Design Trends for 2026: Insights From Austin Interior Designer Sarah Stacey

From high-chroma color to modern medieval accents, here’s what clients are gravitating toward right now.

If 2025 was the year of quiet luxury — with its safe palettes and polite spaces — then 2026 is ready to push past it. Rooms are getting more expressive. Color is intensifying. Clients, no longer content to blend in, are asking for spaces that feel personal and one-of-a-kind, according to Austin interior designer Sarah Stacey. 

"People want rooms with personality," Sarah says. "We want spaces that feel like us and make us feel something."  

From bolder color to richer craftsmanship, Sarah shares three 2026 interior design trends emerging across her projects. These are the ideas clients are responding to now and the directions she expects to see more of in the year ahead.

High-Chroma Color in Interiors: A 2026 Design Trend to Watch

Our first trend is high-chroma color, where saturated hues become the brightest, most energized element in the room.  

"I keep seeing bolder, more saturated color used in a way that almost reads like it has its own light," Sarah explains. 

Instead of entire rooms drenched in bold hues, we're seeing single notes of high-chroma color that seem to glow against more subdued surroundings.

What It Looks Like

Imagine a single saturated element in an otherwise edited palette. For example: a cobalt door against powdery blue-gray walls. A persimmon lamp on a walnut console. A jewel-toned chair in a room of muted textiles. The trick here is to make the piece the most alive color in the space, so everything around it makes it feel even brighter. Rather than neutrals with a pop of color, we use the accent color to pump up the volume on an already colorful space.

"Your eye does this thing where it turns the volume up on the most alive color in the room," Sarah explains. "When the surrounding colors are calmer — smokier, cooler, darker, or just less saturated — the bold color feels even more intense."

A micro-trend worth noting within this trend is the rise in vibrant periwinkle and cobalt — a bold electric blue.

"We keep finding ourselves reaching for cobalt," Sarah notes. "The color feels confident yet playful. I think it's even more impactful with a very limited palette." Sarah recommends using cobalt as a focal note rather than a dominant scheme to keep the palette balanced. 

Playful, Expressive Interiors: A 2026 Design Trend Focused on Wonder and Delight

Increasingly, interiors are embracing a sense of playfulness. 

Instead of designing spaces that take themselves too seriously, we're seeing rooms punctuated with unexpected moments. This 2026 interior design trend focuses on rooms that feel joyful and expressive instead of serious and staged.

"You don't need a full themed room," Sarah says. "You just need a few pieces that make you happy when you walk by."

What It Looks Like

Think small but intentional.

"It can be one weird little object, a bold stripe, a sculptural lamp, a piece of art that makes you laugh, or a detail you wouldn't expect," Sarah says.

For example: A bronze hand-shaped door pull on a traditional cabinet or a mushroom lamp on a classic side table.

Camp fits here, but in small doses, according to Sarah. A little humor or drama goes a long way when the rest of the room stays grounded. 

Placement matters, she adds. Pieces need a dedicated spot where they aren't buried on crowded shelves or tucked into corners.

"Those moments bring so much joy into a space," Sarah says. "The key is choosing something you truly love, not just adding it because it's a 'trend.' Bonus points if it makes guests laugh." 

Modern Medieval: The Return of Baroque Influence in 2026 Interiors

After years of stripped-down minimalism, people are craving interiors with character. This modern-medieval interior design trend blends old-world character with contemporary restraint, bringing back pieces that feel timeworn without tipping into theatricality.

“Clients want rooms with personality,” Sarah says. “Antiques and vintage-inspired pieces add soul. They make a space feel like it has history.”

What It Looks Like

With this trend, craftsmanship takes the lead. You'll see carved wood with visible hand marks, metal softened by age, and frames and candlesticks with real mass. 

This look works best when it’s edited, Sarah says. A handful of medieval or baroque-inspired pieces can anchor the room with contemporary elements as a counterbalance. 

Final Thoughts 

At the end of the day, trends aren’t instructions, Sarah emphasizes. 

"This isn’t meant to be a shopping list," she says. "There’s no pressure to run out and buy something because of a trend. Design is always evolving." 

What matters is how a space makes you feel. If you’re exploring 2026 interior design trends for your home or hospitality project, connect with Austin interior designer Sarah Stacey to bring these ideas to life.

FAQs: 2026 Interior Design Trends

What are the biggest interior design trends for 2026?

The biggest interior design trends for 2026 focus on expression. SSID clients are gravitating toward high-chroma color accents, playful and expressive interiors, and modern medieval influences.

Is quiet luxury still popular in 2026?

Yes. Quiet luxury remains popular with those drawn to a calm, understated aesthetic. However, in 2026, more and more homeowners are moving beyond safe, neutral spaces and seeking rooms that feel more personal. Instead of understated minimalism, interiors are becoming bolder and engaging.

What is high-chroma color in interior design?

High-chroma color refers to highly saturated hues. In 2026 interiors, this trend appears as a single vivid element set against an edited (but still colorful) palette.

How can I use bold color without overwhelming my space?

The key to using bold color without overwhelming a room is intentional contrast and restraint. Instead of treating bold color as a single pop, layer it into an already nuanced palette and let one element become the most visually vibrant moment in the space.

Are medieval or baroque styles coming back in interior design?

Yes. The 2026 modern medieval trend pulls from baroque and medieval influences—such as carved wood, heavy frames, and aged metals—while pairing them with contemporary elements.

Should I work with an interior designer to apply these trends?

Working with an experienced interior designer can translate trends into spaces that feel timeless and tailored to your lifestyle. A designer can guide decisions around color, scale, placement, and balance. Reach out to Sarah Stacey Interior Design today to get started.