Interior designers share 6 living-room trends that'll be huge this year, and 2 on their way out

According to Candace Griffin, principal designer and founder of Candace Mary Interiors, color capping will be a popular living-room trend this year.

Unlike color drenching, which covers an entire room's walls in a single hue, color capping uses multiple shades from the same tone to create movement, depth, and a more polished look.

"Color capping can sometimes be used to draw your eye up, to make your ceilings feel taller," Griffin said. "… It serves a functional purpose, but also just gives you another opportunity to have some fun in the space."

Ultra-glam light fixtures will also lose popularity to soft, antique-style lamps in 2026, said Kara Thomas, interior designer and founder of Studio KT.

That said, the trend toward unique antiques will extend beyond lamps and sconces.

"I think the desire to fill a home with antiques and thoughtfully sourced items stems from a desire to be more unique, especially with the internet flooded with a lot of rinse-and-repeat ideas," Thomas said.

For that reason, she believes we will see more rustic decor, mixed metals, and vintage artwork and frames in living rooms this year.

Interior designer Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors said she predicts a shift toward more distinctive, intimate, and creative layouts.

This could look like incorporating a cozy reading nook or a small playroom for the kids into your living room.

"If you have the space to create separate conversation areas, you can get creative with those corners and niches," Griffin added. "[It's] really just maximizing every inch of the space and not feeling like you have to be in a box, per se."

Handmade, wooden furniture and handwoven textiles will be everywhere in 2026, according to Molly Miller, principal designer and founder of Molly Miller Interiors.

"These elements add depth and authenticity that mass-produced items simply can't match," she said.

These particular elements are also becoming increasingly important as people gravitate toward home spaces that feel inviting, timeless, and emotionally calming, Miller added.

Oftentimes, people want to put a mirror on the wall or above their fireplace, but feel like they don't have the room to fit it next to a TV.

With that in mind, Torres Portnof said she's excited about the possibility of mirror TVs taking over living-room spaces.

As the name suggests, a mirror TV looks like a sleek, framed mirror when turned off and appears like a high-definition television when turned on.

"I love the fact that it's dual-purpose, and I think others will as well," she said.

As more people turn toward designs that evoke warmth and comfort, designers expect soothing, earthy palettes to become everyone's go-to choice for living-room colors.

"Everything is leaning more toward earthy tones," said Thomas. In particular, she sees burgundy, deep browns, olive greens, and darker blues taking over living rooms this year and beyond.

Miller expects a shift from bright overhead lighting to warm, layered light sources in 2026.

"Layered, ambient lighting is becoming a priority, with clients asking for a mix of floor lamps, sconces, and table lamps that create warmth and flexibility, instead of relying on a single overhead source or recessed LEDs," she said.

Danielle Chiprut, interior designer and founder of Danielle Rose Design Co., believes that bland, cold-feeling spaces are becoming outdated.

Instead, she predicts a growing shift toward heavily textured living-room designs with warmer colors, patterned sofas, and personalized elements.

"We're moving away from that minimalist, modern design and into a more layered, cozy [layout]," Chiprut said.

Furthermore, as living rooms become less sterile and showroom-like, Griffin is also seeing a general pull toward spaces that feel truly "lived in."

"The real way to achieve that is by taking your time and incorporating the things that you like and that are important to you," she added.

For example, when it comes to artwork, she recommends building a collection over time and avoiding mass-produced pieces.