Trend Discovery Story
So, it happened on a random Tuesday night at midnight (of course… insomnia, thanks for nothing). I was knee-deep in an Instagram scroll spiral—like, you know that moment when you’re just about to put the phone down, but suddenly: BAM! My explore feed slammed me with this riot of color, curves, and pattern. At first, I was honestly confused. Where were the piles of plants I usually see? The Black Forest green cabinets, the trailing pothos in every room, the Instagram-friendly fig trees—gone. It was all velvet stripes, chunky sculptural furniture, English granny kitchens, and, shocker, way fewer ferns. Instead, color. Texture. Drama. Not gonna lie, it woke me up more than my actual alarm clock.
I ended up texting my friend Megan (she’s a real maximalist at heart—her house is like a party in a jewel box) and she sent, like, fifteen screen shots back: ‘You HAVE to check out these arched doors. My sister just ripped out a set of white barn doors for an arch!’ Plus, I started seeing a ton of chatter online—#maximalistmakeover was trending, and there were threads about ‘moving beyond plant obsession.' The interior design world, TikTokers, everyone felt over the endless run of all-green-everything. It almost feels like the vibe is shifting to, ‘Okay, let’s love nature but not settle for it as our only trick.'
Honestly, the timing makes sense! People have been nesting so hard for the last few years (ugh, pandemic memories) and now everyone’s craving a home that says ‘me’—not just ‘here’s my influencer-approved fiddle leaf.' Spring cleaning brain, anyone?
Main Trends Breakdown
Maximalism Makes a Statement
Remember when décor had to be all about ‘less is more,’ with three white vases and a tragic succulent? Yawn. Suddenly, 2025 is all about maximalism. It’s bold, busy, surprisingly cozy, and weirdly freeing. I first saw this explosion at Clare’s house (she’s the friend who owns exactly zero matching mugs and also painted her ceiling hot pink). Her living room is a layered collage: banana-leaf wallpaper (Graham & Brown, $85 a roll), a geometric blue vintage rug she found at AptDeco for $320, and the wildest gallery wall—vintage band posters, kid art, and random mirrors from Target’s Project 62 line.
The best part? Maximalism is about filling your rooms with things that matter to you—souvenir plates, stacks of books, art made by the neighbor's kid, whatever. The more personal, the better. Saw an amazing plush patterned rug (Momeni, ‘New Wave’ in Multicolor, $260 on Wayfair, and yes…tempted) pop up three times in my feed in one night. People are mixing animal print throws with floral curtains (wasn’t sure about that… tried it in the guest room, and—wildly?—it works!).
Budget reality: It can add up fast. I found dupe wallpapers at Spoonflower (custom prints around $80), and thrifted art is my new weekend sport. Pro tip: Check Facebook Marketplace before you go all-in on a $500 ‘vintage’ print from Etsy. I scored a bundle of weird old travel posters for $40. The joy of maximalism is that there are truly no rules—except more, more, more.
Curves, Organic Shapes & Arches
Apparently, hard edges are taking a little break. Curves are everywhere—sofas, dining tables, even entry arches. I realized the obsession when I saw a boucle armchair from Urban Outfitters (the ‘Maisie,’ $449) that looked like a soft cloud. I physically wanted to nap in a furniture store, which, sorry, is my actual dream. Then, visiting Jenny last month, she’d turned her standard doorway into an arch using peel-and-stick MDF (Home Depot, $60 Kit). It softened the whole vibe without actually changing her apartment layout, and suddenly her shoebox entry felt inviting rather than, you know, just a receptacle for abandoned sneakers.
The organic coffee table (West Elm ‘Streamline’, $599) became my newest furniture envy. But honestly, it can be cheaper—H&M Home (seriously, don’t sleep on them) launched a wavy glass vase ($19.99) that looks like something out of Architectural Digest if you style it right. Mixing curvy lines with all the straight edges we already own—boxy bookshelves, rectangular rugs, sharp-angled fireplaces—felt surprisingly good. Only downfall? Round tables require fewer people to knock into the corner, so my clumsy nephew is a big fan.
