- As the decade comes to a close, it’s a good time to look back on the decor trends that were most popular throughout the 2010s.
- Insider spoke to Ashley Quinn, vice president of creative marketing at Interior Marketing Group, about the interior design trends that defined the decade.
- Quinn pointed to all-white kitchens, accent walls, and the rise of mid-century modern furniture as some of the most popular design trends of the decade.
- She also told Insider that curved sofas were her favorite trend of the 2010s.
- “They’re incredibly versatile, sculptural, and add a touch of mid-century elegance to any room,” Quinn said of rounded couches.
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One of the popular decor trends of the 2010s was blue, gray, and other cool colors in homes.
“The design world started to move away from warmer tones and move on to cooler colors as an overall palette,” Ashley Quinn, vice president of creative marketing at Interior Marketing Group, told Insider.
“Say goodbye to the standard beige that was once referred to as ‘builder beige,’ and hello to the cool, calming tones of gray,” she added.
White-on-white kitchens were a fixture of modern design in the 2010s.
“The strongest trend of all that has stood the test of time is the white kitchen,” Quinn said of decor in the last decade.
“It’s timeless, classic, and chic,” she added.
And in those white kitchens, people gravitated towards brass or bronze finishes to add a subtle pop of color.
"There's been a move away from nickel finishes and onto brass and bronze to help balance those cool walls and fabrics," Quinn told Insider.
There was a wallpaper renaissance in the 2010s, as well as an interest in accent walls.
Quinn found the wallpaper and accent wall most surprising of all the decor trends that were popular in the last 10 years, and she's not alone in that opinion.
Interior designer and HGTV star Leanne Ford told Insider that she "can't get into an accent wall."
Painted floors also had a moment during the decade.
Floor paint was like an accent wall for the ground, and it was viewed as an easy way to spice up a space.
"I'm pretty sure that painted floors will not be returning," Quinn told Insider of the trend.
"My favorite decor trend of the last 10 years is the reintroduction of the curved sofa," Quinn told Insider.
"They're incredibly versatile, sculptural, and add a touch of mid-century elegance to any room," Quinn said.
"They can help anchor a living room that's a difficult shape or add some much-needed curves in a boxy bedroom."
The 2010s saw the rise of modern design in domestic spaces as well.
Quinn told Insider that the rise in modern design came from a surge of people knowing what was trending, thanks in part to HGTV shows.
"Celebrities and non-celebrities alike over the past ten years have become much more knowledgeable about interior design, design brands, and modern design," she said.
"Cleaner lines, less ornate wood, and comfort and quality over furniture that no one can actually sit in comfortably are all things that became a top priority over the last decade," according to Quinn.
And mid-century modern furniture became popular in the last few years of the decade.
"Mid-century furniture seems to have stayed around for the past few years, and I think it's because of the way they're being integrated into modern design," Quinn said of the aesthetic.
"They're layered with clean, contemporary pieces and updated with beautiful luxe fabrics - making everything feel cohesive."
For instance, this couch has a retro shape, but the velvet green has a modern edge.