The 8 Most Popular Interior Design Styles And How To Find Yours
Quick question for ya: do you know your signature interior design style? It’s okay if not (or if you didn’t realize you needed one) — this is a judgement free zone! But we ARE here to help you pin down your signature style and decorate to your heart’s content.
What Is an Interior Design ‘style’?
We're so glad you asked! Designers use interior design styles to create a specific look or vibe and curate furniture and accessories that fit within that look. Many design styles originated from certain eras throughout history. Let's take Art Deco, for example. Art Deco works with elements like symmetry and geometric shapes or lines. It originated in France during the 1910s, then traveled to the United States and Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Who knew history could be fun?!
Do You Need To Have an Interior Design Style?
While some people love the idea of having one set style, some people like to color outside of the lines. We highly recommend you pick a style and stick with it when planning a DIY remodel or restyle.
We have found that you will have a much easier time getting coherent results when you have a clear, overall theme to work from. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let out your inner creative side and break the rules every once in a while (carefully, of course).
Now that you know why you need an interior design style, it’s time to figure out some of the popular styles you have to choose from. That’s why we put together this list of the 8 most popular interior design styles you need to know!
Minimalist
You’ve all seen the increased minimal trend lately. (Not sure about you, but we always seem to have a few more clothes than what can fit into a closet!) In all seriousness, minimalist design relies on clean lines with simplistic furniture and an overall aesthetic stripped down to only what you need to see. Usually, we see the minimalist trend in combination with monochromatic neutral colors. If you're planning to go with a minimal look, be sure that each piece you pick for your room is something you're obsessed with. With minimalist design, less is more, so make sure you include things you truly love!
Scandi
There are three main points when it comes to Scandi; natural materials, a cozy vibe, and bringing in as much natural light as possible. Scandi is about giving the space a breath of fresh air and brightening it up! Our Project Bonview has hints of Scandi to it. We used natural wood tones and soft furnishings to make it feel cozy and warm. It’s great to utilize Scandi in a smaller space when you’re not working with a whole lot. Trust us. You’ll have that space looking huge again in no time.
Insider Tip!
If you’re going down the Scandi road of design, bring in natural elements like wool and fur. When you’re looking for the perfect rug, throw a cowhide in! That kind of thing screams Scandi vibes. When it comes to interior design, it's always the little things that bring it all together.
Farmhouse
Following similar vibes as Scandi, the farmhouse design style focuses on that cozy, natural feel and introduces rustic and down-to-earth aesthetics. Farmhouse combines natural wood textures, open floor plans, and black window frames or dark accents.
Chunky furniture paired with a vintage rug and a classic farmhouse sink? Hand-painted welcome signs and farm animal decor? These are all staples of the classic farmhouse look. Oh boy, just talking about it is making us want to start redecorating!
Boho
Bohemian design style brings out all the vibes and apologizes to no one! If you’ve got a green thumb, this might be your style. Boho is all about the greenery, vintage rugs, and as many textures as you can imagine. It's mix-and-match done purposefully. Boho styles do a fantastic job of utilizing wall space for hanging styling pieces like hats or rugs, which bring some added dimension to a space.
Insider Tip!
The boho style pairs beautifully with natural pieces. Things like a fan or elephant grass basket are a match made in heaven with bohemian style!
Industrial
Industrial is exactly as it sounds. It’s rough, tough, and oh-so-sleek. Originating in the 20th century, industrial design uses raw materials. It takes full advantage of dark and earthy tones mixed with a grungy style. The industrial design trend is also sustainable, which we’re total fans of. Designers will usually upcycle and repurpose materials to add freshness to the space. We used hints of the industrial style when styling The Port, which is a good example of adding bits of inspiration from different styles to create something new. We loved how it turned out!
Insider Tip!
If you’re a fan of industrial, just go for it! Darker colors usually tend to scare people away, but your space is about being you! Start with some darker-colored woods and go from there. One dark bookshelf, and we bet you'll be hooked!
Modern Organic
If you’re the kind of person who loves going to Trader Joe’s on the weekend, you’ll love the modern organic style. Modern Organic is the most recent out of all the interior design styles, and it’s currently “having its moment”, which we're totally here for! It takes a lot from Scandi but also borrows some minimalist and mid-century modern principles. Heck, it’s even managed to throw in some Bohemian and make it work, too!
Modern Organic is all about natural, earthy tones and textures. This style has texture and curves in almost everything that goes into the space. Often you’ll see textured walls, with pieces dappled throughout in a very organic pattern. You'll often find modern organic, styled with things like natural links and other objects that are usually round, void of any harsh edges or lines.
Mid-Century Modern
We love a bit of mid-century modern here at ASR! Mid-Century Modern is a design trend that has stuck around and isn’t going anywhere any time soon. We've even seen it rise up more and more within the past few years.
Mid-Century Modern emphasizes using clean lines, while also combining organic and geometric shapes. All of this, plus a splash of one or two of your primary colors (not to mention the most gorgeous splayed chair legs you've ever seen), and you've got the makings of a Mid-Century Modern look. The trend began in the 40s-60s, and we love the inspiration it still gives us to this day!
Contemporary
Contemporary is all about being subtle yet striking all at the same time. Contemporary design is always evolving as the decade goes on, so it’s about representing what's current and popular in the world of design in a bold way. If you're a fan of what's trending, then contemporary might just be for you!
Similar to minimalist, it’s simple in its furnishings. It uses thoughtful texture and clean lines to create interest in the space. You’ll often see a lot of negative space within contemporary design, and that’s one of the things that makes it so charming. Bigger spaces benefit from a contemporary twist!
How To Find Your Style
Now that you know the 8 most popular interior design styles, you need to find the one that fits you in particular! Finding your style is the key to creating a space that you’ll love being in and never get tired of looking at. How you find your style is completely personal and unique to you. This is something we dive deep into during our design therapy sesh.
It’s also important to remember that some styles cross over. While some should and some definitely shouldn’t, doing a little desktop research will do you wonders.
Don’t fall into the trap of spending all your time just trying to narrow down the correct style for you. It’s all about following that rush of inspiration before it fades out. Trust your gut, go with what you like, and don’t overthink it; design is supposed to be fun, not stressful!
Pinterest Mood Board:
If you’re eager to find your style but don’t know where to begin, Pinterest will be your bestie. Create a board for a specific kind of room, like a bathroom or a kitchen, and pin until you can pin no more!
Review all of the pins on your board and try to find the one common denominator in terms of style. From a bird's-eye view, what is the style you ended up pinning most often? That is how you will find your signature style — how exciting!
Final Thoughts
Phew! We’re out of breath from raving on about all of these design styles! Seriously, we could talk interior design styles for days (and oftentimes in our office, we do)!
These styles are the foundation of interior design and play an integral part in how we help to create your space. When we work with you, we first start with a design therapy sesh. We have to admit, it’s so much fun. It’s just like talking to your bestfriends. We chat through all things design, help you discover what you love, what you don’t, and get right to work.
The team at ASR is here to make your home a space you’ll love and want to show off. If you’re interested in starting your design journey today, get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you, girlfriend!