Bold Colors & Playful Palettes
I swear, if another beige living room pops up in my feed, I might spontaneously combust. The color revolution is ON. Not just any color, though—think rich emerald and forest green (Farrow & Ball ‘Bancha’ No. 298), moody blue walls (Behr ‘Blueprint’ S470-5), spicy reds that feel like you’re in a designer’s private club, or even splashes of zingy yellow. I first braved this in my kitchen: painted a thrifted cabinet with Benjamin Moore ‘Calypso Blue’ 727. It was like, womp—okay, this is SO much nicer than my old bone-white finish. My husband panicked, but now even he admits the coffee nook feels happier in the morning.
My neighbor went all out with a raspberry accent wall in her dining room (Sherwin-Williams ‘Radish’ SW 6567). It actually looks amazing with her dark wood dining set, not Pepto Bismol-y like I feared—see, some color just works better on big surfaces. If you’re nervous, start with pillows or a lampshade. Speaking of, IKEA’s ‘Alaa’ velvet colorblock pillows ($12.99) are genuinely good for a quick, fearless test run.
Awkward truth: I did once buy a chartreuse tray that clashed with, literally, everything I owned. If you mess up, return policies are a gift. Also, bold paint colors? Sample first. I skipped this with ‘Deep Viridian’ and spent a weekend repainting… my wrist has beef with me to this day.
Textured Walls & Ceilings
I was always one of those, ‘Walls should fade away’ people. But then I spent a weekend at an Airbnb in Vermont with this linen-finish wallpaper that made every photo look candlelit. It was Graham & Brown’s ‘Eden’ ($120/roll), a splurge…but I kid you not, it turned plain drywall into instant luxury. Now, there’s a whole zone of textured everything—plaster, grasscloth, even peel-and-stick burlap (Target, $35 a panel) for the faint of heart. People are painting ceilings, too. My friend Ash painted hers navy blue (Sherwin-Williams ‘Naval’ SW 6244) and added a huge sculptural pendant (CB2 ‘Contact’ Chandelier, $499). Photos don’t do justice to how cozy and interesting it made her space at night!
This is an update you can go big or small on. I did a linen wallpaper sample behind my bookcase and wow—instantly fancier. Downside: Getting the pattern lined up straight made me say a LOT of words not fit for print. But hey, you live and learn. For low-budget, try painting a ‘zoom wall’ in a textured finish and see if it makes your camera love you more.
Room Applications
So, how’s all this translating in real homes (aka, not just on million-follower feeds)? Let’s be honest, not everyone has museum-sized living rooms. I tried maximalism in my tiny 12’x14’ home office—layered mismatched throw pillows, old travel souvenirs, swapped my tired office chair for a curvy used West Elm scoop chair ($180 on Facebook Marketplace), then added a wild floral peel-and-stick wallpaper to one wall. Boy, did it make Zoom meetings less soul-crushing. My only regret: I had to physically declutter after because maximalism walks a fine line. If you collect, you have to curate, not hoard. Hurts a little bit for sentimental types.
Curves are a blessing for awkward layouts. Try a round dining table instead of that old rectangle—it’s better for conversation and (bonus) looks gorgeous under a statement light. I paired a secondhand oval table with a HomeGoods marble base lamp ($69), and now friends ask if I remodeled. Textured walls work best in spaces where you want coziness: a bedroom accent wall, a den’s ceiling, or just a powder room to surprise guests (seriously, most fun room to experiment in because…who’s in there for more than ten minutes?).
Color is scarier in small rooms, but the right one—deep green in a bathroom? Instant boutique hotel vibes. My friend painted all her interior doors matte black (Behr ‘Limousine Leather’) and it feels high-end without a huge leap. Key tip: If you rent, removable wallpaper and colorful art are your friends. Big effect, little landlord drama.
Tried mixing curves and texture? Yes, with mixed results. That boucle armchair I loved—total lint magnet. Chairs on sale are cute until you realize they don’t fit through your narrow hallway…measure first, always. Learned that lesson when the delivery guys couldn’t get my ‘dream’ sofa past the front door. Ugh, still not over it.
Shopping Intelligence
This is where things get real. First, there are SO many amazing sources cropping up: Anthropologie (pricey but worth it when there's a sale—check their emails often), Target’s designer collabs (Threshold and Studio McGee line!), H&M Home for terrazzo and glass pretties, Facebook Marketplace for vintage gems if you’re patient. For wallpaper, Spoonflower is fun because you can tweak colors and materials, but for cheaper texture, try Better Than Paint peel-and-sticks from Home Depot.
