It's hard to believe that what happens on Wall Street or in Westminster can affect our decorating decisions, but it often does. At the height of the property boom it became the norm to 'play safe' with decor choices.
Fast-forward to 2026 and the outlook is different. The white walls, plain kitchens and bland room schemes that were once ubiquitous have given way to longer-term – and more interesting interiors.
Whether it's a kitchen renovation, bathroom refit or an extension, homeowners are personalising their spaces again. Color, pattern and daring palettes are back in vogue.
This is, in part, due to the 'forever home' concept, where people plan to buy a property and put down roots, rather 'flip it' for profit. The recent Houzz Home Study reports on these changing shifts in renovation habits.
To see how this translates in the home, we've asked interior designers what people are prioritizing and how this manifests in their design decisions for 2026 and beyond.
1. Challenging the Conventional Purpose of a Room
This beautiful boot room was once an under-used secondary reception room.
When homeowners are no longer concerned with what potential buyers might think when they next sell, they are free to create a modern home that actually suits their lifestyle. One of the biggest shifts interior designers have noticed is a willingness to challenge the conventional purpose of a room.
"Now, a guest bedroom that is used only a few nights a year might become a dressing room, exercise studio or teenage snug, with a sofa bed allowing it to accommodate occasional visitors," says interior designer Gemma Tucker, founder of Balance Interiors.
"A surplus bedroom might be absorbed into a generous principal suite, while an underused reception room could become the boot room the family genuinely needs. It's about making every part of the house work harder and improving daily life, rather than protecting a notional resale value."
Interior designer Omar Bhatti, founder Space Shack Studio, sees this in his projects too. "People are much more open to challenging conventional concepts and sacrificing a bedroom, for example, to create a generous dressing room, a larger bathroom, a home gym, or a proper workspace," he says.
"That’s the real luxury of a 'forever home': you stop designing for an imaginary future buyer and start designing unapologetically for yourself."
Established in 2018 by Creative Director, Gemma Tucker, Balance Interiors is an award-winning interior design studio set on the Somerset-Wiltshire border. The company is known for creating pared-back, serene spaces that are in harmony with the people who occupy them.
Established in 2016, by Creative Director Omar Bhatti, Space Shack is a full-service, London-based design studio, specialising in private residential, commercial and multi-unit developments. Omar’s process is collaborative and experimental, with a focus on searching out flexible, immersive, and holistic design solutions that are specific to the clients' needs.
2. Color Confidence
Bold color and bespoke storage create a welcoming hallway that works.
People are becoming braver aesthetically, experimenting with color and pattern again. When you know you're staying somewhere for the long haul, you can take risks and go for the richer tones or bolder prints that you love, rather than plumping for the 'safe' bet that won't put off potential buyers.
"The instinct to keep everything light, neutral and broadly appealing is giving way to more atmospheric, personal choices," says Gemma. "We are seeing colored ceilings and woodwork, colour-drenched and double-drenched rooms, and greater confidence around expressive cabinetry and finishes.
"For years, renovation decisions were shaped by a familiar set of resale rules: keep the walls neutral, paint the ceilings and woodwork white, preserve every bedroom and retain at least one bath, even if nobody in the household ever uses it. Increasingly, clients are questioning why a future owner’s preferences should take precedence over their own."
Although the Houzz report was based on UK renovation trends, North Carolina-based interior designer Elizabeth Valkovics, founder of Batten Court, has noticed a similar attitude in the US too.
"Clients are embracing bolder choices, such as striking wallcoverings in bathrooms, and murals in dining rooms and bedrooms," says Elizabeth. "This more personalized approach to design elevates spaces from builder-grade boring to a home that is truly their own."
Led by Founding Principal Elizabeth Valkovics, Batten Court Design is a full-service interior design firm based in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Qualified at the Interior Design School in London, Elizabeth is a professional interior designer known for her leadership on award-winning hospitality and luxury design projects around the world.
