Why You Should Design Your Living Room Around the Sofa

Elevated 70s

Wood drenching is back from the '70s with a more grown-up look. Resurfacing are elevated designs and quality woods with '70s decor like sleek chrome lamps, shag rugs, chenille, and burgundy. Disco lamps optional.

Post-Modernism

CB2 Bodene Ivory Resin Coffee Table

Inspired by 1980s post-modernism, AKA "the designer decade," everything from coffee tables to sofas are coming out with unique shapes and unexpected designs. Look for more sculptural pieces that play together with a still-minimal vibe.

Asymmetrical Rugs

Etsy Handtufted Irregular Shaped Rug

Hopping on the curve trend are rugs in 2025. Play with your wooly shapes for a more organic look.

Intentional Design

As more people become concerned about climate change, WGSN expects 2025 will bring more services that help us reuse and repair. Things like refillable beauty products, climatarian cuisine (food chosen based on its carbon footprint), and products and services that encourage DIY, resale and repair will be big in 2025. Choosing quality pieces that will stand the test of time and even incorporating vintage pieces for their uniqueness and sustainability factor will be part of this trend.

Warm Neutrals

Ruggable Laine Ivory & Natural Tufted Rug

Warm neutrals like chalk, oat milk and taupe are colors that we'll see more of for versatile home decor. But don't worry, color will be back in a big way too. Organic greens like kelp and emerald, oxblood, clay, sepia, and terracotta will add some richness while soothing pastels like glacier blue and mellow peach, plus flashes of brights like pink and teal, will also grace our 2025 homes.

Color + Pattern Drenching

Color drenching will remain a strong trend in 2025, with bold, saturated hues covering entire spaces for a cohesive, dramatic effect. Layering patterns on patterns will also make a statement, as wallpaper and fabric work together to bring texture, character, and a fresh canvas to your space.

Statement Ceilings

Rebel Walls Bruno Sand Wallpaper

The fifth wall is having a moment, with everything from wallpaper and painted stripes to statement chandeliers adding unexpected flair overhead.

Sensorial Homes

WGSN forecasts a rise in sensory-driven decor for 2025, so products that soothe our senses. Think ASMR-inspired products like virtual sound baths to enhance focus, mood-boosting products that align with color psychology, robotic scent diffusers, experiential showers and chromatherapy.

Comfort Zones

Crate and Barrel Sogno Chaise Lounge

2025 is all about comfort. Think plush, deep sofas, curvy chaises, and furniture with sweater-like textures, creating cozy nooks and rooms you’ll want to sink into with a good book or enjoy chats with your friends and family.

Discreet Design

Tech and aesthetics don't always play well together, but that’s set to change. Expect more discreet tech products and kitchen appliances designed to blend seamlessly with decor. Look for natural materials, soft textiles, minimalist shapes, and inviting colors, along with clever design solutions that conceal tech — like photo frames that double as phone chargers.

"More and more people are choosing to live in smaller spaces or want to use rooms for multiple purposes. Multi-functional pieces will be growing in popularity, including hidden storage options or transformative furniture," says Li.

Biophilic Design

Research shows that plants can actually make us happier, so why not design our homes around them? In 2025, expect to see smart gardens with sensor-regulated watering, furniture with built-in planters, and nature-inspired decor. It's all about bringing the outdoors in, and the indoors out.

Outdoor Luxury

Outdoor spaces are becoming true extensions of our homes, with features like al fresco kitchens, plunge pools, outdoor showers (#goals), and cozy outdoor rugs and sofas made with durable, weather-resistant fabrics for fully functional spaces to enjoy most of the year.

Outdated Design Trends For 2025

Goodbye: Overly Industrial Aesthetic

"One design trend we would love to see disappear in 2025 is the overly industrial, exposed-pipe aesthetic," says Taylor Hahn, cofounder of LA-based House of Rolison. "While it's had its moment, it often feels cold and impersonal, especially in residential spaces."

