Are 2016 interiors cool again?
Spend any time on the internet lately and you’ll know that 2016 nostalgia is in full swing. It was the year La La Land hit cinemas, Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his Oscar, and Pokémon GO had everyone glued to their phones.
And while the cultural moments were undeniably iconic, here at House Beautiful, we’re far more interested in the interiors. 2016 was a defining year for home trends: grey furniture was everywhere, rose quartz reigned supreme, and boho style was at peak cool.
It was also a moment when our homes felt a little bolder, according to Lisa Hensby, founder & creative director of Lisa Hensby Design & Build Studio. 'I completely understand why 2016 is having a moment again. Emotionally, it makes sense,' she tells us. 'It was a time when interiors felt lighter, more expressive and a bit braver. Homes had real personality. People were mixing colour, texture and pattern in ways that felt instinctive, not overly styled or self-conscious.'
But for all the 2016 nostalgia circulating online, do we really want our homes to revert to the trends of a decade ago?
To find out, we asked interior experts to weigh in on the highs and lows of 2016 design – and whether any of its defining looks deserve a place in our homes today. Here’s what they had to say.
• 2016 Interiors: The Highs
1) Brown as a neutral
Frequent readers of House Beautiful will know that brown is firmly back in-vogue. According to Steven Dempsey, style consultant at Shutterly Fabulous, it was also popular in 2016.
'Brown has always been a staple neutral, but was unfairly dismissed as outdated throughout much of the 2010s – apart from its brief return in 2016. The comeback of retro brown was one of 2016's biggest interior highs, pre-empting today’s shift away from cool, impersonal palettes and towards richer and comforting interiors,' Steven explains.
2) The impact of boho
For some of you, the boho trend – with its rattan furniture and endless tassels – will feel firmly of its time. Steven, however, believes these interiors laid the groundwork for many of today’s most popular design trends.
'Bohemian decor was once characterised by excessive decoration and visual clutter – picture tapestries, wall hangings, layered rugs and layered bedding. Today, it has grown into a more considered movement rooted in biophilic design and modern maximalism. Bold colour, texture and natural materials remain in style, but they’re now curated with intention rather than feeling visually overwhelming,' Steven says.
3) Personality-led interiors
Building on the boho movement, it was the sense of expressiveness that defined 2016 interiors.
'2016 saw maximalism flourish, with bold patterns, rich colours, and layered textures making a comeback. This trend encouraged individuality and creativity, allowing homeowners to showcase personality rather than follow a rigid, grey-on-grey style that had been popular leading up to 2016,' Magdalena Gierasinska, head of product & displays at Barker and Stonehouse, says.
4) Leopard print
Just a few years ago, the 'Mob Wife' aesthetic ushered in a new wave of leopard print appreciation in interiors. According to Steven, decorators were embracing the print back in 2016 too.
'As for the highs of 2016 interiors, leopard print was a defining motif, injecting character into otherwise neutral spaces,' says Steven. 'After disappearing during the pared-back years of the 2020s, its return marks a renewed appetite for expressive, personality-led design.'
• 2016 Interiors: The Lows
1) Being too trend-led
'Some spaces leaned far too heavily into trends without thinking about longevity. Too many homes were styled for photos rather than designed for how people actually live, and that’s where things started to feel a bit hollow, and, frankly, dated quite quickly,' Lisa says.
Kunal Trehan, interior designer & founder of Touched Interiors, agrees, telling us: 'Trends were frequently applied too literally, chevrons, slogans, faux-industrial finishes and exposed bulbs quickly dated spaces. The rise of fast, trend-driven furniture also led to interiors that lacked longevity,'
2) Pineapple motif
You know it, we know it – trends come and go. Leopard print may have come back in fashion but, according to Magdalena, one motif that hasn't stood the test of time is pineapples.
'The popularity of the pineapple motif hasn’t endured which suggests that was "of its time". But I say if you love it, then embrace it, regardless of whether it’s on trend,' says Magdalena. Sometimes, you've just got to ignore the trends and go with what you love.
3) Grey overload
'The overuse of grey, particularly when paired with high-gloss finishes and cool lighting, could sometimes result in interiors feeling a little flat or clinical,' says Kate Palmer, creative director at The Painted Furniture Company.
'Grey became overused and unimaginative, often stripping interiors of warmth and character,' adds Kunal.
4) The rose gold obsession
From jewellery to accessories to interiors themselves, it felt like rose gold was everywhere in 2016. Today, in a world where chrome is more popular than ever, rose gold has somewhat faded into the background.
'Rose gold was a defining trend in 2016, bringing a warm, radiant glow to interiors and evoking a sense of modern luxury. Its soft metallic sheen quickly became uber-popular and, over time, overuse led it to feel a little dated,' says Helen Pett, brand ambassador at Arteriors.
• The verdict – should 2016 interiors be making a comeback?
All in all, there is both plenty of inspiration and plenty of lessons to be learnt from the decorating trends of 2016. Whether you want indulge in a bit of nostalgic decorating, or would rather leave the past behind, is entirely up to you.
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So, should we welcome the return of 2016 interiors? 'I’d say yes, but very selectively.' says Lisa. 'What’s worth revisiting is the mindset of that era, not the exact look. The confidence to use colour, the willingness to show personality, and the idea that your home should reflect you, not a showroom. What we don’t want is a straight copy-and-paste of old trends.'
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