2020 Home Decor Trends

The warm palette of the “Play” collection from Sherwin-Williams’ Colormix Forecast 2020 is energetic and playful.

To get a glimpse of what lies ahead for the new year in home design, we talked to Sara Noble, owner of Noble Designs in Kansas City. As a featured design blogger at High Point Furniture Market, she caught a sneak preview into the upcoming year.

The tone overall, according to Noble: “fresh and fun.”

Left to Right: Highland House Chair upholstered in “Tobacco Leaf,” Maddan-McFarland. Robert Abbey pendant from the Williamsburg Custis collection, Wilson Lighting. Global Views channel-back sofa in moss, Seville Home.

Fabric. Large-scale patterns with lots of color will be more prevalent. For example, “Tobacco Leaf” by Highland House, featuring blue, yellow, green and pink.

There also will be more stain-resistant options using Crypton and InsideOut performance fabrics. Noble watched a demonstration of a smiley-face drawn with a highlighter on white fabric, and it disappeared shortly after it was wiped off.

“The fabric feels like it should to the hand, so why not?” she says.

Color. The palette is turning warmer—lots of cream vs. gray as the dominant neutral. Red will make more of a showing vs. the cooler blues and greens that have been popular.

Lighting. Speaking of color, you should see more of it in light fixtures. For example, lanterns in different hues.

“One of the most effective ways to give your home a facelift is to update the lighting,” Noble says.

On that subject, we look forward to seeing her new collection for Wilson Lighting that will debut this year.

Furniture. More sofas and chairs will be channel back—or tight back—with a lounge-y, modern edge. You’ll spot more traditional details, too, such as furniture with skirting and trim.