9 Living Room Furniture Trends 2023 – Design Ideas for a Modern Home

With the continued dominance of the open concept floor plan, the living room has become the beating heart of the modern home. In order to ensure that the focal point of your house is up to date, you need to keep up with the latest design trends. An out-of-date, mid-century look will stick out like a sore thumb amid other design updates.

There is something here for everyone. Those looking for guidance for repainting a room will find it. Those looking to completely revamp their entire living room design from top to bottom will garner ample inspiration.

These are the nine trends expected to set the pace for living room designs and redesigns this year.

The Top 9 Living Room Furniture Trends

1. Bold Colors

Color is back in a big way in 2022. All the latest and most extraordinary designs feature vast amounts of color. Accent walls now include built-ins painted the same color as the wall. Some rooms feature two contrasting accent walls. The top designers are raving about using opposing, even clashing colors in their designs to fill the family room with blasts of high-energy colors.

These colors are not muted. They are bright. Mustard yellow. Lime green. Electric blue. Blush pink. These are the kinds of accent colors making their way into the newest designs. The base colors are all-natural. Browns, grays, and greens are all in. These colors are being used in decor, accent walls, furniture, and art.

It’s out with the black and white aesthetic that has dominated the previous decade and in with tons of eye-popping color.

2. Bolder Patterns

If the bold color wasn’t enough, these colors are paired with even more aggressive patterns. Abstract geometric shapes are all the rage right now, as are some traditional prints like zebra. These patterns are being chosen to compliment the splashes of color. Many of the patterns are more monochromatic. The patterns, paired with the overwhelming amounts of new colors being used, create a contrast that is unique and can be tailored to fit any personality.

3. Round Furniture

Modern furniture was all about straight lines, hard edges, and sharp corners. Those days are starting to pass us by. The newest furniture trends revolve around soft lines and round shapes. Many people are pointing out the similarities to the 1970s aesthetic of rounded couches and wavy curtains. These things are starting to make a comeback.

One of the upholstery types that is making a return with this pivot to round is leather. Leather is all the rage right now. It is especially popular because of its natural brown hues, which ties into the growing obsession with nature-themed design (more on that later) and gives a softer look than some of the flatter, more modern upholstery.

4. Vintage Accents

Modern flourishes are being complemented by vintage accents. While the design philosophy continues to move away from sharp modern lines towards something of a new hybrid, the modern is being softened with echoes from the past. These vintage accents are showing up in lighting choices, secondary seating, and art. Chaise lounges, plush armchairs, and even mirrors are all showing up in designs once again.

It is not at all uncommon to see a mirror on a mantel or a crystal chandelier hanging over a modern room. These vintage accents are bringing a touch of personality to new designs and are focused on creating a completely new aesthetic this year.

5. Boho Is Back

One design choice that is making a return from recent years is the prevalence of Boho or Boho Chic design elements. Things like wicker side tables, oversized pendant lights, and plush throws are back. Boho is not popular with every designer, but those who like the look of the recent Boho explosion will be happy to learn that the trend is back again in 2022.

Boho might be reaching the end of its design life, but for now, the eclectic aesthetic is back again. It will feature heavily in some designs and lightly in others, but the Boho look is back and continues to influence the evolution of the modern living room design.

6. Big Rugs, Big Texture

Strong textures have returned, and with them comes large colorful rugs. Rugs are once again becoming the main feature of most living room designs. These rugs are huge, room spanning, centerpieces that feature tons of color, lots of geometric shapes and patterns, and a lot of texture. It is not quite shag, but keep an eye out for more raised rugs and rugs with a variety of elevation throughout the design.

These rugs are also being paired with texture throughout the room. Accents are being upholstered, and walls are getting texture in the form of art. These designs are using a large area rug to pull all of the color, accent, and texture together towards the center of the room.

This texture is also appearing in three-dimensional art. Art is no longer flat. It sticks out of the walls and drops down from the ceiling. Statues, rosettes, and eclectic pendant lights all add to a sense of verticality and texture throughout the space.

7. Nature, Nature, Nature

The outdoors continues to make huge strides in modern design. The living room is getting freshened with shades of brown and green. Upscaled, reused, and repurposed outdoor furniture is making its way into the heart of the home. Plants are abundant. The designers who are all in on this trend are creating living rooms that look more like a secret garden or greenhouse than a family room.

This craving to bring the outdoors indoors continues unabated. Look for more plants, both fake and real, to appear in the home’s main spaces. Metal and wood mixtures are also common. Do not be surprised to see a wrought iron antique garden chair feature prominently in these nature-centric designs.

The rise of indoor nature design has been attributed to the fact that the pandemic has caused so many people to remain indoors for so long that people are crying out for a deeper connection to nature, even if they can’t go outside as much as they used to.

8. Art and Travel Curios

Another thing that people have been starved for recently is travel. Therefore, the latest accents are based on eclectic art and travel souvenirs. Designers are shying away from traditional accents and moving towards unique pieces that reflect each room owner’s personality. Items and crafts from other countries are a huge feature of the latest designs. These kinds of objects include maps, steins, foreign-inspired furniture, colorful dishes, and more. Each living room will heavily feature items from around the world that turn stuffy traditional spaces into globe-spanning galleries.

Art continues to play prominently in the newest designs as well. There are a few blank spaces left. Every nook and cranny will sport a colorful art piece, a statue serving as a conversation starter, and more. In the past, many living rooms looked as though they were cut from the same cloth, but that is rapidly changing.

9. High-Tech Function

Two trends will continue to dominate the living room space in the new COVID world. First, new high-tech gadgets and upgrades continue to hit shelves with the intent of making each living space unique. The latest tech includes smart light bulbs, Google and Amazon integrated accent pieces, smart air filters, and AI-powered thermostats. These new devices are chosen just for their newness but also for their look. Keep an eye out for these kinds of technologies to continue to sync up with the latest design trends in their appearance.

The other trend that continues to be at the forefront of recent designs is the dual functionality of rooms. With people spending more time at home and doing more things in the home, rooms are being adapted to serve multiple functions. Living rooms are no longer just for sitting and watching TV. They are home offices, gyms, and classrooms. Some of the new furniture coming to market to reflect this are convertible desks and room partitions. Everything has taken on an air of multi-faceted use.

Conclusion

These are the nine design trends that are set to feature heavily in all of the latest living room spaces. Bold colors, whacky accents, and a blend of old and new will dominate the design philosophy. Shuttered people are longing for a connection to the outdoors, and that is also coming into play. Wood, browns, greens, plants, and natural light are all extremely popular and will continue to be in the coming year.

Whether you are just looking to add a bold area rug or want to gut and redo your entire living room, these trends will help you stay up to date with what is popular in the world of design.

Featured Image Credit: leemelina08, Pixabay