Thanks to the recent boom of home renovation shows like Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Fixer Upper, homeowners are more plugged into interior design trends than ever before. But figuring out exactly where style preferences are heading can still be tricky. If you’re renovating your current home or looking to purchase something new and you don’t want it to feel immediately out of date, we’re here to help!

For this blog post, we connected with Andrew Fisher, our Central Oregon Design Specialist at Pahlisch Homes, to get his expert take on what’s coming this year in interior design. Below, we share his recap of the trends that shaped interior design in 2023, as well as three predictions about where trends might be heading in 2024 and how Pahlisch is incorporating some of those into our model homes for next year.

Recap of 2023 Interior Design Trends

If you’ve walked into any Airbnb that’s been renovated within the last 5-10 years, you’ve probably seen it. The gray floors. Gray cabinetry. Gray walls. Heck, maybe even some gray flowers sitting on the counter. For the better part of a decade, gray has been king.

That may finally be changing. Fisher noted that the predominant theme of 2023 was a “rejection of the gray house and an introduction of warm tones and neutrals.” Foreseeing this shift from gray to warm tones, our design team bet on a coastal design aesthetic for 2023. According to Forbes contributor Amanda Lauren, coastal design has been on the rise since the pandemic “because homeowners are seeking an open and airy vibe that feels more vacation-like, even if they’re landlocked.”

The Pahlisch take on the coastal theme used Sherwin Williams colors like silvermist, skyline steel, and pure white to evoke the rugged beauty of the Oregon coastline. It also included warm, natural tone materials like blonde wood flooring. These features are perfectly captured in The Arcadia, our model home in our Easton community in sunny Central Oregon (take a virtual tour here). This coastal look landed really well with our customers this year, especially with our Central Oregon audience.

Overall, a small percentage of our homebuyers were making gray selections this year. We expect that percentage to be even smaller in the next year.

A Note on Cabinets

When discussing cabinetry, Fisher said, “White paint color tends to be the same across all regions as most buyers are wanting a nice, light base as the foundation for the interior of their home.” However, he did notice some regional differences.

“Northwest Oregon tended to be a bit more contemporary and high contrast with the use of light and dark colors,” he commented. This was likely influenced by the farmhouse and urban surroundings. Central Oregon, on the other hand, is trending more contemporary. “But, we still see a lot of buyers wanting a ‘slight rustic cabin’ influence, regardless of it being a first home or a vacation home,” Fisher added. And in Southeast Washington, where design trends tend to be more conservative, there’s a more transitional design style.

2024 Interior Design Trends

Looking ahead to next year, FIsher sees three distinct trends on the horizon that could influence interior design and homebuyer choices in 2024.

Redefined Traditional Style Interior

“The redefined traditional style has to be the thing we are most excited about this year,” said Fisher. Instead of your mom’s “Tuscan kitchen” or “wine red walls,” Pahlisch’s redefined traditional style is elevated, making use of natural and found objects, warm neutrals, and coordinating but mismatched furniture and decor. (Pro tip: updated wall paint and hardware are easy and cost effective ways to change your space to reflect a traditional style interior.)

This trend is one Pahlisch’s buyers can expect to see applied in upcoming model homes in Central Oregon and beyond. This trend is one Pahlisch’s buyers can expect to see applied in upcoming model homes, like The Everett in our Petrosa community. According to Fisher, the mood board images below highlight how The Everett’s redefined traditional style feels “warm and inviting, familiar, and nostalgic!”

Strengthening of Mid-Century Modern’s Blend With the Japandi Style

The mid-century style has always been popular, as a lot of its furniture and decor has become easily accessible in the mainstream furniture market. Meanwhile, in case you missed it, 2022 and 2023 saw the rise of the Japandi style, a fusion of traditional Japanese and Scandinavian styles emphasizing simplicity. Lately, the two trends have been merging and influencing one another. Fisher predicts that blending will grow in the year ahead.

What will that look like? “A transition from dark walnut tones to lighter wood tones such as white oak,” said Fisher. “Upholstery colors that were once dark blues and greens, will transition into warmer neutrals such as blush and terracotta.”

Return of Retro and Earth Tones

For his final prediction, Fisher said we should expect to see a strengthening of warm tones. “We are longing for the nostalgia of the past, and we’ll seek to manifest it in beautiful retro and earth tones such as olive and mustard,” he said. “I see these colors being used as accent walls, small powder rooms, or dramatic primary bedrooms.”

Fisher shared that these colors are best used when applied to the entire space, including window trim, baseboards, and doors. He also noted he sees these colors being used more in furniture, as some have begun to adopt deep greens as a neutral color in their space.

Follow Pahlisch For More Design Insights

Like we said before, it’s hard to perfectly predict where design trends are headed. But we’re so grateful to Andrew Fisher for taking some time to share his expertise and insights with us. Hopefully some of the tips above can help as you look to bring a fresh aesthetic to your house in the new year! 

For more design inspiration and news about our upcoming model homes in 2024, be sure to follow us on social media, including Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and Pinterest.