7 New Year's Decorating Resolutions Interior Designers Are Making for 2026 – Plus What to Buy Before They Sell Out
Even the experts have unfinished business. These are the upgrades they’re prioritizing next year – and the ones you probably should, too
While most of us are focused on upping our protein intake or finally committing to a run club, the aesthetically inclined have their sights set on a different kind of goal: the home.
It’s what interior designers think about constantly. And even they – despite doing nearly everything better than the rest of us to begin with – have identified a few gaps in their own spaces they want to address in 2026.
From being bolder with color to following more unconventional design trends for 2026, ahead, seven interior design decorating resolutions designers are setting for the year – plus what to shop now, before they get to it first.
1. Be Bolder
Bored of beige? Us too. For Cathleen Gruver of Northern Virginia–based design studio Gruver Cooley, 2026 is about moving past safe bets altogether.
‘After a decade of designing high-end homes, I’ve learned that the most memorable spaces are the ones that reflect genuine joy and confidence,’ says Cathleen. ‘I want to encourage clients, and remind myself, to select furnishings and finishes that spark something personal. Choosing items that resonate instead of defaulting to what feels “safe” leads to a layered home with character and longevity,’ she explains.
For Cathleen, bold doesn’t have to mean loud. Color is one avenue, but it’s not the only one. ‘It means being willing to trust your eye and let your personality show through,’ she muses.
2. Explore Unconventional Metal Treatments
Flat, anonymous metal finishes are reading more dull than ever heading into 2026. According to Sarah Goesling, Owner and Principal, and Rebecca Goesling, Director of Design at Goesling Group, that’s exactly where they’re seeking subversion.
‘We’re excited to explore more unconventional metal treatments,’ the design duo tells Homes & Gardens. ‘From etched brass to molten chrome and reverse-knurled steel, we love giving traditional metals subtly subversive finishes,’ they explain.
And, as Sarah and Rebecca point out, this resolution is actually pretty low-lift. ‘Even a simple swap to textural knobs or hardware can turn kitchen cabinets or bedside tables into small works of art,’ they say. ‘High-touch areas invite a longer look and a deeper touch, creating a tactile experience that’s both intriguing and unexpectedly playful.’
3. Hang Wall Textiles for Warmth
Like buying a new car, booking a trip to Italy, or finally finding the right person to do your highlights, the best resolutions are often the ones you’ve been waiting for an excuse to make. And if you’re anything like us – or Franky Rousell, Founder and CEO of Jolie – that permission slip comes in the form of wall textiles. Tapestries had quite a year in 2025, and for 2026, they’re showing no signs of disappearing.
‘We’re turning to tapestries, hanging rugs, and framed textiles where traditional oil-on-canvas artwork isn’t accessible,’ Frankie explains. ‘These pieces add depth and tactility, softening both acoustics and light. They create a richer, more layered atmosphere, offering a unique and achievable way to bring variation to a wall.’
4. Play With New Color Pairings
‘Clients come to us for specific looks, which often means our color palettes remain the same across different projects,’ notes Annie Harrison, founder of Fare Inc.
It’s the design equivalent of a veteran pop star being forever asked to perform the one song everyone already knows. Reliable, flattering – sure. But eventually, constricting. And really, why should daring pairings like red and green be confined to December? That slight friction – colors that technically shouldn’t work but somehow do – is exactly what Sarah and Rebecca Goesling of Goesling Group are interested in pushing further.
‘The combinations that excite us most: satin periwinkle + velvet chocolate, high-gloss chartreuse + matte baby blue, and matte tangerine + metallic moss,’ says the design duo. ‘Each pairs an energetic, emotional hue with a grounded, pragmatic tone – joyful, anxious, cautious, and curious colors softened by earthy companions, a step into a new, vibrant era.’
5. Finally Update That Hardware
We hear it constantly (even as recently as resolution number two): you don’t need new cabinets, just update the hardware. It’s simple, relatively affordable, and somehow perpetually postponed. According to Fare Inc. founder Annie Harrison, 2026 might finally be the year it happens.
Swapping door hardware – whether in the kitchen, on a dresser, or even just a doorknob – is, as Annie puts it, ‘a small but very tactile touch to the home that you engage with every day.’ It’s the kind of update that shakes up the energy of an entire space. One change, repeated dozens of times a day, that ‘makes the home feel considered and new for the year ahead,’ she explains.
6. Embrace Surrealism
We’re living in unprecedented times – for all the obvious reasons. Collectively, we’ve never known more, and yet we’ve never been less certain about what the future actually looks like. To Sarah and Rebecca Goesling, that nebulousness isn’t something to smooth over. It’s something to work with.
‘We’re embracing surrealism and uncertainty,’ say the designers. ‘The world feels unreal – from wholesome trickery to exploitative deepfakes – and rather than shy away, we’re leaning into that ambiguity.’
That sensibility shows up in unexpected ways. ‘It manifests in draped 1920s circus stripes, elusive patterns, vegetal tones, glass block, and responsible luxury,’ they continue. ‘Distilled, the moment’s defining elements are: green as the standout color, stripes as the pattern, glass block as material, and an oil-spill finish that delights the eye.’
7. Cut the Noise
Despite the more expressive, even maximalist-leaning goals some designers are setting for 2026, just as many are moving in the opposite direction – editing, simplifying, and stripping their homes back to basics.
‘The most impactful resolution is subtraction,’ insists Philip Thomas Vanderford, Owner and Founder at Studio Thomas James. ‘Removing unnecessary pieces makes what remains feel elevated and intentional – a far more sophisticated approach than constant accumulation.’
‘I tell clients that editing is not about removing the life from a home,’ agrees Christopher Boutlier of the Washington, DC–based Christopher Boutlier Interiors. ‘It is about removing the noise. My resolution this year is to encourage people to assess every room with a clear eye and let go of what no longer supports how they live. When you lighten the visual load, proportion and material quality can finally shine. That clarity creates a calm that is far more luxurious than any single object.’
And this doesn’t require a total reset. For Fare Inc. founder Annie Harrison, the focus is strictly sartorial. This year, she’s finally resolving her home’s shoe storage – ‘something we do all the time for clients, but I haven’t yet managed to work out in my own home,’ she quips.
Some shifts go beyond personal resolutions. Discover the macro interior design trends shaping homes in 2026.