If you want deep, luxe paint colors, don’t sleep on Benjamin Moore for quality, but Ace Hardware’s Valspar line matches a ton of swatches for less. Found a dupe for Anthro’s $98 velvet pillow at IKEA for $13 (not as stuffed, but hey, twelve bucks). For statement lighting, CB2 is swoon-worthy but HomeGoods comes through with shockingly good finds if you stalk the aisles at odd hours.
Sales tip: Black Friday, July 4th, and random ‘end of season’ clearances are goldmines. Some wallpaper brands restock in spring only so if you see something, snag it. Online is great for browsing, but I STILL want to sit on my chair before spending $400. If you do shop online, check return policies obsessively. Got burned once with a ‘final sale’ boucle ottoman that looked twice as big in photos. Lesson learned.
Styling Reality Check
Here’s the kicker: Most of these trends look amazing online, but you’ll hit snags. That hot pink paint looked amazing at 3pm but gave my living room a weird glow after sunset, so now it’s more of a ‘morning space’—live and learn! Maximalism gets messy fast. You have to actually edit your ‘stuff’ or your house just looks like a storage unit.
Mixing trends—super fun but tricky. I tried to stage a curved bookshelf next to dark green textured wallpaper and it clashed hard. Who knew too many statements can drown each other out? Best advice? Start small: pillows, vases, a vintage lamp. I once bought three sets of patterned curtains because I couldn’t decide (curse you, indecision), but only one didn’t fight with my rug. Return lines at HomeGoods know me by name now.
If you’re on a tighter budget or in a rental, look for removeable options (wallpaper, art, slipcovers) and test wild colors in frames before you commit to a whole sofa. Nothing wrong with a slow update—living with samples taped on the wall for a few weeks is totally normal. Or maybe that’s just me?
Get the Look Now
If you want to jump in, here’s what’s actually worth shopping (or at least dreaming about):
- Maximalist wallpaper: Graham & Brown 'Banana Leaf' or find a similar peel-and-stick at Target, $35-$120 per roll. Check for sales around holiday weekends.
- Curvy furniture: Urban Outfitters 'Maisie' boucle armchair ($449), FB Marketplace for gently used West Elm/CB2 curves ($120-$350), H&M Home wavy vases ($19.99).
- Bold paint: Benjamin Moore 'Calypso Blue' 727, Farrow & Ball 'Bancha' No. 298, Sherwin-Williams 'Radish' SW 6567. Ace Hardware and Lowe's both offer sample pots for $5-$8—try before a big buy.
- Textured wallpaper: Graham & Brown 'Eden' (around $120), Wayfair Grasscloth Peel-and-Stick ($59), Home Depot burlap panels ($35).
- Statement lighting: CB2 'Contact' Chandelier ($499), IKEA 'Sinnerlig' pendant ($79), HomeGoods for in-person treasure hunts ($40-$120 range, if you’re lucky!).
- Budget-friendly swaps: IKEA velvet colorblock pillows ('Alaa', $12.99), Target Project 62 wall mirrors ($25), World Market textured throws and rugs (under $100).
DIY tip: If you’re crafty, try framing wallpaper scraps or layering up thrifted mirrors for a big wall moment. Slipcovers in bold hues (Amazon or Bemz for IKEA furniture, $70-$150) let you jump on the color trend without replacement costs. And remember, trends come and go—save receipts and keep clutter donations ready if you love change. Take photos before AND after—sometimes you need to see both to pick a favorite.
And if ALL else fails? Just add a scented candle, swap out a lampshade, or drape a vintage scarf over a plain bench. Small shifts make the biggest difference!
Resources & Inspiration
- A great deep-dive from ASID’s 2025 Outlook shows how designers everywhere are mixing textures, bold colors, tech, and vintage—hugely helpful for getting the full trend landscape.
- 1stDibs and Artsy offer super-detailed recaps plus real product inspirations—easy to screenshot for mood boards, and fun for seeing how maximalism is being done by serious pros.
- The Decorilla 2025 trends post is loaded with practical tips, especially on texture and color choices, with lots of mid-range product links.
- The NAR’s Styled, Staged & Sold explains why everyone really is leaving the houseplant everywhere craze behind—and how to blend new-vibe maximalism without breaking the bank.