With 2024 soon coming to an end, this seems like the perfect time to take a look back at the year that passed and single out some trends that defined it.
While people have understandably taken a step back from obsessing about their homes — after a whirlwind 2020 and the work-from-home years that followed sent us all on a craze to perfect our spaces — the internet is still bustling with ideas on how to best decorate our interiors.
Instagram, TikTok, and other social networks are chock-full of videos and aspirational photos inspiring their users on how to make their homes more stylish and inviting.
But which interior design styles are people hooked on nowadays? What are the design trends that people are looking at the most for inspiration?
A recent study by Highland Cabinetry analyzed the 30 most common interior styles to identify the ones that are the most trending online — incorporating Google searches, Instagram posts as well as TikTok hashtags in their research. And their findings weren’t all that surprising.
Contemporary design is the most popular style
With a staggering 1.5 billion views on TikTok and 309,700 monthly searches on Google, contemporary interiors are by far the most popular ones.
Characterized by clean lines, natural materials, and attention to detail, this interior design style incorporates elements of other styles, such as modernism, minimalism, Art Deco, and bohemian, to create a distinct look. Neutral colors, cool tones, and stark contrasts are trademarks of the style.
Farmhouse interiors take the second spot
Farmhouse interior design takes the second spot in the ranking of the most trendy interior styles, with over 3,064,000 Instagram posts flaunting it. Farmhouse interior design — with its trademark neutral colors, rustic accents, and comfy furniture — is also trending on TikTok, getting over 408 million views.
Modern interior design ranks third
Not to be confused with its contemporary “cousin”, modern interior design relies heavily on a monochromatic color palette, open floorplans, low-set furnishings with horizontal and vertical lines, and heavy use of wood, leather, glass, and stone.
It’s also the third most popular interior design style, getting over 247,000 monthly searches on Google. It, however, is less popular on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where farmhouse decor and contemporary spaces reign supreme.
Bohemian design takes an honorable 4th spot
While it didn’t make it to the podium, bohemian is the second most-searched interior style on Google, with people looking it up over 292,000 times each month. The design style, with its more maximalist approach, incorporates a variety of patterns, colors, textures, and materials, such as florals, paisleys, animal hides, and burlap and encourages personal (and creative) expression.
Unsurprisingly, the vibrant bohemian style is also very popular on TikTok, with 242 million views.
Art Deco interiors land on the 5th spot
Opulent and decadent Art Deco interiors are still grabbing quite a few people’s attention online. Despite having the lowest search numbers in the list, the style — with its layered shapes, high use of metallics (gold and chrome), and intricate art and furnishings — is the highest trending interior design style on Instagram, appearing in over 3.6 million posts.
Rustic interior design takes 6th place
There’s something so cozy and so inviting about rustic interiors. No wonder people still gravitate to this timeless style, with its natural, aged, organic, and distressed elements that stand in stark contrast to the modern and contemporary abodes we see on a daily basis.
Despite having the lowest search numbers on the list (because honestly, you don’t need a lot of guidance from Google in order to create rustic-looking interiors), it is the most trending interior design style on Instagram, appearing in 3.6 million posts.
Scandinavian interior design is no longer a leading favorite
While just a few short years ago, Scandinavian-style interiors were the most hyped ones around, people online seem to be slightly over the minimalist, warm aesthetic.
According to Highland Cabinetry‘s study, Scandinavian design shares similar search numbers with rustic interiors but is less popular on social media, with 2,190,000 Instagram posts and 90 million views on TikTok.
Midcentury modern interior design
Forever the beloved classic, midcentury modern interiors have fallen to an honorable 8th spot. The timeless style is less popular on Instagram (or maybe it just doesn’t photograph as well as the rest of them?) than rustic or Scandinavian, but is trending on TikTok, gathering 102 million views.
Coastal interior design
Coastal interiors — with their luxuriously understated living vibe marked by light shades of blue, green, beige and white — take the ninth spot on the ranking, with most of its popularity coming from social media rather than Google searches.
In addition to 55 million views on TikTok, over 2 million posts on Instagram are marked with the coastal interior hashtag.
Minimalist interior design
With its simple line furnishings and open floor plans, minimalist design has barely secured a spot on our list, landing in at #10. It has the least search queries on Google but the style found huge popularity on TikTok.
Minimalist interior design gathered over 250 million views on TikTok, the third highest in the ranking, and is relatively popular on Instagram, with over 1.4 million posts.
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