Scandi style, the Dutch style incorporates minimalism and functionality and draws from nature. Unlike the Scandinavian style, Dutch interior styles don’t shy away from bright colors. They also emphasize gathering places to make a space more homely. 

Why Dutch Interior Design Has Traveled So Far and Wide

Colonial 

The grandeur of the Colonial style comes from the large farmhouses of the New World. The finery is inspired by traditions carried over from the British Isles, and this makes for a distinctive style.  As a result, colonial style is a mix of stately hand-patterned quilt color schemes and rustic dark brown wood fixtures. The Federal Colonial Style is a similar trend but is meant to be an American interpretation of European themes.  

How Elements of Colonial Style Can Complete Your Vibe

French Provincial

Much as Colonial design draws from English styles, the French Provincial style draws from French motifs. As you would expect, the French interpretations tend to be chicer with simple but finely crafted wood furniture. It's not pretentious, but the French Provincial aesthetic doesn’t ignore style. It’s defined by luxurious rustic fixtures and neutral colors. French Farmhouse style is similar, but with even more antique furnishings for an authentic French country feel. 

The Perfect Style For A Whimsical Escape

Neoclassical

We can’t all live in royal palaces. But, we can make our homes look like them with some tasteful styling decisions. Imbue your home with royal style by adding some neoclassical wall patterns, marble, geometric tile, and open spaces. Top it off with some large wall art, and functional modernist furniture for the right level of neoclassical style.   

The Perfect Balance of Modern and Traditional

Spanish 

Those seeking to add color to their house can’t go wrong with an Andalusian-inspired interior design. Ornate tiles, stucco, and colorful upholstery are cornerstones of this style. Even if you're thousands of miles away from the Mediterranean shores of Spain, you can feel the warm, sunny vibes through your home.  

The Best Interior Design Styles for Warmth and Character

Japandi

Much like Scandinavian style, the Japanese interior design style appreciates the simplicity of nature. So, it's only natural that the two design styles have been combined into one. Japandi is a fast-growing international trend, mixing the sleekness of Japanese style with the rustic simplicity of Scandinavian style. When it comes to designs that are cozy, natural, and simple, Japandi leads the pack.   

What Is Japandi Interior Design?