6 Living Room Trends for 2026 That Are Cozy but Smart, Leaning Into Tradition Yet Design-Forward — It's All About Balance

Living room trends for 2026 put comfort first. Not just in the sense of how something feels to sit in — although in a living room, more perhaps than any other room, that's of course important — but more in the way your scheme can make you feel cozy, cossetted, and completely at home.

For that, we're talking low-slung and deep-seated sofas, but also materials that build into richly-layered living rooms with depth, from stone to ceramic to wooden paneling. Across interior design trends as a whole, we're seeing a move back towards traditional techniques like embroidery, and to mixing pattern and color (bye, beige) in ways that work perfectly in a living room.

Below, we've rounded up our favorite 2026 living room trends that, while cozy, also have an edge. Ideas that feel smart enough to host guests while being relaxed enough to kick back at the end of the day — a balance that the best living rooms should always strike.

1. Mix-and-Match Stone

Whether you want your room to feel warm and cosseting or convivial and elegant, stone can play a part in a luxurious look — and mixing stones in interiors is big news in 2026, multiplying the textural and color-led interest this versatile material delivers.

In this space by Georgia & Hunt, an interior design studio in Northern Virginia, limewashed walls and a Calacatta Gold fireplace called for a darker marble coffee table "to help ground the space", says founder Kristin Harrison.

"It’s made of Spanish Dark Emperador marble, which you don’t see much. The earthy brown tone is a great alternative to wood."

2. Ceramic Surfaces

Ceramic holds great potential as a living room material, says designer Laura Gonzalez, who introduced a bespoke fireplace wall of ceramic sculpture in her Tribeca gallery. Inspired by two Mesopotamian sites, the Palace of Darius and the Gates of Babylon, she worked with the ceramicist and visual artist Laurent Dufour to bring it to life.

And while this living room trend might be for big, statement-making uses, ceramic doesn’t need to be grand to make an impact: even a handmade ceramic bowl or sculpture sitting on a coffee table can bring the same sense of materiality, intrigue, and appeal.

3. Embroidered Detail

The humble pastime of embroidery is experiencing something of a renaissance — perhaps it's something to do with the rise of bespoke interiors and drawing on our decor — but in the living room, it's best used in the form of footstools.

Keep your eye out for contemporary embroidered scenes and graphic shapes, because these are the du jour designs to pepper into your living room. Studio Duggan used the Tubby stools from their own TROVE by Studio Duggan in this living room designed by the studio.

4. Pattern Clashes

Stripes and checks are never out of fashion, but combining the two has never been cooler. That's right: clashing patterns is cool again, offering a jarring juxtaposition that lends any room it's used in plenty of intrigue. It's also a great way to tap into the trend for florals — especially if you decorate with floral patterns the way designers are right now.

Combining patterns is subtle but playful in this scheme by London interior design studio Appreciation Project. "I was keen to create a cozy atmosphere for this family lounge," says founder Natasha Lyon.

"The snug is through the wall curtain, and in contrast to this space, we went very bold, making it a fun den for the kids. It was important to create a balance across the two spaces and consider how they pull together."

5. Paneled Ceilings

Wall paneling has been around for some time, but now it's the ceiling's turn. Ceilings tend to be less of an afterthought and more of a "not thought of at all", but as Fitzroy, Australia design firm Flack Studio demonstrates, a considered treatment is transformational.

Made from solid American walnut and laid in a diamond pattern, this design features a thin red line of American oak as a subtle accent. "The ceiling defines the space with texture, movement, depth, and warmth — it’s a huge surface area that should always be treated equally as the surrounding walls," says studio principal David Flack.

6. Low-Slung Furniture

If you want to curate a space that, at first glance, feels elegant and relaxing, then contemplate taking lighting and furniture low to the ground. For the lounge space of Hotel Saint Augustine, New York design studio Post Company wanted to create the essence of "a curator’s private home", says partner Jou-Yie Chou.

Low-level lounge chairs are key to encouraging that feel. A little bit retro and oozing sophistication, this vibe is proving to be a sensation in the interiors scene right now.

Now that you know what's hot for living rooms in 2026, it's worth taking note of what's not — and these are the dated living room layouts that need to be left in the past, and what to embrace in your space instead.