Living Room Style Guide for 2023

Unlike bathrooms and kitchens with fixed features and expensive remodelling costs, living rooms can be kept in line with new trends with clever tweaks at a fraction of the price.

So as 2023 fast approaches, what are the new trends likely to emerge you should consider, and how can you plan this into your next home redecorating job?

Colour Palettes for 2023

In 2022 interior decorating colours were all about greens, greys, and navy’s. This was a sign of an evolution rather than a complete departure from the popular Scandinavian style that adopted white, grey, blue, black, and cream through the introduction of bolder colours.

In 2023 this move will continue with Digital Lavender, Luscious Red, Tranquil Blue, and Verdigris set to be the trending colours of the year, as detailed by WGSN. So, think purples, reds, blues, and greeny blues for that Verdigris tone.

You might also want to change those crisp white walls and grey sofas to warmer hues of creams, beiges, ochres, terracotta, and browns.

This is all part of Maximalism coming back in a big way where more is more.

For living rooms, think brown, black, yellow, and green. Red will also be popular when used correctly to introduce vibrancy and warmth to the room.

Maximalism

A big trend turning point will be a move towards Maximalism. This is the opposite of Minimalism, which adopts muted colours and simple décor. Instead, Maximalism is all about overloading spaces with engaging, fun, beautiful objects.

Comfort is also a significant factor, so think of sofas with enormous depth to compliment this look. Chesterfields and corner sofas are ideal for achieving this style with their design, texture, detail, and strong, bold colours.

Other changes to the living room will see;

• Plain curtains being swapped for patterned ones
• Bolder colour choices
• Extra texture added to surfaces.
• Layers of personality with plants, paintings, ornaments, and other knick-knacks filling the room and encroaching on each other’s space a little.

Oversized Furniture

Another example of the increasing popularity of the Maximalist style is the inclusion of oversized furniture. This could be with large tables, XXL lamps, or creating lots of space for family and friends on huge sofas.

Many interior designers are looking for less traditional furniture to compliment the look, such as large Wing Back Chairs, luxury footstools, and the return of the coffee table as a centre piece to a room.

These oversized items draw attention, making them statement pieces. They can even add a cosiness to the smallest of rooms. Rather than trying to make these rooms look larger, they embrace their limited size by making you feel encapsulated in comfort.

Brightly Painted Woodwork

Many interior decorators adopt a 60-30-10 rule where three dominant colours are selected for the woodwork & ceiling, walls, and signature furniture pieces. However, in 2023 we predict this will change slightly. So rather than all the woodwork being the same colour, bold homeowners will opt to highlight particular features such as architrave, coving, or an entire door by painting them a bright, standout colour.

This will see these beautifully detailed aspects of a room celebrated and brought out rather than blending in with the rest of the more humdrum features.

Decorative TV Cabinets 

In modern design, the TV has replaced the fireplace as the room’s focal point. However, as trends lean towards a more urban chic approach where bold colours, patterns, and textures are celebrated on every surface, the solid black front of a TV is in danger of spoiling the look.

Expect to start seeing cabinets used to hide a TV when not in use but simultaneously be used as a new surface to deliver an impactful design.

Curtained Storage

While we may have adapted to working from home, our living spaces are still lagging. However, in 2023 this is finally changing as people replace their old minimalist open storage space with curtained alternatives.

This allows a room to be presentable during video meetings, whilst giving the option for work tech to be hidden once the room returns to a family living space.

The best thing about this development? It’s easy to adapt your current storage at a relatively low cost while giving you easy options for introducing colour, patterns, or texture.

Furniture in Primary Colours

As mentioned above, a simple decorating tip is to use a 60-30-10 rule. This approach works perfectly when using big, bold primary colours on statement pieces such as armchairs or sofas.

This means blocks of blue, red, or yellow. Alternatively, the super-ambitious might opt for a patchwork look for their new armchair.

Bold Prints

As the Maximalist look takes hold, a fantastic way of ‘filling’ a room is with bold prints. This can be artwork on your walls, cushions with palm tree motifs, or wallpaper with tribal patterns.

There are no strict rules here; it’s all about layering eclectic prints and lavish designs to transform a room from the safe minimalist approach we’re all used to, to something riskier.

Dark Walls

This is another recognition of the fusion of spaces used for work and family life. Dark tones are inviting in the comfort they deliver but also look incredibly professional.

Coupled with a glamorous Chesterfield, dark walls will instantly set the stage for an intelligent look during working hours but a grown-up, luxurious feel for hosting a dinner party with friends when the day is done.

Summary

As you can see, 2023 will be the year the Maximalist look takes off, with rooms becoming ‘fuller’ and more cosy. The key to this is being brave with your choices, taking risks, and not being afraid to show your personality.

Layering patterns and textures will be vital while having a number of standout features that anchor the look.