Jonathan Adler, Shea McGee, Nannette Brown, and more share the living room trends we can expect in 2026.
By Megan Wahn | January 14, 2026
As the saying goes, the home reflects the person who lives in it. In 2026, designers say, this common adage will be truer than ever. Particularly when it comes to living rooms. “In 2026, the most sophisticated and well-designed living rooms will feel artful, but highly intentional, rather than styled,” interior designer Nannette Brown tells ELLE Decor. “Spaces will be composed, layered, but equally edited. I think we’ll see interiors be expressive and highly individualistic, without being performative.”
This new guard of living rooms balances style with quirks of personality. Think statement pieces and lighting, tufted and fringed accents, or pattern-on-pattern layering. “Homes are becoming more expressive. From sculptural furniture to bold art and color-forward powder rooms, clients want rooms that feel deeply personal and lived-in,” Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon of design duo the Brownstone Boys tell ELLE Decor via email. “Spaces that communicate identity are replacing neutral, ‘safe’ design.”
Here, design experts share what to expect from living rooms in 2026.
More Vintage
Vintage and antiquing will never go out of style—but it’s only going to become more on trend for living rooms in 2026. Designer Jason Saft notes that the continued rise in tariffs that “keep prices high, and some items out of reach” will prompt designers and homeowners to buy vintage for living room furniture and accents.
Rise in Patterns
Shea McGee of Studio McGee explains pattern-on-pattern layering will continue to see a resurgence this year through drapery, wallpaper, upholstery, and throw pillows—all in coordinating bold patterns (“florals are a big one”). According to McGee, this layering “creates a collected look that feels like it evolved organically over time,” she continues. “The key is thoughtful pairing—let one hero pattern lead and support it with softer companions.”
Tufted and Fringed Accents
Tufted furniture, like armchairs and sofas, and fringed curtains or lampshades add visual depth and texture to a space. Saft uses the latter to take a home to the next level, noting that fringed lampshades provide a “cost-effective” method of getting the look. Designer Jonathan Adler appreciates tufted furniture for its “tailored yet comfortable” look that “plays well across different aesthetics.”
Metals
Multiple designers described seeing different kinds of metals come into the living room in 2026. Adler specifically points to brass and gold, while McGee says she’s seeing both perfectly polished and worn, patinaed silver “stepping into the spotlight again.”
“It brings a cool, nostalgic elegance that layers seamlessly with the warmer wood tones we’ve been loving,” McGee adds. He advises to style metals subtly with picture frames, collected silverware, lighting accents, and decor “to add a refined sheen without overwhelming a space.”
Those who are a bit more adventurous with their decor will be happy to hear from Kendall Knox, Ben Knox, and Laura Sotelo of Olive Ateliers that mixed metals are back—specifically pewter, aged brass, iron, and nickel. “Rooms feel more personal when metals aren’t matchy-matchy,” they say via email. “The tension between warm and cool creates instant character.”
Frank Frances Studio
Design duo the Brownstone Boys are seeing more statement lighting in living rooms heading into 2026, like this lantern pendant in the living room of a Bed-Stuy brownstone designed by the pair.
Oversized Lighting
No, we’re not talking about the big overhead that drenches your living room in harsh, fluorescent lighting. We mean statement lighting. Think large-scale pendants, sculptural sconces, and oversized floor lamps—anything that “creates intentional drama and serves as functional art” in the living room, as design duo the Brownstone Boys note. “Lighting is becoming a focal point,” they share. “It’s one of the fastest ways to transform a space with a modern editorial edge.”
The Rise of “Hollywood Cottage”
What’s the “Hollywood cottage,” you ask? McGee says it’s essentially an amalgamation of all the trends she’s seeing in one room: warm neutrals, seagrass rugs, slipcovered sofas, linen drapes, blue and white accents, silver, and vintage-inspired florals. “It’s cottage-inspired but with a bit of fanciness added in,” McGee says. “All those layers make a room feel curated and elegant, but still totally lived-in and comfortable.”
