5 min readWith color-drenching, heritage wallpapers, and bold upholstery colorways trending in a big way in 2026, the departure from white and anticlimactic interiors is noticeable. Some designers, however, are taking a more emphatic approach rooted in an art movement called Simultanism. It traces back to 1910, when artists Sonia and Robert Delaunay created paintings with overlapping shapes in unexpected formations that stood out in contrasting hues.
“Simulanism is, in its purest sense, meant to make your eye throb—the glorious dance of two complementary colors duking it out for supremacy,” says Tamar Avishai, creator of the art history podcast The Lonely Palette, who recently wrote about it for Articles of Interest. “You’d think that when this jumps off a painting and into your home, it would be aggressive and disorienting. But in actuality, it turns anything it touches—art, fashion, design—into something wonderfully dynamic.”
Interior designers, like Toronto-based principal designer Dvira Ovadia, are employing this expressive approach to invite emotional layering to spaces that can feel overly restrained or formulaic.
“Styles rooted in Simultanism naturally bring a sense of movement, energy, and individuality into a space through their use of contrasting colors, overlapping forms, and abstract compositions,” she says. “There is something very dynamic about the way these elements interact with one another; they create tension and harmony at the same time, which makes a space feel far more immersive and alive.”
Here are the biggest design takeaways that experts recommend when incorporating the principles of Simultanism into your space.
Consider the View From Other Rooms
“Adjoining rooms should be considered for how they relate, but that doesn’t mean they need to be color-coordinated,” says New York–based interior designer Josh Greene.
In the home pictured above, he added an avant-garde visual perspective with an art piece that played up the entry into the study in a completely different palette. The key to a successful pairing is implementing related tonality and depth. The seafoam green speaks to the abstract strokes of rust and saffron seen in the Dean Gillette oil painting.
Vary the Shapes
The mix of shapes in the lounge of the Park Hyatt Milan was an inspiration for principal designer Abigail Kahan, who visited the hotel during the design festival Salone del Mobile. Blending fabrics—not wallpaper—allowed the designer to create a “graphic and tactile” space that was grounded by the furniture in mixed shapes.
“The silhouettes throughout the room lean sleek and almost Brutalist in spirit,” Kahan explains. “There’s a deliberate repetition of strong lines, sharp edges, and structured forms that creates a sense of rhythm and movement throughout the space.”
Source Sculptural Furniture
Look for furniture pieces and accents that encapsulate art and bring out emotion.
“The Gaetano Pesce chair blurs the line between playful object and serious furniture,” says Amy Parry, president and art consultant for this space at Lake Nona Wave Hotel in Orlando, Florida. “This is not a restful space, but an active one, where colorful sculptures and textural, framed works influence each other to spark a sense of modern energy."
Lean Into Architectural Geometry
Instead of competing with the 1980s architecture, which included the circular window and skylights, designer Dvira Ovadia amplified the geometry through an artistic, Simultanism-inspired connection. The abstract wallpaper is composed of human figures in an almost mural-like composition.
“That subtle narrative quality added movement, emotion, and a sense of curiosity to the room, reinforcing the idea that the space should feel layered with story and personality rather than purely decorative,” says the Toronto, Ontario–based designer. “Repetition of curved lines, arches, grids, and graphic patterns subtly guides the eye through the space and reinforces the feeling that every element is connected.”
The dining room banquette backing, upholstered in a rich cognac-toned leather, adds warmth. In contrast, the green seat cushion introduces a subtle earthy freshness. “That mix of materials and tones helped the banquette feel far more layered and intentional rather than overly uniform,” Ovadia explains.
Let the Murals Do the Talking
“Every aspect of the interiors can be treated with the Simultanism technique,” says Sydney, Australia–based designer Greg Natale, who winked at the art movement by installing a Kandinsky mural wallpaper by Papiers de Paris in the above living room.
Note that while Kandinsky did not officially employ Simultanism, his compositions incorporated “simultaneity” of geometric shapes and colors meant to impact the viewer like a musical score.
Try an Eclectic Mix
Simultanism doesn’t have to be quite so literal. Fusing an eclectic mix of art periods and movements—from 18th-century Chinoiserie to Modern Art, Surrealism, and Bauhaus—creates an artistic worldview.
In the space above, Natale incorporated visions from Parisian restaurants for a maximalist approach that is anchored in sensibility and a pink-and-green color palette throughout. A surrealistic Vincent Darré bed against Chinoiserie-influenced wallpaper attests to its success.
Build on One Motif
Simultanism isn’t about randomness—there’s always a method to the madness.
“It’s not about more for the sake of more, it’s about building a home that feels expressive and unapologetically yours,” explains Meeshie Fahmy, founder of Haus of Meeshie in Los Angeles. As the above space demonstrates, you can start with one strong visual moment, like tile or a geometric stair runner, a bold piece of art, or a saturated paint color.
“The stair runner felt classic for the home, and I loved the mustard tones playing against the deep reds and the purple door,” Fahmy says. “In this space, color really informed the direction first, and pattern came second. It became this fun play on shapes, almost melting all of those different forms together.”
Use Built-Ins as a Canvas
Designer Melissa Fenigstein of New Age Interiors in Syosset, New York, used a blue lacquered bookcase as a base to install artwork from the John-Richard collection and then used alternating vertical and horizontal book placement to create a colorful narrative.
A variety of decorative objects and vase shapes complete the look and prove how you can use the rules of Simultanism on a smaller scale.
Play With the Color Wheel
Homeowner Carolyn Jennings owns a stationery shop, The Write Touch, and is no stranger to color. In fact, she saved a color wheel from a magazine article more than a decade ago and used it as a muse when working on her home with Morgan Langley, designer at Kitchen Envy in Jacksonville, Florida. The duo created a palette built on color tension between bold colors.
“I always encourage clients to stop reaching for white as a safety net and just trust the contrast,” Langley says. “Commit to something bold on one surface and let it react with everything around it. That's where a space comes alive.”
Rearrange the Art
Consider creating a gallery wall, but approach it with the Simultanism viewpoint of making a kaleidoscopic puzzle. A collection of vivid works by Washington, D.C.–based visual and conceptual artist Julie Wolfe commands the landing, anchored by a bold pink rug that amplifies the installation’s electric mood.
“In the adjoining hallway, a crisp black-and-white graphic wallpaper steps back to let the art breathe—a deliberate restraint that makes the vignette feel curated rather than chaotic,” says designer Josh Linder of Evolve Residential in Boston.
