High Point Furniture Market and Fashion Snoops, a trend-forecasting fleet of designers, identified four consumer movements for the new year. Those are “Fresh Coast,” emphasizing minimalist design; “Outlands” for rustic charm; “Sanct,” to celebrate heritage craftsmanship and “Equilibrium,” blending simplicity and luxury.
“Forecasting takes into account what’s happening in the world and across cultures,” says Nancy Kraig, an assistant professor of interior design at Cuyahoga Community College. With marketplace insight and her classroom’s collective inspo-gathering, Kraig touches on what’s moving into our interior environments in 2025.
1. Warming Trends
Gray probably won’t ever go away completely in the Northeast Ohio market — thanks to greige, which introduces warmth into the longtime neutral favorite. But during the last 18 months, we’ve seen color schemes warm up to wood tones. Shades of latte, ivory and beige cover walls, and saturated greens and navies grace cabinet. There’s also a return to retro rust and goldenrod, along with burgundy entering the mix in an overall “grounded” colorway. “We’re seeing the brown tones from that era along with curvatures in furnishings and accessories, such as arched windows, picture frames, mirrors and accessories,” Kraig says.
2. Go Grandmillennial
Think grandma’s classic prints, throwback patterns, textiles like chintz and sheers and old-school upholstery detail such as trim and tassels. Grandmillennial is homey yet updated, familiar yet nuanced — much in the way fashion pieces return to the scene with a twist. “We’re seeing more textured ceilings and adding more moldings, going from plain walls to chair rails and additional trim,” Kraig says. Picture rails, panels, crown molding, beadboard and other trim treatments are a cost-effective way to add interest to a boring wall and bring a living space into the Grandmillennial era, Kraig points out.
Sign Up to Receive the Cleveland Magazine Daily Newsletter Six Days a Week
3. Calm Down
Declutter, minimize and introduce fresh vibes in the simplest ways, such as houseplants that add life and promote health. Sustainability transcends to furnishings in a quality way. “We’re seeing less buying of ‘fast furniture’ that you’ll throw away in a few years and investing in pieces that will last,” Kraig says, noting that traditional neutral furnishings in creams, browns and taupes can stand the test of time and stay on trend with throws and pillows in relevant colors.
READ MORE: 3 Home Decor Staples for Cleveland Designers
4. Statement Floors
When luxury vinyl plank (LVP) was introduced, some of its shortfalls to good, old hardwood included bubbling and peaking at joints, plus a plastic look that lacked features of true wood. Those days are long gone, as many find the high-traffic-ready, water-resistant surface to be much more practical and just as appealing as the real deal. Now, we’re playing with LVP dimensions and patterns to create statement floors. “We’re seeing a lot of herringbone layouts and wider formats,” Kraig says. Porcelain has also evolved with wood-grained tiles for kitchens and bathrooms that wear well and handle spills. “Sustainability is important to some clients who are looking toward cork and bamboo,” she says. “People are thinking more about natural products and will definitely see this become more important.”
5. Tipping Tiles
You can always depend on the subway tile to be a kitchen backsplash staple, but what changes is its length, width and now the direction in which the tile is placed. It’s going vertical. “We’ve seen vertical subway tiles that are longer in size quite a bit, and it creates a whole different look,” Kraig says. “Plus, color palettes are going deeper to make a statement, including a return to jewel tones that all of the paint companies are definitely showing, and rich colors like navies, greens, cinnamon and gold-yellow tones.”
READ MORE: Sherwin-Williams’ 2025 Color Capsule Is a Palette of Cleveland Homage
6. Color Drenching
A move toward saturating every surface in a room with the same color delivers bold yet calming appeal — the ultimate in monochromatic design. Try it out by incorporating the same color, or a combination of closely related tones, across every aspect of a space: walls, the ceiling, doors, baseboards, trim and so on. Select varying sheens, such as an eggshell finish for a wall and semi-gloss for molding and trim, Kraig suggests.
For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.
Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.
