The hottest interior trends for 2024, according to the experts

Now is the time to plan your new year home overhaul.

From rustic textures to exuberant stone, here are some of the leading trends for interiors in 2024, according to Australian designers.

Tactile textiles

Tactile fabrics offer spaces a layer of warmth and indulgence, says designer Greg Natale.

“There has been a shift towards layered interiors with a stronger emphasis on maximalism, and textured fabrics offer that additional complementary element.”

Natale attended Paris’s renowned trade fair Maison&Objet this year and says boucle, a luxurious nubby-textured fabric, is here to stay.

“Boucle is successful on a sofa because it is easy to clean and maintain,” he says.

“Consider mohair on a club chair or armchair, sheepskin for a pouffe or cushion, and chenille and cut velvet.

“Play with three or five different textiles in a space to create dimension and a tactile experience.” 

Combining raw materials

Timber, travertine, tinted concrete, and terracotta will combine harmoniously next year to create soothing and thoughtful spaces, says architect Madeleine Blanchfield. 

“Combining raw materials in the same tonal palette brings subtle texture and variation to interiors,” she says.

“Consider the junctions and details and how each material will relate to the other.

“No two stones or timbers are the same, so this new trend requires care and sophistication. Each material is harmonious but still interesting in its own right.”

Vibrant stone kitchens

Shona McElroy from SMAC Studio says lively quartzites and granites will be the ultimate dream kitchen backdrop in 2024.

“Exciting colours and interesting patterns are coming out of Europe and South America, and some look more like artwork than stone,” she says.

“They are just as beautiful as marble but more hardy, which works well for people who love cooking and entertaining.”

Exuberant stone can be intimidating in a bright-lit showroom, but McElroy says don’t be deterred.

“When you place that same stone on your kitchen countertop, it recedes into the space rather than dominates it,” she says.

“Choose a slab featuring various colours; it opens your home to more furnishing options.

“For example, some quartzites have bronze shades, so you can bring in complementary bronze cabinet handles and pendant lights.”

Indoor living, outdoors

Australians love to mesh indoor and outdoor living, and next year, we will take it up a notch with interior-style furniture that looks just as at home al fresco.

“Outdoor sofas are taking on the feel of indoor furnishings, and outdoor coffee tables are as stylish as indoor ones,” says designer Jane Ledger.

“Pieces such as ottomans and footstools, a stylish armchair or swivel chair are also set to make a strong appearance outdoors.”

Look for sustainably produced timbers and performance fabrics that can withstand the elements.

“Move luxe interior accessories, such as cushions and throws, to your outdoor zone,” Ledger suggests.

“Add outdoor lighting pieces, like portable lamps, for ambience. It blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors for cohesion and flow in the home.”

Bespoke spaces

“In 2024, there will be a focus on individuality and personalisation,” Sydney designer Nina Maya says.

“There will be a move away from homogeneous designs or trend-based schemes; instead, it will be about creating unique schemes that reflect our tastes and whims.”  

Maya says homing in on design elements such as favourite colours and textures is essential to creating spaces that make you feel good.

“Let your individual tastes shine through,” she says. “Look for beautiful stones, a rich colour palette, stunning light fitting or unique artworks to punctuate the space.” 

Texture everywhere

Different paint colours and plaster finishes in natural, warm mid-tone hues imbue spaces with a sense of depth, detail and cosiness, says Sonia Simpfendorfer from Nexus Designs.

“Texture creates a highly liveable and welcoming backdrop,“ she says. “Robust finishes make walls appear more substantial than simple plasterboard, and texture and tone can be adjusted to bring great warmth to a space.” 

Simpfendorfer applied a scratched hard plaster finish to a wide hallway, providing subtle interest to an otherwise simple space.

“It’s a beautiful finish, hand-applied by craftsmen, that makes it desirable and unique,” she explains.

“Speciality painted finishes are more accessible, and we’re seeing varying textures and colours in limited tonal palettes that bring out the architectural features of spaces.”