Mountain Design Trends: 2026
- Lummis Helen
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 30
Note: This is an op-ed. I have opinions and thoughts about design.
Is Scandi still cool? What about cottagecore? What's dated? What's new this year?
Whether you are buying, selling, or just a mountain home design admirer, design trends come and go, so let's dive in and dissect the cultural movements behind the trends.
Minimalism and Neutrals
While Pantone declared the Color of the Year to be Cloud Dancer, a neutral white leaning on the warmer side, many other companies also picked neutrals ranging from Sherwin William's Universal Khaki to Benjamin Moore's Silhouette.
So in essence, yes, neutrals are still 'in'.
You know what pairs very well with the color of the year nominees?
Bouclé sofas and armchairs. Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn lookbooks. The Studio McGee lens. This is the more established cousin of the white shiplap Chip and Joanna Gaines empire. At its best, this trend can mirror 'quiet luxury'. Like Scandi or Japanese design, it takes a high level of craft to pull this look off. At its worst, this style feels cheap and anemic.
Perhaps the reason this aesthetic continues its relentless march is that it is safe. Between the news onslaught and the overall chaos of 2025 and now 2026, many people want stability. Making a room look nice using a neutral palette is an easy way to create cohesion and a spa-like feel where one can truly unwind.
Now, this aesthetic does work well for certain homes and it is still the desired staging aesthetic here in the mountains. It allows everyone to see themselves there. So, as a real estate professional, there is a time and a place.
The noise on the internet at the end of 2025 in response to this parade of beige and putty neutral was loud. Many designers, myself included, are seeing a return to maximalism as the emerging trend for 2026. And we aren't just seeing it, we are begging for it.
Further Reading:
Maximalism
Maximalism is built on the idea of 'more-is-more'. Think excess. Think abundance. Think stacks of books. Think pattern on pattern. Think color. Maximalism often emerges as a counter to minimalism, see above, so it isn't surprising that after a few years in the more neutral realm, maximalism is coming back around. Maximalism is about exuberance and joy. Where minimalism can feel quiet luxury, the muse of maximalism in fashion and interiors is Iris Apfel.
Early vestiges of this design can be seen in Baroque architecture, to Versailles, to Victorian times. More recent references are Art Deco and the Hollywood Regency era. Maximalism often emerges triumphant after periods of turmoil, and so can and should create a feeling of ebullience within your space.
In my opinion, maximalism allows for more personality and, obviously, a bit of pizzazz. Maximalism often focuses on big, bold moves in terms of furniture, color, and pattern. But part of that also results in putting some of your favorite things in a room, even if they don't always 'fit' together. The fact that the furniture or colors mean something to you and often carry memories with them makes these spaces sing, even when they may not seem to. The layering of these items is seen as a counter to more neutral and minimalist trends and mixing and matching with an eye to cohesive schemes is a key part of maximalism. Unlike some beige living rooms where everything feels purchased online in one sitting from the same store, maximalism tends to lean a bit more towards a collector's aesthetic.
Further Reading:
Cottagecore
Cottagecore is a term that unites a great many micro-trends, such as a 'Strega Nona Fall' or the 'Coastal Grandma' or the 'Frazzled Englishwoman Aesthetic'. The Cottagecore movement gained momentum in both fashion and interiors during the pandemic. This is hardly surprising, as millions of people stuck in tiny apartments began to yearn and idolize a quaint, rustic, country existence.
Unlike maximalism, which can feel incredibly polished, cottagecore can lean a bit more into chaos and charming mess. It feels lived in and approachable. This aesthetic can fall flat on its face when not in the right home. For example, pulling off cottagecore in a Penthouse apartment in NYC would be practically impossible because it wouldn't be authentic. From quaint country homes in the English countryside, to rural retreats in the south of France, to cabins in the Sierras, this aesthetic works best with homes with character and old bones. One of my favorite things about this trend, is that it feels lived in. This isn't about perfection; it's about creating comfort.
6 years on, this trend is still going strong and can be viewed as another foil to minimalism. Similar to maximalism, cottagecore often features layered interiors. But this aesthetic tends to favor rustic furniture, antiques, wood with patina, quilts, and country patterns. Many people enjoy this aesthetic because it represents a more sustainable way of living and a slower pace of life. More dinners with friends and less doom-scrolling. More in tune with the seasons and fewer work deadlines running your life. Part of this back-to-the-land ethos is that furniture bought for these interiors is usually vintage or second-hand. This is a statement against the fast-furniture industry, and that message will never go out of style.
Further Reading
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