By Frances Black

Aesthetic choices in home décor speak deeply to the way we want to live. In 2023, people are beginning to say goodbye to both the modern farmhouse and stark minimalism in favor of décor that is strong on natural textures and connection to the outdoors.

Current home decor and design trends you might not know about include biophilic design, limewash and plaster, the use of sustainable and organic materials, and letting natural light in via windows.

Biophilic Design

This great ten-dollar word refers to a style that seeks to reconnect our homes and our lives with the natural world. It comes with a philosophy that goes like this: For most of history, we humans lived as part of nature. There were no clear-cut lines between our habitat and the environment.

Today, 90% of our habitat is the built environment. We can’t change that but we can improve our design choices and bring more of the outdoors inside. The payoff is more than decorative. Biophilic design seeks to improve health, well-being, productivity, and social connections.

Its chief proponent was the late Stephen Kellert, the Yale University ecologist who wrote the book on biophilic design in 2005. However, the design approach emphasizes the use of natural materials and rounded shapes, and the presence of natural light. It corresponds with many trends that speak of the contemporary moment. Here are a few.

Limewash and Plaster

These old-timey wall treatments add a sense of warmth and solidity to a room, and their hand-made look adds value. They work best with natural materials like marble and wood. This puts them in sync with other 2023 trends that follow the biophilic formula, such as the use of natural wood cabinetry and nature-inspired wallpaper. Plaster is also more mold resistant than drywall and provides better insulation, soundproofing, and fire resistance. Decorators suggest starting with plastering a small space such as a bathroom or a European-style kitchen (enclosed please, sprawling space is yesterday.)

If plaster is your ticket, don’t stop there. Muted color is also having a revival in 2023. This includes the natural tones evocative of forest, desert, or seas. Living rooms, dining rooms, and hallways all can sing when clad in the luxurious, subtle color of Venetian plaster, which incorporates elements of al fresco painting.

Sustainable and/or Organic

Environmental friendliness can mean many things. The best natural materials for your home probably depend on where you live. Adobe doesn’t work in snowy regions, but wood and stone sure do. No matter where you live, reused materials are environmentally friendly and also can allow you to make much of two of 2023’s popular trends.

One is to mix old furniture such as vintage rugs or objects made of hand-hewn wood with new, modern-style glass coffee tables or statement metal lamps. Trend two is the preference for curves, whether through rustic, natural-looking shapes or the revival of old furniture styles, such as Art Deco.

Natural Light

It’s never really gone out of style, but 2023 is seeing a renewed emphasis on maximizing natural light with large and abundant windows. The natural beauty framed by well-placed windows is undeniable. Besides being lovely, the health benefits of the natural light they provide also correspond with another décor trend for 2023: an emphasis on wellness and a connection with the natural world. Natural light provides Vitamin D and can improve sleep, focus, and mood.

One way to maximize the light is with reflective surfaces, which is right in line with 2023’s trend of painting with high gloss finishes.

 

It’s great to be au courant. But good design choices go beyond fashion — and not only because they’ll still look good 10 or even 20 years hence. Le Corbusier, the great 20th-century architect, famously called a house a “machine for living.” With the right decor, your house can be beautiful and fresh, and enhance all the activities that take place within.

 

Frances Black is a writer and gardener. She was born in Michigan and has planted gardens everywhere she’s lived, from New Mexico to New England.