From unexpected red to the revival of chrome, these are the Homes & Gardens editor's best and worst trends of 2024

As we come close to closing out 2024, I thought it high time to reflect on the trends that have defined this year. Both the ones I’ve embraced wholeheartedly and those I may want to leave behind in 2025.

From viral aesthetics to bold color choices and finishes that sparked polarizing debates among designers, this year the interior design trends brought fresh energy to spaces. But some left us yearning for a little more refinement.

In this roundup, me and the Homes & Gardens editors break down our favorite trends that we think have shined brightest in 2024 – and those that we'd be happy to reconsider as we move into the new year. Our 'ins' and 'outs' if you will. Let's get into it.

Homes & Gardens Editors Best Trends of 2024

1. Unexpected Red

TikTok interior design trends being such a dominating force in the world of interiors wasn't on my 2024 bingo card, but I'm personally certainly glad it happened. From the Coastal Grandmother to the Nancy Meyers Aesthetic, there have been some real stand-out moments that defined both the way we dress and decorate our homes.

But the one trend that really struck a chord is the 'unexpected red theory'. Coined by TikTok's Taylor Simon, the idea is simply to add anything that's red, big or small, to a room where it seemingly doesn't match. And once that red piece has been added to your room, it automatically looks better. Trust me, I've tried it in my own home, and it is a fun and clever way to elevate your space in an instant.

Jennifer Ebert, Editor of Homes & Gardens, is also a fan.

'The viral ‘unexpected red theory’ stole our hearts earlier this year and I could not be happier to see the return of this fiery hue. But it doesn’t have to stop at one accent. I adore using it absolutely everywhere. One of the most passionate and life-enhancing colors to use in a decorating scheme, decorating with red offers a luxurious bank of positive energy and vigor,' she explains.

'Whether you highlight a design scheme with touches of carefully chosen accessories or paint walls floor-to-ceiling in a deep shade of this versatile color, it can transform interiors and create different moods, from refined to playful, depending on its application.'

'Paprika is my go-to color; added to a neutral scheme, it creates warmth, depth, and a touch of the unexpected. Used on its own, it is a very easy color to live with and yet it also works beautifully with blues, pinks, and other reds. It is wonderful to see so many people experimenting with bold colors once again.'

2. Wall Murals

Interior Design News Editor Eleanor Richardson was pleased to see the rise of wall murals this year as a way to create a whimsical, unexpected statement on our walls.

'My favorite trend of 2024 was the wall mural aesthetic,' Eleanor says. 'We saw so many variations of this romantic look, but I love those soft scenes of nature that encompassed the walls of so many bedrooms, living rooms, and entryways.'

3. Bookshelf Wealth

'The bookshelf wealth trend is a classic pick that took the interior world by storm at the start of the year,' says H&G's Head of Interiors Hebe Hatton. 'What I love about this trend is it's not a trend at all, books are the most timeless pieces of decor and while this look had a moment in the spotlight this year, bookshelf wealth will be 'on-trend' forever.'

'2024 was the year for adding character and personality back into our homes and books are the easiest way to do that,' she explains. 'Trends can mean that everyone's spaces end up looking very similar, but when decorating with books everyone's displays will naturally look different and there are zero rules for how you interpret the trend.'

Megan Slack, Head of Celebrity Style News, agrees. 'I’ve loved to see the bookshelf wealth trend take root in 2024 – we’ve been writing about this look since February (which feels like an age ago now), but 11 months later, I still stop to admire every bookshelf I have the opportunity to see.'

'As someone who has always had too many books, this trend made me feel like stocking my shelves high isn't a design defect. I love to see the titles on people's shelves, as I believe people’s choice of books can reveal so much about a person – which is part of the reason why I particularly love seeing celebrities play with this style. This trend is arguably the most revealing of the decade, and maybe I’m just nosy, but I hope it lives on in 2025 and many years to come.'

4. Animal Print

Molly Malsom, Kitchens & Bathrooms Editor at H&G, entered her 'mob wife era' and leaned into animal print this year.

'For me, animal print was one of the best interior design trends this year,' says Molly. 'It really marked the resurgence of playful design and adding personality back into schemes. Done tastefully, animal print accessories like cushions and rugs – especially leopard print – can look so chic, especially when paired with moodier color palettes. I might be biased, but it's a trend I think will never date.'

5. Color Drenching

Our Paint & Color Editor, Emily Moorman, is championing the color drenching trend for 2025 and beyond.

'Although color drenching didn’t originate in 2024, I love how it’s been so widely embraced this year,' says Emily. 'Whether it’s a dark and moody color palette used all over in small rooms to create the ultimate cozy space; or mid-tones applied liberally to make a fun statement (aka Lucy Williams’ much-loved blue living room), color drenching feels so stylish and slightly playful.'

'Ditching the harsh white contrasts often apparent when using bolder paint colors more sparingly, color drenching proves we should all be more daring with our paint colors, and it’s a trend I very much hope endures in the coming year.'

