The Next Big Thing in Interior Design

By Marni Elyse Katz
January 31, 2011

What will 2011 bring in terms of interior design trends? We asked eight top interior designers around the country what interior decor looks they think we’ll be seeing a lot of in the coming year.

Designer: Melanie Coddington, Coddington Design, Los Angeles and San Francisco

Interior Design Trend Prediction: Classic with a twist.

“I'm finding myself returning to the classics right now, but giving them an unexpected, modern twist. For example, I recently upholstered a classic tufted slipper chair in neoprene.”

Roll over items for details

Faux Metallic Crocodile Vinyl Upholstery Fabric

(buy it now price, $19.99)

Antique Louis XV Style Vanity Slipper Bedroom Chair

(buy it now price, $750)

Designer: Katie Lydon, Katie Lydon Interiors, New York City

Interior Design Trend Prediction: The demise of hotel-like interiors.

Katie Lydon

“I think the more eclectic the better—obviously it has to make sense—but I think that the very clean hotel look is no longer enough or really viable. The use and layering of interesting materials, textures, and antiques will be important, as is globalization. I love mixing an African print with an English sofa, or placing an Indian sari pillow on a 1950s chair."

African Kente Print Pillow

(buy it now price, $20)

Silk Antique Sari Indian Pillow

(buy it now price, $6.15)

Designer: Angie Hranowsky, Angie Hranowsky Design Studio, Charleston, SC

Interior Design Trend Prediction: Bold, vibrant color, with pink leading the way, and leopard print designs supplanting zebra as the animal print of choice.

“Pantone chose honeysuckle [a rosy pink] as “the” color for this year. I've consistently used pink in my work, so I'm thrilled. I think we will be seeing a lot more bold, vibrant colors across the board. I'm gravitating toward the powerful ‘80s-inspired colors seen on fashion runways. I love the idea of using them in color blocking rather than in busy patterns.”

“I’m also really excited about leopard print. I love animal prints. Zebra has been huge for quite some time, so leopard print is a welcome option. Skip it for accents; go straight to a sofa or rug.”

Set of Two Vintage Slipper Lounge Chairs In Heywood Style

(buy it now price, $1,295)

Leopard Print Rolled Arm Bench

(buy it now price, $99.99)

Designer: Brad Dufton, colorTHEORY, Boston

Interior Design Trend Prediction: An intensified hunt for inexpensive one-of-a-kind finds.

“No longer is good design judged on the basis of how much money was spent. Emphasis is on the hunt for well-crafted, one-of-a-kind items that will create a personal and identifiable home. And the less expensive the item is, the better.”

"In the interior pictured here, the wall mirror, the white art deco end table, the white 1970s cocktail table, and the 1960s Thonet Ring end table were all purchased from the SOWA Vintage Market in Boston over the course of last summer. I repainted the art deco table and ‘70s cocktail table for what I call a 'Deco/Disco' vibe."

Art Deco Glass & Metal Dining Table

(buy it now price, $754)

Art Deco Machine Age Wolfgang Hoffmann Chrome Table

(buy it now price, $550)

Designer: Katie Leede, Katie Leede & Co., Los Angeles

Interior Design Trend Prediction: The rise of sumptuous materials mixed with earthy, natural materials.

“I am excited to continue to explore the combinations of sumptuous materials like patina-ed metal on fireplaces, reclaimed flooring, lacquered or polished plaster walls, and antiqued mirrors, combined with lush mohair fabrics, stone-washed linens, and ethnic prints.”

Mohair Throw Light Brown/Natural Herringbone Design

(buy it now price, $60)

Decorative Antiqued Gold Round Mirror Hammered Metal

(buy it now price, $429.99)

Designer: Julia B. Edelmann, Buckingham Interiors + Design, Chicago

Interior Design Trend Prediction: Offbeat color pairings and the layering of art over wall coverings.

“The layering of unusual palettes is the latest twist in terms of color. I love to mix apple green and olive, as well as purple and grey. I also like to use color in unexpected places, like a bright shade on the ceiling, with a neutral wall. Or, a very dark trim paired with light walls. I might use a wall covering as an added layer of texture on an unexpected surface. And I love to hang art over ornate or very textured wall coverings.”

Faux Grasscloth Texture Wallpaper

(buy it now price, $29.99)

Sferra 1891 Celebrity Embroidered Pillow in Apple

(buy it now price, $99.50)

Designer: Amanda Nisbet, Amanda Nisbet Design, New York City

Interior Design Trend Prediction: An aura of fantasy and escapism.

“The year has emerged with an overall up-tick and positive feeling. Whether are not the dreadful economic times are behind us, it seems humanity is moving forward from notions of austerity. I think we’ll see lots of luminosity and shimmery materials, which will inject a sensation of fantasy, or perhaps escapism.”

Austrian Argentor Sweet Liqueur Silver-Plated Pear

(buy it now price, $1,499.99)

Shimmering Blue Glass Perfume Bottle with Atomizer

(buy it now price, $29)

Designer: Adrian Sims Truluck, Parker-Sims Interiors, Charleston, SC

Interior Design Trend Prediction: The emergence of “rural” designs.

“I see a move toward a more casual 2011. The eclectic, mix and matching that’s been happening in recent years will continue. I think we’ll see “rural” design—the concept of combining distressed wood pieces, rusted metals, botanicals, and natural textiles—come to the forefront. I’m very drawn to it.”