In the last few years, living rooms have taken on an increased role in our comfort at home. As a hub to gather with family and friends, a neutral, airy palette has long dominated their interior decorating schemes. But in 2025, things may be shifting. “People are embracing ‘dark and moody,’ though we are still seeing some ‘light and bright’ rooms,” says Regan Baker, founder and principal of San Francisco-based AD PRO Directory studio Regan Baker Design.
In alignment with prevailing trends across the house, Jennifer Davis, owner and principal of Minneapolis-based AD PRO Directory firm Davis Interiors, has noticed that her clients are craving more warmth and character from the room too. “There’s a strong desire for dimension, even in the most modern spaces,” she says. Delving into a richer palette can be a rewarding challenge—as long as you don’t go off the deep end. But as one of the more public-facing spaces inside our homes, the living room is an apt place to show off a bit of personality. Bound to make a statement, the last thing you want its design to say is “boring.” Below, designers share the contemporary living room trends giving anything but.
Color-blocked browns
The continued popularity of Earth tones makes clear: Brown is back. Rather than solely all-over room drenchings, however, homeowners are calling for spaces that embrace, and play with, the color’s tonality. “The color brown is really in right now,” says Baker. “It goes with almost anything and is a very good neutral overall.”
Whereas effervescence creams and beiges once reigned supreme, this year’s interiors aim for a different feeling: groundedness. “After years of all-gray, bright white, or stark black-and-white palettes, people are craving depth,” Davis says. To achieve it, pair rich hues like terracotta or dark hues like chocolate, a leading shade of brown, with a lighter palette to create warm contrast, says Baker. Familial—or contrasting—colors in the rest of the room will keep it feeling cozy. “Browns, reds, and aubergines with complements of a citrine or mint are very popular,” she adds. “So are tonal approaches, such as using multiple shades of brown throughout.”
Baker suggests Benjamin Moore’s chocolate-hued Fresco Urbain on the walls or the paint company’s reddish Love Affair for a more daring finish. The latter “could be used beautifully on either walls or cabinetry, since it’s a neutral balance of red and brown,” she says. “You could color drench a small space with it, create a bit of color blocking by using it on cabinetry alongside a tile with an interesting sheen, or pair it with a moody wallpaper. You can also let the color inspire your tile and fabric color choices to closely match or complement it.”
For an eggplant shade, Baker likes Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal. When pairing paint with scenic wallpaper or wall murals, the designer advises continuing the natural theme. “Leafy motifs with complementary shades of green are growing in interest,” she notes.
Building these color-based layers is a certain indication that “the all-white living room is definitely stepping aside for spaces with more personality,” says Davis.
Focus on metals
Many designers pride themselves on the art of the mix, interiors that seamlessly bring together diverse styles and furnishings from across design history. But in 2025 living room trends, a lot of homeowners are picking a lane. “More people want to lean fully into contemporary or traditional from an architectural and furnishings standpoint,” explains Baker. “There’s a bit less juxtaposition.”
To do so, metal furniture and detailing is on the rise. Baker reveals that chrome is a surprisingly sought-after material for those homeowners seeking a contemporary space while Davis says that unlacquered brass is oft-requested for traditionalist designs. Both designers note that textured fabrics are sought after as a complement to these sleek metals. “We’re layering in natural fibers like linen, wool, and bouclé to enhance the tactile experience of the room,” Davis adds. For example, in his chocolate brown New York City living room, AD PRO Directory designer John Bambick paired a vintage Ludwig Mies van der Rohe chrome-and-glass Barcelona cocktail table with a selection of cozy seating, covered in bouclé and mohair. Together, the arrangement lends the Greenwich Village space a multidimensional look, and supports its homeowner’s eclectic art collection.
Darker woods
Perhaps the biggest shift in 2025 living room trends is the request for richer wood tones. “More people want finishes that offer the feeling of being there for some time,” Baker says. “Lighter woods skew more modern or midcentury while darker woods provide a moody and more traditional element. Balancing this combination of light and dark woods creates an eclectic feeling.”
She and Davis have both seen growing interest in more sophisticated stains for flooring, millwork, and furnishings, a trend that AD PRO spotted this spring. “Walnut-stained options are gaining popularity as well as ash woods reminiscent of cedar and Douglas fir woods with more of those complementary red tones,” Baker continues. “Overall, it seems people are pulling away from the lighter white oak options.” As style setter Lauren Santo Domingo told AD about her dark wood-clad Jackson Hole, Wyoming ski house last winter: “I had seen too many old houses with great wood get taken down to the studs and turned into a white box. That’s when I decided I wanted to lean the other direction.” Her modernist log cabin features custom, hand-sanded, and hand-stained millwork throughout, including in a custom storage bench that divides the open plan living and dining rooms. Its dark tone adds visual warmth and a historic feel.
Custom seats with bolder accents
One of the most important aspects of living room design is where everyone will sit. Davis says that layouts haven’t changed much, but Baker’s clients have gotten more specific about how they like to splay. “People are asking for a significant floating piece of furniture, such as a custom sofa with multidirectional seating in the center of the room,” she says. “Bespoke built-in sofas are also gaining popularity and serve as an extension of the architecture.”
The design detail dominating those seats this year are scallops. “They’re used on the frame” of custom sofas and cocktail tables, Baker says, like in this Fort Lauderdale, Florida, library by AD100 designer Jake Arnold. Pairing the motif with a traditional fabric helps tone down their sweetness, if desired, but Davis has enjoyed watching clients become more interested in patterns, including floral and striped textiles on seating complemented by bolder expressions on curtains and rugs. “In the past, we’d often see clients ask for revisions that leaned toward the ‘safe’ choice,” she says. “It’s been refreshing to see more people embracing decisions that result in unforgettable spaces.”
For more traditional-leaning clients, “plaid is a classic pattern that continues to hold strong, and Buffalo checks are another option,” Baker notes. “Overall, embracing a sense of longevity will accomplish a timeless quality.” And that’s a goal every trend wants.