With the start of every new year comes new trends. Of course, we can’t just reinvent our entire homes every time a new trend emerges. However, you can garner inspiration if you’re looking to update a room in your home or renovate this year.

The trends for 2026 have a renewed focus on how we live and what we value in our homes, with the common theme of warmth, earthiness and coziness throughout. The look of “lived-in” interiors has never been more on-trend than it is this year. As our homes reflect our lives and our families, it’s no surprise that we are being drawn to a more comfortable, perhaps even more genuine aesthetic that resonates with daily living. Whether you have well-curated antiques, or some of grandma’s collectables, the juxtaposition of layering the old and new in a space creates a wonderful and unexpectedly personalized style for 2026.

Earthy paint colours

Earthy paint colours are all the rage this year. Though Pantone has officially released its Colour of the Year as Cloud Dancer, a soft and airy shade of white, I think you’ll find most paint companies have moved towards far warmer and more muted hues, such as Benjamin Moore’s Silhouette (AF-655) or Sherwin Williams Universal Khaki (SW 6150). These are grounding tones that are deep, rich and inviting, embodying a sense of comfort, sophistication and a timeless elegance. Whether you use these particular colours or select some of your own, this year, the use of colour is definitely at the forefront of creating spaces that are chic and cosy while still maintaining a strong sense of relaxation and comfort. Be on-trend for 2026 by using a few different colours in your space, paint your trim a darker tone, or introduce a different colour for your ceiling, or perhaps consider colour-drenching your space… don’t be afraid to experiment with colour, as it’s everywhere this year, and one weekend of work will create a highly stylized and personalize space for you.

Simple white ceilings

The “fifth wall” of your room is garnering more attention this year and shouldn’t be forgotten. Simple white ceilings are being given new life with colour, texture, wallpaper or decorative mouldings. So, when you’re planning your room makeover remember to include your ceilings to complete your space.

Tactile textures and finishes

The perfect, shiny and new are being replaced with tactile textures and finishes that embrace their imperfections and textures. Rough-hewn wood (actually, any type of wood), worn distressed metals, soft fabrics… these textures all play to our senses and promote comfort and relaxation. This is not about creating the old distressed, faux peeling paint look of years ago; it’s about layering visibly tactile textures within your space to create a vibe that is welcoming, curated, high-end and most of all natural.

Warmth, cosiness and family life are key to the aesthetic of 2026, helping to offset some of the unknowns and day-to-day stresses we have. Spaces this year are highly stylized to look relaxed, luxurious and lived-in, not contrived. Over the last several years, we’ve been moving towards designing spaces that are meant to be approachable and purposeful for everyday living, as well as entertaining. We are creating spaces that are used daily, are intimate, inviting and not just a page out of a magazine – spaces that reflect our individuality and resonate with the way we live.