People want to deck out their spaces with pieces that tell a story — one that goes beyond, "I got it off Amazon."

From left: Christina Kim is the founder of Christina Kim interior design firm and studio, which specializes in new construction and custom homes; Julieta Alvarez is the founder of Julieta Alvarez Interiors, which specializes in residential projects; Sarah Storms is the founder of Styled by Storms.

"I think in the world of interior design and maybe just the world in general, we're really trying to find balance and realism. Balance can be beautiful too. We're not perfect and our spaces aren't going to be perfect, but they can be really beautiful and really reflect the lives we're leading," said Kim. 

"We come with stuff," she adds, and it deserves to be displayed in our home, not squirreled away in our closets.

"Instead of solid-colored fabrics, we are seeing florals, stripes, or some sort of a pattern. I think that patterned sofas are really very practical too. The messes of life or a spill of red wine can be hidden very well by patterns and color."

She notes that wallpaper can transform spaces like kitchens into rooms as decorative as living rooms. 

"I love that it can be so atmospheric. Like a scenic wallpaper, a landscape, or an old-school toile in a kitchen can be really beautiful."

According to Storms, people are more willing to invest in pieces that have a story behind them, "leaning into the fact that your home has a story, as opposed to looking perfectly styled."

"I do like that softness that curved furniture brings to a room. When it's curved, it makes it a little more cozy, warm, and modern. Very straight lines on furniture can look a little uninviting." 

"We are seeing happier colors come into play, maybe in a subtler or more elevated way. It's been a hard couple of years in the world, and it's still hard, but I feel like I can see that hope and the optimism shooting through in interior design, which is really nice," said Kim. 

And speaking of bold colors, Storms says painting your interior doors is a great way to experiment with new palettes.

"More and more people want a dedicated space for their weekly card games, puzzles, or Mahjong nights." 

"Let's say you're in a pre-war apartment in the city with wood paneling on the wall. If you were to place a stainless steel, super minimal, linear dining table — that intersection of super clean with old world could be really nice."

Alternatively, she says stainless steel is a practical option for kitchen countertops. "Brushed stainless steel is so indestructible," she said. "That's why professional kitchens and restaurants all have stainless steel kitchens, right?"

"Sometimes, finding large-scale artwork that you love can be a challenge; tapestries are a really great alternative to that. Also, if you don't have a huge headboard, that is a great way to fill visual space in a very interesting, tactile way. And it's also soft," said Kim.

"People want to be in the living room, and then [step through a door] to go into the kitchen. They want a little more privacy and more enclosed spaces," she said. 

Kim echoed that sentiment, saying that the "acoustics become a little simpler when you have a defined floor plan."

"People spend a lot of time in their homes. It's nice to be able to hang out as a family, but then also have private time and space."

"We're going away from the light and airy look. You've seen this specific look for 10 years," mentioning that the nature of trends means that we may see a return to the all-white look in another decade. 

"Let's say you want to mix silk fabric with velvet — the Velvet is very hairy [while] the silk is very sleek. So that juxtaposition is what makes up for [the lack of a real] pattern. The texture is what brings interest to a monochromatic space," said Alvarez.