A Guide To 8 Popular Interior Design Styles

Is redecorating your home on your to-do list?  Are you finding the challenge a little bit daunting?  If so, never fear!

To help you get started, we’ve listed eight of the most popular interior decorating styles below.  You’ll find a little description of each style and a photograph for illustrative purposes!  We hope they inspire you to try something new in your home this year.  Happy decorating!

1. Minimalist

Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe famously adopted the motto “less is more” to describe his aesthetic.  It’s the perfect way to describe minimalist style too.  In minimalist rooms, basic household items are reimagined with sleek and streamlined forms, furniture is unfussy with clean lines and ornaments are kept to a minimum.  Everything is functional and has its place.

Photo by Rick Ryniak ArchitectsLook for living room design inspiration

2. Coastal

Once reserved for seaside homes, coastal style now reaches further inland than you’d expect.  Think large windows with panoramic views, white and cream walls, sailors’ stripes, nautical rope, and seaside motifs.   Coastal style is known as “Hampton’s Style” in the United States, after the popular seaside resort in the American Northeast.

Photo by Discover living room design inspiration

3. Country

Country style draws from traditional farmhouses.  This charming style works particularly well in kitchens, whether you live in a cottage in the middle of a National Park or a modern house in the suburbs.  Think earthy colours, rustic furniture and farmyard motifs.   Country style is always warm and welcoming.

Photo by Ashgrove KitchensBrowse kitchen ideas

4. Mid-century modern

Mid-century modern was a popular style of decorating that spanned the 1930s to the early 70s. It was fuelled by advances in technology during that period (for example, wood bending, moulded plastics) and was typified by a more relaxed, informal feel (for example, lounge chairs, low coffee tables etc), thought to be symptomatic of the laid-back lifestyle adopted after the war.

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5. Shabby chic

Probably one of the most recognisable design styles of the last 20-30  years.  In shabby chic rooms, furniture and furnishings are chosen for their appearance of age or signs of wear and tear, or they’re purposefully distressed to look antique.  To achieve the shabby chic look, mix soft pastel colours with delicate floral patterns and distressed textures.  Choose beautiful, elaborate and romantic accessories for you room.  Pink, white and powder blue reign supreme in this style of decorating.

Photo by Dreamy WhitesBrowse living room photos

6. Eclectic

Probably the most rebellious of decorating styles, the eclectic room is full of mismatched pieces that give the appearance they’ve been collected over the years.  Inspiration is drawn from a combination of periods and styles, and room accessories represent different aspects of the homeowners’ personalities.  In modern eclectic spaces, it’s common to see bright pops of colour, quirky ornaments and unusual lighting solutions.

Photo by re:source lifestylesBrowse living room ideas

7. Scandinavian

Scandinavian style is one of the most popular decorating styles of the 2010s.  It is commonly used in children’s nurseries and bedrooms.  The style draws inspiration from the Nordic countries.  Think simple, unfussy furniture with clean lines, muted colour palettes of neutral shades, organic materials and lots of bright, natural lighting.

Photo by Urbanology DesignsDiscover kids’ room design inspiration

8. Industrial

Another huge trend that’s come into prominence over the last ten years.  The industrial trend makes a feature of the unfinished, raw elements in buildings that were once covered with plaster or hidden with stud walls.  Expect lots of exposed brickwork, copper piping and wooden detailing.  It’s typical to see filament light bulbs and upcycled furniture in industrially styled rooms too.

Photo by Chris A Dorsey PhotographyDiscover living room design ideas