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5 Interior Design Styles that You Can Incorporate Into Your Home

No matter what space you’re redesigning, it’s best to define an interior design style that you can use to focus and guide your design and purchasing decisions. As you research different looks, you’ll quickly discover that a whole host of options exist for you to pull from for ideas and inspiration. Which style you select should depend not only on your own taste but also the feel and layout of the space you’re designing for. Here are a few of the most common interior design styles to help you get started.

1. Minimalist
Best in large, open rooms rich with natural lighting, minimalist styles place the idea that “less is more” front and center. Don’t get confused though—minimalism doesn’t mean you should wind up with a cold and empty space. Instead, it’s about being selective with your design choices so that you rely on straightforward, geometric structures, simple materials and textures, and a color palette composed mostly of black, white, and one or two primary colors. By doing so, you highlight the shape and color of each piece as well as draw attention to the actual space in which they reside. 

2. Industrial
Industrial interiors draw inspiration from factories of days past, and today this is most common in urban lofts and reclaimed old buildings now serving as apartments, condos, or working spaces. In this style, expect unfinished surfaces and distressed wood as well as exposed brick, concrete, ducts, and steel beams. Designers often also add metal pendant or floor lighting as statement pieces within the space. For a somewhat softer and more inviting feel, try mixing in a few rugs, textiles, and wall art with warm coloring as a contrast to the rest of the raw industrial elements around you.

3. Art deco
Walking into an art deco style room should feel like stepping into the pages (or set) of The Great Gatsby. For inspiration, picture the famed 20s and 30s, a world filled with stunning geometric shapes (sunbursts, chevrons, zigzag patterns, and more), shiny lacquered wood, bold chrome or brass fixtures, and decorative accent mirrors. Some art deco seating may have a large rounded front while other furniture will feature sharp, streamlined angles and edges, possibly with glass tops. Lighting is typically layered, in that wall, ceiling, floor, and table lights may all be used in one space. In art deco, colors are typically neutral but bold colors may be added sparingly.

4. Mid-century modern
The mid-century modern style reflects popular designs from the 50s and 60s. Like the art deco style, mid-century modern interiors also feature geometric shapes, but in a more simplistic and subtle manner, with cleaner lines and less ornamental detailing than seen in the 20s or 30s. Furniture in this style will have natural, organic curves, with a minimalist yet functional design. While wood was still a common choice, materials like plastic, plywood, stainless steel, or aluminum are also characteristic of this style. Mid-century interior design styles commonly showcase pops of accent colors including oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and dark browns.

5. Eclectic
With the eclectic style, designers bring together a range of fabrics, colors, patterns, and textures, mixing pieces while still creating a final design that feels thoughtful and cohesive. Sounds tricky, huh? While eclectic style is about diversity, it’s also about finding balance and commonalities. With every piece you consider, you’ll have to carefully assess its relation to other selections and the room as a whole to ensure that individual pieces are complementary in some way. Eclectic style takes time to master, but, once you do, designing interiors with such standout personalities can be a great outlet for your creativity!

Study Interior Design 
At The Art Institutes, our interior design programs can prepare you for an interior design career planning and creating functional spaces where people live, work, and play. Spaces that meet and exceed requirements—not just aesthetically, but also for safety, accessibility, and sustainability.