A new year always brings the license of fresh ideas, new perspectives, and creative energy—and here at Blackband Design, we’re feeling it in every corner of our showroom. We’ve rounded up a collection of concepts that are inspiring us right now, shaping the way we approach our projects, and influencing the homes we’re designing for our clients.
Trends evolve, spaces transform, and sometimes years pass between envisioning a design and seeing it fully realized in a home. Many of the ideas we’re sharing are ones you’ll see emerging in our portfolio over time—but the best part? Most of them can be woven into your own spaces today, for an immediate refresh that feels thoughtful, elevated, and completely you.
Don’t feel compelled to follow the trend or the fashion. Stay true to yourself and what brings you the most joy. When in doubt, hire a designer to help you separate the kitsch from the classic!
Hoping these ideas spark inspiration for your next project—we’d love to hear what you’ll try first!
1. TEXTURED FABRICS
There’s something so comforting about fabrics with real presence—the kind you feel before you even sit down. This year, texture is becoming its own kind of luxury. Velvets that feel like the inside of a jewelry box, suedes you want to run your hands across, corduroy that instantly transports you to a favorite childhood jacket, and leathers that only get better with age. Even denim and houndstooth are sneaking their way into the mix. Rooms are becoming more tactile, more lived-in, more “come curl up for a while.” Texture isn’t an accent anymore—it’s the mood.
Photographer: Lucy Call
2. COMPLEX COLOR COMBINATIONS
Neutrals are no longer the quiet kids in the room. When you mix brown, burgundy, crème, and charcoal, something unexpectedly elegant happens. Brown becomes warmer, burgundy becomes richer, crème feels almost edible, and charcoal brings just enough grounding to keep the whole palette feeling intentional. It’s like the adult version of neutrals—still timeless, but deeper, moodier, and far more soulful.
Photographer: Lucy Call
3. WALNUT WOOD
I can’t help but love walnut. There’s a depth to it that instantly adds layers. Maybe it’s because I grew up around vintage pieces that carried stories in their grain, but walnut’s darker, quieter tone taps into something nostalgic yet undeniably timeless. And nothing beats the moment when that deep chocolatey finish sits next to something crisp and white—a clean satisfying contrast. It’s classic, but not predictable.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
4. ORNATE CUSTOM CARPENTRY
We’ve circled back to the kind of carpentry that used to define a home—the paneling, the molding, the trim details people took pride in. There’s a familiarity in these ornate, handcrafted elements that feels like revisiting an old friend or your own childhood. Not fussy, not overdone—just thoughtful. It’s the return of texture and a bit of history on the walls themselves, and honestly, it’s about time.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
5. A NOD TO THE 70s
The 70s are threading their way back into design, and I’m not mad about it. It brings me right back to Balboa Island—barefeet on hot sidewalks, Elton John and Led Zeppelin spinning on my record player, obsessing over every detail on an album sleeve, crocheted bikinis, 10¢ candy bars, the smell of ice plant, counting VW bugs along PCH, mustard-colored tiles, olive formica, Chemin de Fer jeans, Sbicca platforms, Five Summer Stories, thrift shops and bead shops and long summer days. But the best part? We’re not recreating the 70s—we’re distilling the feeling. Earthy tones, handmade textures, relaxed silhouettes, and a playful spirit that reminds us to have fun and not to take design too seriously.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
6. MAKING A SPACE YOUR OWN
If there’s one “trend” worth following, it’s the one that honors you. What you love. What makes you smile when you walk in the door. Trends can guide, but your instincts should lead. And when it all starts to blur—when you’re not sure what’s classic and what’s kitsch, that’s when a designer steps in to bring you clarity. A home is meant to reflect a life and all its parts, not a checklist.
Photographer: Tessa Neustadt
7. MIXING MATERIALS
We’re in a season of blending—polished and matte, refined and handmade, smooth and textured. Think limewash walls next to polished Taj Mahal quartzite: the chalky softness against the shiny surface It’s unexpected, but in the best way. We’re moving away from everything feeling honed and uniform and leaning into combinations that feel collected, layered, beautifully undone but complete—much like French fashion.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
8. COLOR CAPPING
Color drenching had a good run and wow do we love it, but now we’re playing with a twist: color capping. Just when you think a room is soft and quiet, the eye lifts and—there it is a ceiling or upper band of color that changes everything. It adds a hint of surprise without overwhelming the space. It’s subtle drama, which might be the best kind.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
9. ROOMS THAT EXUDE WARMTH
Warmth is becoming the new currency of a well-designed home. Rooms that glow instead of glare. Spaces that feel like a soft exhale the moment you step inside. Maybe it’s years of craving comfort, or maybe we’ve simply rediscovered that beauty feels better when it’s welcoming. Warm woods, dimmable lighting, textures that radiate softness—warmth is the new wow.
Photographer: Ryan Garvin
10. UNEXPECTED MOMENTS
Sometimes the best parts of a home are the ones you weren’t looking for. A powder room wrapped in bold wallpaper. A pop of paint behind a hidden cabinet door. A playful pattern lining a drawer. Those tiny bursts of joy remind us that design doesn’t always have to be serious or uniform. Homes should surprise us a little. They should delight us. They should feel alive.
Photographer: Nathan Schroder
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