We’re coming to the end of the year. As the days become shorter, it’s a time when we all pause and reflect and take stock. It’s also that time of the year when designers and manufacturers look forward to next year, and predict what colors, trends, and interior design shifts will be popular in the next twelve months. Here we look at five expert sources and their predictions for 2023.
1st Dibs Interior Design Trends
Online ecommerce design company 1st Dibs surveyed over 800 interior designers recently and asked them which of the past seven decades are most likely to make a comeback in 2023. Designers saw the 1980s decade of pastels and chintz as making the biggest comeback, with 28% of the vote, followed by the 1950s (midcentury modern) with 23% (The editors at officeinsight are more aligned with the second most popular choice in the survey–Give us a classic Eames or a Knoll chair anytime!)
Shown Herman Miller ESU Cabinet. Photo courtesy of 1st Dibs.
Regarding color trends in general, Emerald Green earned the top color spot of this year’s survey for the third year in a row with 23%, enjoying a narrow lead over Sage with 22%. Next in line were Burnt Orange (20%), Mustard Yellow (20%), and Cobalt Blue (18%). The survey revealed that sustainability as a trend will continue in 2023, with 94% responding in the affirmative. The use of plants in interior spaces also trended high in the survey (91%).
Finally, when asked about which 16 iconic seating products will be popular in 2023, the winning lineup included Herman Miller’s Eames Chairs (16%), Vladimir Kagan’s Serpentine Sofa (14%), Carl Hansen’s Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair (11%), Ligne Roset’s “Togo” Seating (7%) and Knoll’s Barcelona Chair (6%).
Glassdoor Workplace Trends
With a tight labor market and economic uncertainty on the horizon, Glassdoor and Indeed released the 2023 Hiring & Workplace Trends Report, with insights into the future of work. Most notably, the report finds that there will likely be a persistently tight supply of workers for years to come in key sectors. One way that companies can address this is to tap into groups of workers often passed over, such as those with disabilities, and by adopting flexible work policies that attract and retain older staffers, as well as women, who must juggle jobs and childcare responsibilities more often than their male counterparts. Look forward to seeing companies designing workspaces that are more ADA-compliant and don’t be surprised if you’ll see the rise of more on-site daycare.
Shown Charles Pollock Chair for Knoll. Photo courtesy of 1st Dibs.
The survey points out that happiness and wellbeing matter. Company culture has proven valuable in both attracting and retaining employees. A recent study found that 46 percent of people say their expectations around happiness at work have increased in the last year, and 86 percent say how they feel at work impacts how they feel at home.
The survey also found that the changing workforce is pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion to the forefront in the workplace. As older workers vacated jobs during the pandemic, their younger counterparts find themselves in a position to demand more when it comes to social justice. For example, 72 % of workers aged 18-34 said they would consider turning down a job offer or leaving a company if they did not think that their manager (or potential manager) supported DEI initiatives, compared to 63% of respondents aged 35-44, 60% of respondents age 45-54, 52% of respondents aged 55-64, and 45% of workers aged 65-plus.
Japandi Style is Trending
CNN Style predicts that the Japandi style—the trend of combining the cozy cleanliness of Scandinavian interiors with the minimalist beauty of traditional Japanese decor, is increasing in popularity in design. Just look at the Instagram account @japandi.interior (with over 450,000 followers). But we advise some caution. Contemporary furniture company Dims, that embodied that Danish-Hygge-meets-Japanese-wabi-sabi look and style abruptly shut down last month, a little more than a year after the company launched a crowdfunding campaign which raised more than half a million dollars for the purpose of debuting new products and opening a brick-and-mortar outpost—initiatives that did not come to pass.
Pantone Color of the Year
We would be remiss to not talk about Color of the Year. Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year is Viva Magenta, a hue of crimson red, that draws from technology and nature. Replacing last year’s periwinkle, Pantone executive director, Leatrice Eiseman, described the color as inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known. “Rooted in the primordial, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter,” she said in an interview. “Invoking forces of nature, it galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.” Already companies like Foscarini, West Elm, Hay, and Design Within Reach have all come out with products produced in this optimistic color.
Get Ready for Benjamin Moore’s Raspberry Blush
Paint company Benjamin Moore has declared Raspberry Blush, a vibrant orange-red shade, their color of the year. It marks a shift from the muted neutrals that have been popular in recent years. “As much as we love the muted, softer colors, we felt ready to do something a little more bolder,” said Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore’s color marketing and development director. “We’re just raring to go and turn up the dial on the saturation of color.” Described as a charismatic color that “enlivens the senses,” it evokes fruity notes along with trace elements of both radiant red and orange coral. The company noted that the color could come off as an intimidating shade to incorporate in the home, but believes it can build color confidence for those willing to go beyond their comfort zones.