In the mood for something dramatic? This beautiful forest scene mural creates an immersive backdrop and gives you a rich palette of colors to work with.
Want your kitchen to feel cosy? This rich rust-red hue from Farrow & Ball is available in different finishes and will bring a warm terracotta glow to your walls and woodwork.
Decorated with birds and flowers, this striking Aderyn wallpaper takes inspiration from original Chinese chinoiserie and is available in five beautiful colorways.
3. Color Commitment
Committing to color and pattern on cabinetry and countertops has become popular
These bolder choices are not just about eye-catching paint tones and dramatic wallcoverings. Color and pattern is creeping into longer-term interior choices too.
"We’re seeing more confidence when it comes to the elements that aren’t easily changed," says Omar. "Previously, someone might introduce personality through paint, cushions, or furniture because those things could be reversed relatively easily.
"Now clients are more willing to commit that personality to the architecture itself. That could be a richly colored kitchen rather than a neutral one, coloured sanitaryware in the bathroom or statement tiles," the designer adds. "I always encourage clients to separate 'timeless' from 'neutral'. Something doesn’t have to be beige, white, or universally appealing to have longevity. If a material or color has a genuine connection to you, rather than simply following a trend, it has a much better chance of feeling relevant in 10 years’ time."
4. Quality Materials
Quality materials are an investment and look good for longer.
This longer-term attitude to interior design choices is showing up in a preference for quality materials too. Think timber instead of MDF, or stone instead of composites. These not only look and feel more beautiful, but they are more likely to stand the test of time.
"People are installing marble and quartzite countertops over quartz and investing more on gorgeous, quality materials," says Elizabeth. "Natural stone is undeniably beautiful and is one-of-a-kind. Our clients are also seeking quality, unique cabinet hardware."
This is something Omar has noticed too. "Clients are increasingly requesting heavily veined stone, unusual brassware finishes and bespoke joinery in a finish they genuinely love," he says.
5. Bespoke Storage
Homes work better when everything has a place.
Custom-designed storage has risen to prominence. A beautiful home that's a joy to live in isn't just about its size or the impressive aspects, like a stylish color scheme, eye-catching artworks or designer furniture. A home needs to run smoothly and function seamlessly for its occupants.
This can be as simple as a wardrobe that comfortably houses all of your outfits or a drawer for your coffee pods, or as detailed as a bespoke closet for sports gear.
"Clients are more prepared to invest in bespoke joinery," says Gemma. "When you expect to live somewhere for many years, built-in cabinetry no longer feels like an extravagance intended for someone else to inherit.
"It becomes an opportunity to resolve the particular frustrations of the home, from shoes gathering in the hallway to wardrobes that never provide quite the right balance of hanging space, drawers and shelving. It can be both highly practical and a defining feature of the interior."
6. Investing in 'Hidden' Elements
Not all investments are obvious, but integrated tech, ample sockets and adjustable lighting make life easier.
Other 'hidden' elements that are a focus in "forever homes" include room lighting that run's on multiple circuits, enabling easy mood switching, charging drawers that keep gadgets and cables out of sight, and efficient work stations.
"In a 'forever home', clients are much more receptive to investing in the things that fundamentally improve how the home feels and functions every day," says Omar.
"That might mean completely reconsidering storage, creating bespoke joinery around a collection, improving lighting throughout the home, integrating technology properly, upgrading acoustics or creating a utility or boot room around the way the family actually uses it."
"These aren't always the most obvious design gestures, but they can be the ones that transform the experience of living somewhere."
Even if a 'forever home' doesn't end up being forever, the concept of planning to stay in a property for as long as possible encourages a commitment that gives greater freedom when making decorating choices, whether that's kitchen colors, a revised layout, or a large extension.
"When resale stops hovering over every decision, the home becomes more individual," says Gemma. "The result is not simply a bolder interior, but one that feels more deeply connected to the people living in it."
If you want help to create your own 'forever home', why not book a session with one of our Design Lab by Livingetc stylists?