The Up-And-Coming Home Decorating Trend That Adds Major Personality

You might have noticed that every designer and design-minded TV show is trying to pair you with a certain attractive but thoughtful interior design trend of 2026 — personalizing your space. But before many of us can move on to a design ethos that truly values us, we'll have to first say goodbye to minimalism and its few but potent trappings ... its coldness, sterility, and lack of humanity, for example. Your breakup letter might start like this: "Dear minimalism, our relationship is starting to interfere with my ability to be myself, and it's time to move on. It's not you, it's me." Don't fret; minimalism doesn't get upset.

If changing your decor is something you look forward to, take heart. While it doesn't always jibe with minimalism, personalizing your space with handmade decor doesn't necessarily exclude any of the major interior design styles. It's really more opposed to the idea that a trend should drive your entire aesthetic. In that sense, there's something a little subversive about this business of making your home more personalized, and it's often expressed in pairs of opposites. The trend, for example, is about a space that's lived-in, not resale-ready. As the U.K.-based Fresh Design Blog puts it, "Your home should feel like your sanctuary." Your space should revolve around stories, not style.

Designer Ashley Childers sums it up nicely: "Say goodbye to one-size-fits-all decor. This year, homes are becoming deeply personal, reflecting individual lives, histories, and passions." Forming this new relationship with your home might not be about just this year, though, and it might not be a small change. But, if all goes well, it should be fun.

A few principles can help you move toward a you-centered design. First of all, be prepared to embrace the imperfect. A personalized home isn't a packaged product and will occasionally lack polish. It should grow and change with you, so the idea of a finished, impeccable space is nonsensical. Everything in a room doesn't need to match, and while coherent themes and color schemes help tie a room together, they're not the ultimate goal.

Roll things you already own into a larger concept that speaks to your interests — perhaps a cultural heritage, hobbies, or aspects of your lifestyle that are important to you — integrating them in unique and purposeful ways. A voracious reader doesn't necessarily need or want a dedicated library; they might be happier with a statement bookshelf or a reading nook with cozy touches in every room. Never heard of a statement bookshelf? Good. Invent it.

Even if a personal connection with your home precludes homogenized design, it can unify other ideas and trends. This year's celebration of bolder patterns, textures, decorative details, and colors opens plenty of space to reflect your personality. The new appreciation for creativity and quirkiness creates possibilities. If mid-century space-age is your vibe, how could you not have a bespoke boomerang table?  If formal dining rooms make a comeback but you're more into needle felting, how about a dual-purpose dining/craft room with hand-built accents? As nostalgia becomes superficially popular, add the depth that comes with highlighting the history of you, your home, or your hometown. 

While HGTV renovation shows are known to add a personal touch while redesigning client spaces, personalized design elements aren't a free-for-all. Your space shouldn't become an overstuffed bric-a-brac warehouse. It should take quality materials and design fundamentals, such as layering in textures and working off of neutral color palettes, and flesh them out with a story about who you are. Start with something you love — a beloved bit of art, one-of-a-kind artisan furniture, family photos or children's paintings, travel memorabilia, or items with personal stories — and design a room's theme around it. Once the ball is rolling, look for other opportunities to add yourself into the scheme. There's an undercurrent of function over form to this, so don't neglect objects that are both practical and useful. You want your space to feel like a place where you can do things.

This design focus on your own interests, peculiarities, and comforts through custom pieces also allows you to bring style to objects that aren't inherently stylish. An avid fisherman might hang a canvas print featuring an extreme closeup of one of his exquisitely tied flies. Shouldn't a knitter have knitted lampshades? Imagine a bar that is (or at least seems to be) about serving your guests books rather than booze. (And those books shouldn't conform to a palette, they should define the palette.) Don't overthink it; the point of enjoyment is enjoyment, and having fun is fun. And when minimalism inevitably calls again, just reach over and mute your phone.