Residential Interior Design Trends for 2019

Elissa Morgante, AIA

Elissa Morgante, AIA
Founding Partner at Award Winning Chicago Architects, Morgante Wilson

Jan 22, 2019 - 5 min read

Residential Interior Design Trends for 2019

What’s new and exciting in residential interior design? It’s a question I get asked a lot. And it’s a pretty easy one to answer, based on the ideas we see resonating over and over again with our clients. Here are the top five interior design trends we’re incorporating into our work at Morgante Wilson Architects in 2019:

  1. Gray -- still!

Gray continues to be as popular as ever. Each year I wonder whether this will be the year gray finally falls out of favor, but it has yet to happen. And for good reason: gray is a calming and sophisticated neutral that can be a lot more interesting than beige. It’s available in a huge range of warm hues that resonate with people who want their homes to feel like a sanctuary – which, let’s face it, is pretty much most of us.

In addition, gray plays well with almost any color you can think of, whether, black, white, pink, yellow, brown…..you get the idea. It’s incredibly versatile – almost anything looks good against gray. It pairs beautifully with wood, and it’s a terrific backdrop for colorful pillows, art, rugs and throws.

2. Bolder accent colors

Deep, saturated jewel tones such as teal, plum, emerald green and ochre are everywhere right now.

Vivid and exciting, bold accent colors breathe new life into any room in the house. (Not coincidentally, bold accent colors are an ideal foil for gray.)

3. Lighting as art

It’s funny to think that only a few short years ago, most people still viewed lighting in almost-strictly functional terms. That’s all changed, due to the astounding range of truly gorgeous lighting you can find almost everywhere, from high-end showrooms all the way to wallet-friendly catalogs.

In 2019, the notion of lighting as art – the statement-making jewelry to a well-appointed room – is going to continue to explode. Just thinking about it gets my creative juices flowing. There are few things more fun for a designer to contemplate than the perfect light fixture!

4. Lighter floors

After what seems like forever, 2019 is going to be the year we finally see dark hardwood floors start to take a back seat to lighter tones. Don’t get me wrong – dark, oiled hardwoods will continue to remain popular, and for good reason. But in 2019, we’ll also be seeing plenty of lighter-toned floors that people wouldn’t have even considered a couple of years ago.

The ability of a light floor to make a room feel bright and airy is gaining in appreciation. Dark will always be beautiful, but there’s no denying it will also always soak up a lot more light.

5. Informal furnishings

The trend away from formal rooms such as living rooms and only-for-holidays dining rooms is giving rise to increasingly informal furnishings, too. We’re doing great rooms with pillowy, sink-in sofas like never before. Cushy, upholstered chairs are gathering around dining tables, and even kitchens are welcoming soft, sumptuous seating at islands, counters, and tables. This is partly because we’re living more informally overall and want to be comfortable while we’re doing it.

It’s also because high-performance fabrics that eliminate worries over spills and stains are suddenly available in so many gorgeous choices there’s no reason to sacrifice beauty for functionality ever again. Velvet? Linen? No problem! There’s a washable, easy-care option for that.

Morgante Wilson Architects provides architectural and interior design services in Chicago, Deerfield, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Northfield, Ravinia, Wilmette and Winnetka – along with Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Elissa Morgante, AIA

Elissa Morgante, AIA

Founding Partner at Award Winning Chicago Architects, Morgante Wilson