6. Perfectly imperfect interiors

'This year I have loved seeing the rise of characterful, rich interiors that embrace a more ‘imperfect’ and ‘lived in’ look,' says Zara Stacey, Managing Editor. 'People are becoming braver (and more relaxed simultaneously) to create interior spaces where authenticity, character, and individuality take center stage.'

'Moving away from a clinical, uniformed, and ‘show-home’ feel, this look champions a feeling of richness through a more maximalist, mismatched, hand-crafted, and colorful style,' Zara explains. 'Of course, this may not sound like a ‘trend’, for many, this is just how we naturally approach decorating our homes.'

'But over the last few years, I would say it is a decorating style, or ‘ethos’, that has been more popular than ever in the world of interior design, with many of the biggest other trends from this year, such as unexpected color combinations, bookshelf wealth and intentional clutter, contributing to the rise of the perfectly imperfect home – I can’t wait to see how this style evolves further in 2025…'

Homes & Gardens Editors Least Favorite Trends of 2024

1. Chrome

The chrome decor trend is something that our Head of Interiors, Hebe, has found herself shying away from.

'My home and style just isn't cool enough for this 2024 trend,' she explains. 'And while I do love that very chic, modern vibe chrome decor gives to a room, I much prefer cozy, characterful trends that I know won't date in a few years. Chrome is very in line with minimalist interiors which I do think are on the out, or at least there's a new, more textured, and organic way of doing the look.'

2. Purple

'Outing the purple comeback as my ‘worst’ interior design trend of the year feels to be going against the grain since it’s infiltrated many paint brand’s Color of the Year announcements, but it’s the one and only color I just can’t get on board with when it comes to interiors,' Emily explains.

'While I do appreciate the muddier, brown-ish darker purples, the dramatic violet tones we’ve seen come to the fore in recent months feel so early 2000s-esque to me and tricky to style,' she explains.

'That said, I’m looking forward to seeing how designers pull off decorating with purple in 2025!'

3. Brat Green

Since dropping her album Brat in June, singer Charli XCX's neon brat green aesthetic had a chokehold on pop culture. From fashion to homeware (and our summer) brat green completely took over. Which felt fun in theory – but in our homes feels overwhelming and difficult to work with.

My main issue with brat green is its intensity. Unlike nature-inspired greens such as sage or olive, which exude calm and sophistication, brat green has an almost synthetic-like quality that makes it hard to integrate into most design schemes.'

Now I'm not someone to shy away from decorating with primary colors, but there's something about this vibrant, lime green that just makes me shudder. In fact, I've well and truly got the ick.

4. Quiet Luxury

Managing Editor Zara is getting tired of the quiet luxury trend. 'Quiet luxury remains one of the biggest interior design trends for a reason. It’s sophisticated, timeless, and feels like a more warm and layered take on minimalism – I can fully understand and appreciate the appeal, however, for me, it just feels a little too safe and, dare I say it, boring...' says Zara.

'I’m a big fan of a more maximalist look when it comes to interior decorating - more is always more in my home! As someone drawn to rich patterns, bold colors, and an eclectic mix of styles, the overly neutral, muted and more Scandi-style of quiet luxury isn’t filled with enough visual character and excitement for my liking.'

'I’m not a fan of anything too pared-back, so the overly minimal aesthetic was my least favorite trend from the past year,' agrees Eleanor. 'It made its debut in many designers' homes and projects but thankfully it wasn’t the most popular trend of 2024.'

5. Stainless Steel Kitchens

'If there's one trend I want to leave firmly behind in 2024, it's the stainless steel kitchen trend,' says our resident kitchen expert Molly.

'In a year when there was so much emphasis on creating cozy, lived-in kitchens, it feels like a really misplaced kitchen trend,' she explains. 'While there's nothing wrong with adding stainless steel kitchen appliances to your kitchen, a steel-drenched space that encompasses the countertops and cabinets feels so cold and clinical. Plus, it's incredibly hard to clean stainless steel. It's industrial in all the wrong ways, so let's leave this style for commercial kitchens!'

6. Dopamine Decor

It is no surprise that Head of Celebrity Megan, who famously loves an all-black outfit, will be glad to see the back of overly bright dopamine decor ideas.

'I understand the appeal behind 'dopamine decor' and all the bright hues that come with this trend – but as someone who likes to surround myself with more muted colors, this one isn’t my favorite.'

'Again, if these vibrant shapes and tones are something you like, I’m certainly not going to discourage that, but in my home, I love browns, creams, and other neutrals – introducing smaller pockets of color through artwork, books, and plants. So, it has to be said that dopamine decor can stay in 2024 for me.'

With every trend, good or bad, the key is to approach it with a critical eye and adapt it in ways that feel authentic to your home and style.

Ultimately, if a trend speaks to you – whether we back it or not – then go for it. Focusing on your personal style is always the best foot forward.