With the new year upon us, it’s always a good time to take stock of the home. Whether it’s finishing one of those tasks you’ve been putting off, prepping your home maintenance checklist, or giving your decor an update, there’s plenty of inspiration to find.

 

This year is full of fascinating design trends, from retro furniture to murals to creating rooms for specific purposes. With so many exciting developments, it can be challenging to keep up—but we’ve got your back.  

 

We’ve studied industry experts and scoured through data and firsthand experience to deliver six interior design trends worth exploring in 2025.

 

Let primary colors shine

 

Primary colors are among the first visual concepts we learned about in school. The various shades of red, yellow, and blue are immediately eye-catching and bring specific presences to the room. For instance, red indicates power, yellow generates feelings of warmth and energy, while blue is a more calming and zen color.

 

These primary colors are making a bit of a comeback, though perhaps not in the way you’d expect. One of Pinterest’s “Bold Trends” for the new year highlights how searchers of all ages are looking to reclaim their inner child. That means using contrast trim and going for bold paint jobs. An easy way to do that in a rental, without changing the wall color: Pick a free-standing furniture piece like a cupboard, dresser, or end table with neutral tones of gray, brown, or beige, and give them more vibrant hues of blue, red, or yellow.

 

Retro vibes are on the rise

 

While primary colors are a terrific way to make a particular piece of furniture pop, retro vibes are making a comeback, too. Specifically, interior designers are building off the themes from the 1970s, using colors like deep brown and burnt orange to complement neutral wall and floor tones.

 

Retro decor is easy to bring into your home, and you don’t need a time machine to do it. Look at a shag carpet that can serve as a throw rug for your bedroom, or hang a sunburst mirror in your living room to add some style and create the feeling of an even bigger space. Consider lamps with crisp, geometric shapes for a bit of contrast in any room. Of course, retro items like gaming systems and posters are always in style, offering opportunities to highlight the playful side of your personality.   

 

Jazz up furniture 

 

Murals have always been an eye-catching design: how many times have you stopped in your tracks to look at one on the side of a building? This trend began in 2024, but it’s not slowing down in the new year. And now you can seamlessly weave them into your rental home by creating murals and patterns on your furniture, instead of your walls—another intriguing trend for the new year.

 

While you can look at designs for sofas, chairs, and other seats, a more manageable choice might be looking at items like cabinets, desks, and armoires. The folk art trend that became popular in Scandinavia last year is making its way to America, and as Emily Henderson points out, when in doubt, you can combine a circle and a stripe for a super simple, yet immediately appealing creation. As GarrettLeChic notes, murals will formalize any living space so they can be a great addition to something like a dining room or social area.

 

Define your why

 

In a busy world with several different to-dos and hobbies, you might mix and match activities. Maybe you’re falling asleep on the couch while watching TV, or you toss a puzzle or board game on the floor and hope none of the pieces try to sneak off. But what if you were a bit more intentional with the purposes of each room? That’s an interior design trend to watch in 2025—creating spaces that have a certain goal. You might install a surround sound system to listen to a vinyl record collection or your favorite streaming playlist or set up a high-quality table and comfortable mesh chairs to host game nights with your friends and family. 

 

You don’t even need to dedicate full rooms to certain activities. For example, you can create a cozy reading nook in the smallest area of the house, set up a dedicated yoga space in a guest room, or introduce some aromatherapy and upgrade your towels to give your bathroom the feeling of a luxurious spa without having to step a foot outside.

 

Embrace sustainable decor

 

Sustainability has been a hot topic for a while, though it’s taking new forms in 2025. For instance, Pinterest reported new surges among Boomers and Gen X users for terms like “solar punk house” and “chaos gardening.” These types of trends, such as the Rooted-inspired “ferniture,” are unique ways to remain eco-friendly. 

 

Consider a self-sufficient container garden or upcycled table or deskside piece to bring a little green into your home. Sustainable decor is also a great chance to practice some DIY projects. Craft your own beer or wine holder for a lovely kitchen display, or try your hand at building a bookshelf to hold your favorite reads, games, or stuffed animals.  

 

Take it to the maximalism

 

For years, designers embraced a minimalist mindset: white walls, sparse furniture, and no extra frills. Marie Kondo’s “Does it spark joy?” question caused people to re-evaluate their items and clear out some space.

 

Now, we’re going the opposite way. Maximalism is trending in 2025, though it can be a tricky line to walk. After all, jamming 30 throw pillows on a sofa or crowding a living room with year-round Halloween decorations might look cool, but you still need to ensure things are functional. Real Simple has some quick and easy ideas for getting maximum impact from your maximalism designs. For instance, pair textures together, like a leather sofa with velvet pillows, or implement something hanging, such as an easy-to-care-for indoor plant or animal or sports decor like you may have seen during childhood birthday parties. See—retro is making a comeback.

 

Do any of these ideas call to you? Or would you rather start your own trend in 2025? No matter which design concept you go with, do it in the community that’s right for you. View our available homes.