Toss out the millennial design elements; Gen Z interior design trends are taking over and are much more creative and courageous.
Walk into a Gen Z apartment and you’ll probably see curved furniture that looks like melted blobs, a checkerboard rug next to neon wall art, and at least three mushroom-shaped lamps. This generation threw out the millennial playbook of gray everything and safe neutrals, replacing it with what they call “dopamine décor,” which is basically rooms filled with stuff that makes them happy.
What is dopamine décor and how does it fit into the theme?
Think strawberry-shaped accent pieces, wavy mirrors, and gallery walls that climb to the ceiling. They’re also obsessed with nature-inspired décor aesthetics like cottagecore and mushroomcore, bringing dried flowers, toadstool decor, and thrifted rococo mirrors into modern spaces. The DIY culture is strong too, with people painting murals on rental walls and refinishing thrift store finds with pastel florals.
What do designers have to say about Gen Z interior design trends?
Designers have mixed feelings about where this is headed. Birmingham designer Fran Keenan loves the curved furniture trend but warns that too many squiggly pieces can make a room look “like a movie set.” Her advice? Mix rounded edges with traditional bones to keep things grounded.
New York designer Tara McCauley is all about Gen Z’s vintage shopping habits, while others point out that checkered rugs and mushroom accessories might be fads that don’t age well. The real staying power seems to be in the bold color choices, the commitment to thrifting and sustainability, and the idea that your space should feel personal instead of Pinterest-perfect.
Gen Z interior design trends that provide a desirable personal feeling
The movement toward maximalist décor, thrifted vintage furniture, and bold color palettes could make a room look busy, full of stuff, but also full of life. The trend toward DIY home projects has many Gen Z homeowners creating spaces that reflect their personality and feel comfortable, regardless of design norms. Here are just a few of the more popular Gen Z interior design trends.
Dopamine décor and trilling color
Some people love the youthful exuberance of bold colors and mismatched patterns. These styles and colors allow them to feel playful and young. Toss in some nostalgic items and geometric rugs, and you’ve got a winning combination. These spaces provide the fun feeling you want to induce joy and bring on the dopamine wave that makes a person happy and calm. This type of décor isn’t about what matches, but what feels good. Forget the earthy tones and bland, sterile colors; get ready to embrace big, bold, and boisterous in your space.
Bring nature in and do it big
For the Gen Z crowd that wants to embrace nature in their decorating, it’s time to do it big. This means embracing cottagecore, mushroomcore, and goblincore to make your space look like a cabin in the woods or the cottage from a fairy tale. This is one of the Gen Z interior design trends that is moving toward nature and embracing nature tones, colors, and textures in the home. These styles overlap well with other design elements to create an organic feeling in your space.
Gen Z embraces vintage in a big way
You might be shocked to find that, along with wavy lines, bold colors, and brash nature, Gen Z also embraces the movement toward vintage looks and styles. You might see a room that reminds you more of Victorian England than mid-century modern. This means one of the most amazing Gen Z interior design trends is a movement toward ornate looks Rococo style, and gilded mirrors with a modern twist. It might seem strange to see, but a formal dining room might be done in this style, giving you a classy place to dine.
Designs fueled by the internet
It’s not Pinterest-perfect that Gen Z is looking for. Instead, they want styles and looks that stand out and make a statement. A bit of surrealism can make a space look incredibly designed and offer amazing lines and colors in a space that you might not expect to see put together. The mood boards that some people put on Pinterest are coming to life in the homes of Gen Z homeowners. You could see neon LED clouds in bedrooms, DC walls, jellyfish lamps, and the return of lava lamps.
Gen Z interior design trends are stepping out of the norm and embracing the bold, colorful, and different. The goal is to create a space that brings happiness and joy to the homeowner, no matter what the rules of design say.
