Over the last couple years, many of us have become more in touch with ourselves and our homes, which explains why cookie-cutter trends are falling by the wayside. Instead of matchy-matchy rooms or emulating one motif throughout the house, it's all about mixing bold elements and infusing your personality into the space. Here are the fun trends that designers are embracing as we kick off the new year.

meaningful decor

People are passing on mass-produced decor and opting for family heirlooms or sentimental accessories instead. Coffee table books will remain a staple, otherwise, it's all about one-of-a-kind pieces in 2023. 

If you need more unique items, thrifting and antique stores are a good way to build your vintage collection. This has been a rising trend with grand-millennial style, but much of the recent appeal is about creating more nostalgic, eclectic spaces with conversational pieces at the forefront.

"It's not your grandma's style, it's not shabby chic, it's a fresh, young and modern nod to nostalgia that will continue to be big in 2023. Casual and well-loved family heirlooms have a place paired with today's materials, colors, and patterns," says Karen B. Wolf, CEO of Karen B. Wolf Interiors.

dark academia

If you watched Netflix's Wednesday and found yourself enamored by the sets, this one's for you! Gothic yet sultry with a touch of prep school is all the rage right now. As quoted in The Spruce, interior expert Michael Rolland describes dark academia as "Hogwarts at home."

Dark, rich color palettes are central to this aesthetic along with grand embellishments. You want the area to look studious and mysterious like the library of a Victorian-style boarding school. Think velvet curtains, leather chairs, Persian rugs, and candelabras.

bold reds

In another nod to dark academia as a 2023 theme, Pantone and Benjamin Moore both chose vibrant reds as their color of the year.

Texas-based interior designer, Meredith Ellis, foresees a rise in red lacquer libraries as people become "bolder and more fearless in their selections."

Neutrals have ruled the design sphere for years, but color trends are changing as people want to present confidence and courage in their selections. Nothing screams "look at me" more than a fiery red.

art deco

It's quite fitting that a prominent style of the Roaring 20s is making a comeback. Art Deco is simple yet luxurious. In celebration of industrial advances, this style focuses on clean, geometric lines that replicate machine-produced items. Much of the art and architecture that came before was inspired by nature; Art Deco promotes the modern innovations of mankind.

If you want to make a bold statement without making Art Deco a central focus in the home, half baths are a great place to experiment with new patterns and accessories. Wallpapered powder rooms will be an ongoing trend in 2023, so you can test the waters with a jazzy, vertical design.

checkerboard

Checkerboard is back! If you think it's too retro for mainstream reemergence, perhaps you don't know the lasting history of this pattern. While many modern day folks associate it with 50s diners, it's actually far older.

Checkerboard can be traced back to at least 1500 BC on Bronze Age pottery. It's also featured on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, throughout ancient Rome, and during the Renaissance where, notably, it was used for the landing of the Queen's Staircase at Versailles. The pattern has persisted through every time period in the last 3.5 millennia— in fact, many historians believe it's the oldest design element in history.

There's no question that the timelessness of checkerboard lies in its versatility. It adds visual interest, yet it's astoundingly simple. Whether you're going for classic, regal, retro, whimsical, studious, or anything in between, checkerboard is a fitting touch.

Have fun sprucing up your home this year! And remember— make it you and don't worry about subtlety.