The Smith & Brooks rundown on what the experts are predicting
Here are Smith & Brooks we have been reading up over the last few weeks on the interior design trends for 2023. Now as an upfront disclaimer, we are not interior designers but we are interior design enthusiasts. Having an understanding of the trends and styles that will shape our homes in 2023 helps us plan our product shoots, and colour palettes and also allows us to work with our clients in selecting artwork that will work with their homes both now and into the future.
After reading through some of the predictions made by the experts about what’s to come in interior design trends for 2023 we decided to share our thoughts, our favourites and things that left us a little confused (mostly because we are not experts as mentioned). We hope you enjoy our recap of what’s in and what’s out for 2023!
Trends for 2023 that are Still Super Hot
#1 Merging of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
Harper’s Bazaar is listing this above all others in its interior design trends for 2023. This is forever one of our favourite trends and we are so glad to see it back in full force. While I personally love the concept I struggle with the actual reality of it. When I see these gorgeous homes with huge open indoor outdoor areas I wonder to myself – do they not have snakes there? As a Queenslander living just outside of Brisbane, I know that if I leave my doors wide open my house will fill up with bugs, snakes, frogs, possums, birds/tawny frogmouths, geckos, anything really depending on the time of the day. Jacky, however, lives her life on the edge and fearlessly has her living area doors wide open and I am in awe! All the same – we love this and are glad it’s here to stay.
#2 Thrifted and Vintage Finds
Insider.com states that “used and vintage is here to stay” for 2023. Brooksy and I are well on the same page with this one. Not only do “thrifted” or as we call them “second hand” finds give you a unique look no one else can get their hands on they also carry a fabulously low price tag and are sometimes even free.
But possibly our biggest love for second-hand and vintage décor comes from the fact that it is so good for the environment. Incorporating these items into your home styling keeps them from landfill. What’s not to love – one-offs, low costs and great for the environment.
#3 Sustainability
Ummmm….. Yes!!! This trend started emerging more heavily during the pandemic with consumers looking for ways to fill their homes with pieces that created the style and mood they wanted but also worked towards a better future for our planet. Technology and design are key to this one as is the ‘cycle’ – upcycling, recycling, circular economy.
Smith & Brooks are always on the lookout for ways to improve our products in this area. We currently only print on agave paper, we print through a carbon-neutral lab, and we use Australian oak float frames from renewable sources. It’s just a progression that has to happen both for our piece of mind and for that of our customers.
Trends that are Biting the Dust in 2023
#1 Fast Furniture
Vogue listed this as the number one trend that is OUT for 2023! Thank goodness! And our concern when reading this was “when was fast furniture IN?!” – we must have missed that one. But as per the previous trends mentioned, consumers are looking for more sustainable products. Dragging out some cheap furniture for hard rubbish day that you only bought 7 months ago is just not cool. It’s not cool on your wallet, it’s not cool on the environment and it’s not cool at its final resting place – landfill.
The great thing about this trend going out is that suppliers will start rethinking the products they offer and sustainability will be the natural progression.
#2 Minimalism
Everywhere is reporting this is on the way out. No more Kim Kardashian full white, sterile gallery-style homes? Look, we don’t mind minimalism, especially mid-century minimalism but it does have its restrictions. As lovers of colour, it’s exciting to hear that more vibrant palettes will be hitting homes soon!
#3 Over Dressed Beds
Guilty! The beds have been getting more “dressed” we’ve noticed. Every year that has passed over the last decade has required the addition of another item – cushion, throw, European pillow, cat. And now the full circle of bed dressing has been completed and we are back to the bare minimum. Vogue says “no” to extra stuff on the bed so you better start making those tough decisions.
Honourable Mentions:
Natural timber is in. Salmon-pink, orange-brown, and paprika are all in as are ecru and jade. Bold colours are in. Moody walls are in. Earth tones are in. Textured and odd-shaped rugs are in. Mid-century anything is in. Weird side table decor is in, although they are referred to as “unexpected” pieces. Oh, and fat chairs are in – nice. They also had a special name but I can’t seem to find it in our notes. Fat chairs sound better anyway.
Dishonorable Mentions:
Block concrete is out. The modern farmhouse aesthetic is out. This one I thought was a bit funny because I feel like it happens out of necessity if you live in the country but I guess some city dwellers were feeling it too. Gold and bronze fittings. And floating shelves are apparently really out – sorry feature shelves, you have been evicted.
We hope you like our little take on 2023 trends. Let us know if you had any of these on your radar or any that we should have included!
