They may be a blast from the past, but they’re about to be very now.
Trends come and go, but they almost always come back again. If there’s one thing we know about interior design, it’s that what feels old and outdated manages to become fresh and cool again in a few years’ time. Skeptics can easily be proved wrong with the resurgence of sunken living rooms, glass block walls, and even cushy sofas plucked right out of a Nora Ephron movie. And, as younger generations continue to be intrigued with the 1990s and early 2000s, they are turning to the era’s interiors for inspiration.
Well, sort of, as Maggie Vollrath of Provision Studios points out. “When we look back at certain interiors from the 2000s, there was such a commitment to achieving a particular look that every element in the room was chosen to reinforce it,” the Georgia designer says. “A home should feel like a collection of things you genuinely love, not as though you’ve walked onto a movie set designed to represent a particular style.”
When you cherry-pick trends and design details from the past, you’re able to create a home that honors the past without appearing stuck in the past. “The goal isn’t to make a home look like it belongs to another decade,” Vollrath says. “You want to bring back the beauty and character of those decorative details while creating something that feels authentic to both the house and its owners.”
Below, designers share trends from the past that the next generation of design lovers adore.
Swivel Seats
For older generations, a swivel chair might conjure memories of sitting in your family’s den, but designers promise these movin’, groovin’ seats have been revived for the 21st century. “Swivel barrel chairs defined early-2000s transitional interiors, usually in a bright flat polyester-blend upholstery,” explains Hallie Malitsky, principal designer of Hallie Rose Design in Brooklyn. “The version coming back today is a different experience entirely.”
Today’s iterations, she insists, are subtler. Cheap polyester has yielded to rich, tactile fabrics like wool, linen, and velvet. For a timely twist, she also encourages trading the fire engine red and butter yellow popular in the 2000s for burgundy and ochre. “Surround it with natural materials like wood, linen, and stone, and [your chair] will stop being the loudest thing in the room,” she recommends.
Dark Wood Millwork
When Malitsky thinks of early aughts design, she immediately envisions the gigantic walnut media center that plagued many of her friends’ family rooms. “Dark wood cabinetry is a notorious culprit of bad 2000s design, but the wood wasn’t the issue,” she says. “It was the fact that there was so much of it.”
Now that dark wood tones are making a comeback, Malitsky says to use them sparingly. Two to three walnut or ebony pieces per room will make enough of a statement. And, no: Unlike the living rooms of yore, your furniture doesn’t have to match.
“What I love about their return is that we’re incorporating these pieces in a much more collected way,” shares Vollrath. “Rather than purchasing an entire matching furniture collection, we’re mixing periods and bringing in individual pieces that have character and history.”
Ornamental Accents
The early aughts had lots of elaborate cabinetry, replete with corbels, substantial cornices, and beautifully detailed range hoods. As everyone—yes, even younger generations—continue to favor more traditional interiors, we’re seeing a renewed interest in ornamented cabinetry.
“There’s something really special about a kitchen that feels as though it could have been there for generations, or even reminds you of your grandmother’s kitchen,” Vollrath says. “Those decorative flourishes bring a sense of history, craftsmanship, and permanence that can be difficult to achieve with a more streamlined approach.”
But why stop there when you can add character to other rooms of the house?
“We’re seeing a broader interest in architectural detailing throughout the home, from wainscoting and wall paneling to ceiling beams and substantial moldings,” she adds. “Homeowners are becoming more interested in understanding these elements, considering them during renovations, and making them a priority in new construction.”
Analog Accessories
If the rise of analog interiors proves anything, it’s that even the best chatbot can’t beat excellent design. Instead of having a home covered in screens and smart systems, many are favoring more primitive setups that harken back to dial-up and CD-ROMs. For example, Fargo-based designer Lindsey Christie has been noticing (and loving) the return of landlines. “There's something wonderfully nostalgic about a beautiful telephone sitting on a bedside table or tucked into a thoughtfully designed corner of a home,” she says.
Of course, there’s plenty of fun to be had in a “dumb home.” “We have had several adult clients wanting to incorporate their hobby of Legos into their design aesthetic,” reveals Allison Smith of Gem + Clay Interiors in St. Augustine, Florida. “I definitely think this speaks to a desire to return to the analog, and that [old-school] element.”
Earth Tones
“We always joke about the Tuscan kitchens from 2005, but they had some good things going on,” says Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox. If you strip away the “bottles of preserved peppers and gaudy oil-rubbed bronze faucets,” the style was actually rocking a great color palette. Shades like brown, ochre, terracotta, and deep red bring a little bit of the great outdoors inside, plus they can pair nicely with today’s cozy interiors. But let’s keep the overly Italian influences in the past, shall we?
Extra Embellishments
Today’s emerging design lovers are extra—just ask Scott, who has been noticing a considerable uptick in passementerie. “These intricate details were everywhere in the mid-2000s, before the world decided everything should be sleek and gray,” he says. “They’re becoming popular again, and I think they really evoke the attention to detail we saw at the turn of the century.”
Though yesteryear’s tassels, beading, and decorative trim are undeniably fun, using them requires a little bit of strategy. Since there’s a fine line between charming and kitschy, balance these louder, upholstered moments with pared-back wooden pieces.
Stainless Steel Appliances
Goodbye, panel-ready refrigerators and dishwashers: Katie Kiser says stainless steel appliances are so back. According to the Tennessee-based designer, the resurgence is a break from the picture-perfect kitchens older generations have pined over. “Gen-Z values practicality over perfection,” she explains. “I think it will show up in their interiors.” And why stop at appliances when you can bring that lived-in feel to the rest of the space? “They don’t hate clutter the way millennials do,” she adds. “We’ll see details like cookbooks in the kitchens and hall trees with tennis rackets on them.”
Unconventional Countertops
Though Scott hasn’t seen the Venetian Gold granite that ruled Y2K just yet, he’s noticing many homeowners are willing to get creative with their countertops.
“We've moved beyond using only Carrara marble in kitchens,” he explains.
Ditto for quartz, which some designers believe is on the outs. Instead, Scott says travertine is huge again and granite is poised to make the comeback. If you want to keep these materials from appearing dated, he encourages you to reach for stones with bolding veining and inclusions.
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