Where Are These Top Social Media Design Trends Headed in 2023?

Social Media Interior Design Trends

The latest interior design trends seem to be making a bigger impact and arriving faster than ever before. That may be, in large part, thanks to social media, which puts the freshest trends a swipe away and in the palm of our hands.  Whether you’re on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or another favorite social media platform, today’s top interior design trends are front and center and often appeal to more niche interests. 

Over the last couple of years a few trends have emerged, helping to define this era of pandemic and post-pandemic design. As we kick off the new year, we asked our own Dunn-Edwards’ color expert and stylist Sara McLean about the status and staying power of each of these trends. Below, she sheds light on what we can expect in relation to these design trends in 2023.

Cottagecore

The Cottagecore design trend started as a rebuttal against technology overload, and is defined as a romantic interpretation of rural, agricultural, and simpler lifestyles through design and décor—things reminiscent of what one might find in a cottage in the countryside, as the name implies. 

Cottagecore in 2023

McLean stated, “The #Cottagecore trend is here to stay for a while as escapism and simplicity are themes that continue to be highlighted in our trend forecasts. We continue to seek pleasure in the everyday and romanticize the smallest tasks into morning and evening rituals, as well as embracing a love of nature in all its forms. These small levels of control in a chaotic world, along with the more obvious cozy country design aesthetics of Cottagecore that remain popular in fashion and interiors highlight our continued fascination with this trend.”

Coastal Grandma

Coastal Grandma is a chic design trend best exemplified through the set design work found in Nancy Meyers movies—elegant, neutral, and coastal-inspired. Imagine Diane Keaton’s Erica Berry character in Something's Gotta Give. A Hamptons-living, middle-aged woman who enjoys classic, clean-lined style, gardening, going on walks, drinking wine, eating farm-to-table meals, and listening to soft jazz. Or Jane Fonda in Grace and Frankie. It’s a design aesthetic that might just be too hip for your own grandma’s house, however in 2022 this escapist aesthetic began taking over the country via social media connecting with everyone from Boomers to Gen-Z. 

Coastal Grandma in 2023

McLean stated, "The #Coastal Grandmother trend that took over TikTok in 2022 appears to be sticking around for the foreseeable future as it has moved into more of a lifestyle category rather than just an aesthetic. A celebration of the lives older women who care less about trends and more about living life and making a difference, as well as celebrating aging gracefully, all play into this trend, so while some of the fashion aesthetics may change, this trend will continue to strengthen over at least the next couple years."

Regencycore

Regencycore was launched into the zeitgeist with a helpful push courtesy of Netflix’s smash hit Bridgerton in 2021. The show, set in the early 1800s, inspired a love affair with maximalist English Regency Era design. Floral designs, soft color palettes, oil paintings, and settees are a few of the defining features.

Regencycore in 2023

McLean stated, "The #Regencycore trend will continue to provide escape and fantasy as consumers feel a need for immersion in historical aesthetics and experimentation. It grew into new arms including #Royalcore, which is essentially the same as #Regencycore, embracing refined maximalism and borrows from several historical eras. Maximalism and indulgence are key components to this trend and as we continue to move past the Covid years, we seek to embrace life’s pleasures in abundance."

Barbiecore

A more recent trend, Barbiecore, started taking over social media in mid 2022. The announcement of the upcoming Barbie movie and pent up energy manifesting in an outburst of retro-futuristic décor and athletic-inspired brights have helped bring this trend to the forefront. 

Barbiecore in 2023

McLean stated, "Trends like #Barbiecore will continue to strengthen as consumers reject the stereotype that pink is just a feminine or immature color and unapologetically embrace the reclamation of pastel shades and sugary, candy-coated aesthetics. Nostalgia remains a powerful driver of this trend as brands look to childhood memories for modern products and packaging. And the need to indulge and experiment with escapism as a form of stress therapy will continue to keep hyper-color trends like #Barbiecore moving forward. And let’s not forget the new movie “Barbie,” by Greta Gershwig coming out July 2023 that will really push #Barbiecore to new levels of popularity."

Vanilla Girl

The latest TikTok trend is the Vanilla Girl aesthetic. In fact, the #VanillaGirl hashtag has nearly 400 million views on the social media platform. It’s a trend that touts serenity, orderliness, and luxury through a monochromatic, neutral color palette. Take Kim Kardashian’s perfectly beige home as seen by many as an ideal example of the design aesthetic.

Vanilla Girl in 2023

McLean stated, "The Vanilla Girl trend will continue to provide inspiration for those who love a more warm, minimalist aesthetic, and Japandi minimalism —a fusion of functionality and minimalism, seems to be the umbrella trend to this beige look. I do see it lasting for a while longer as warm neutrals continue to trend forward with feelings of tranquility. The use of organic and natural materials; lots of natural lighting as a tie to nature/outdoor lifestyles; a focus on texture over pattern in textiles and incorporating abstract sculptural elements and a touch of plant life, though not nearly to the extreme as the jungalow aesthetic—all create an easy design style for a wide range of living situations."