Interior designer Valentina Fussell of House of Valentina sees a shift toward homes that feel warmer, more personal, and rooted in tradition.
She expects several related styles to grow over the next few years, each offering a different way to create a cozy space that can develop over time.
Follow along to discover the 3 styles Fussell is predicting will take front and center in design this year.
1. Modern Cottage
Modern cottage brings the charm of cottage style into a home built for modern life.
Fussell favors its mix of classic details, clean lines, and an updated palette.
White walls can work, though she is considering a warmer color in her own home to increase the cozy feeling.
Comfort is central to the look. Fussell suggests sofas you can sink into, chairs with turned legs, roll arms, cottage-style coffee tables, and plenty of pillows.
Fabrics can be fairly pared back, with florals, houndstooth, or herringbone adding pattern.
Bookcases and seasonal touches, from spring flowers to fall leaves and Christmas ribbons, also fit naturally into the style.
For Fussell, the appeal is its flexibility: homeowners can choose the cottage elements they love and combine them with the way they live now.
2. English Countryside
English countryside shares modern cottage’s warmth, but Fussell describes it as a more immersive, traditional style.
Rather than updating cottage details, it embraces them.
Think dark woods and antiques, leather chairs, wood paneling, beams, stone, and antique-style rugs that look worn with time.
Tartans, plaids, herringbone, florals, and wallpaper all have a place. Green often leads the palette, alongside blue, pink, and camel tones.
Fussell encourages keeping traditional features such as paned windows and choosing wood doors instead of modern ones.
Gardens and vegetable patches add to the sense that this style extends beyond decorating into everyday life.
3. Preppy East Coast Heritage
Fussell’s third style looks to East Coast heritage.
It draws on traditional furnishings and accessories, with antiques, simple Shaker-style pieces, leather chairs, and Persian rugs.
She describes it as more humble than ornate French furniture, with a preppy quality that can evoke a Ralph Lauren feel.
Reds, blues, and greens shape the palette, while white helps balance the richer colors.
Fussell sees overlap with English countryside, though this style takes its inspiration from American heritage.
Final Thoughts
Fussell doesn’t see these styles as strict rules.
Modern cottage, English countryside, and preppy East Coast heritage share an affection for comfort and lasting details, but each has its own character.
Homeowners can settle into one style or borrow the elements that feel right in their space.