Hello: Warm, Organic Elements

Instead, cozier spaces that combine texture, warmer colors and organic materials are in. "I believe people are craving more warmth, comfort, and organic design elements that connect them to nature," adds Taylor.

Goodbye: Trend Shopping

There's a shift toward more thoughtful and intentional interiors rather than stocking up on everything you see trending on TikTok. The 2025 design trends look to emphasize sustainability, comfort, and timeless elegance. "Another design trend we are not fond of is over commercialization and trend shopping for your home, specific to furniture," says Amanda Leigh, cofounder of House of Rolison.

Hello: Investment Pieces

"Although there is nothing wrong with shopping for dupes of trendy designer furniture, we would rather see people invest in pieces they truly are passionate about and will love for years to come," adds Amanda. She suggests investing in long-lasting pieces that you curate through travel, moments in life, or "simply falling in love with a piece online."

Sustainability is also a key focus, with an emphasis on eco-friendly materials like reclaimed wood, recycled glass, and organic fabrics. Mix vintage and antique pieces with contemporary furniture for a more personal and timeless look. Top the look with bold, statement pieces, such as sculptural lighting or handmade furniture, over mass-produced items for a stronger sense of individuality. Invest in pieces that you love, have a back story, and make your home uniquely yours.

Goodbye: Smart Home Technology

Smart home systems manage your heat, AV, and lighting automatically based on pre-set programs, but they can be more complicated than convenient. "I believe it’s getting too complex to navigate, upkeep and spend even more time with technology in the home, which should want us want to simplify, disintegrate and make our homes the warm place where AI has no place," says Natália Severdia, founder of Interior Studio Natália and an interior designer based in Truckee, California.

Hello: Biophilic Design

Biophilic design incorporates natural elements like plants, water features, and natural light to promote a deeper connection to nature, and create a calm and healthy living environment. Overall, modern home decor trends are embracing individuality, sustainability, and a connection to the natural world.

Goodbye: Dark Maximalism

“One home décor trend that could be left behind as we head into 2025 is "dark maximalism," a style that leans heavily into dark colors and rich textures to create moody atmospheres," says Johanna Constantinou, interior trends expert at Tapi Carpets & Floors. "While this trend offers drama and depth when achieved correctly, it can easily overwhelm a space if not carefully curated." Without the right balance between richness and cohesion, Johanna says, "the abundance of dark tones and excessive ornamentation can make rooms feel cluttered and heavy, rather than cozy and inviting."

Hello: Softer Palettes

Styles like Scandinavian minimalism or eclectic designs that mix boldness with light, airy tones are excellent alternatives, adds Johanna. "These trends emphasize contrast, cultural influences, and personal expression, while avoiding the potential of a space feeling too crowded or dark. By embracing softer palettes, curved furniture, and sustainable materials, homeowners can still enjoy expressive, cosy spaces — just with a touch more lightness and harmony.”

Goodbye: Kitschy Kitchens

Kitschy kitchens was a 2024 trend that was set to take off, but as with anything too kitschy, it got old fast. "Burn out and informational overload need to be balanced out with homes that feel therapeutic, calm and simple, acting as places to recharge and regain peace and tranquility. We need to let the eye and mind rest and not be overly stimulated," Natália says.

Hello: Tranquil Spaces

Earthenware, plants, terrazzo are all trends we're seeing in kitchens. Some designers were still on the fence about open shelving, but it's something that if you have the space and design with intention (choosing quality items that you love and eliminating clutter) they are still a popular trend among our favorite designers.

In the end, it all comes down to creating spaces that bring you joy and reflect your unique self. Whether you're someone home in a way that feels authentic to you. Incorporating meaningful mementos alongside timeless, durable furniture will keep your space not only fresh and stylish but also enduringly relevant. The focus 2025 is on blending quality with personal expression, ensuring your home remains a sanctuary for years to come.

​In which episode does JJ die?

JJ dies at the end of Outer Banks season 4 episode 10, "The Blue Crown" after rescuing Kiara from his father Chandler Groff. "I feel mad, betrayed, disappointed and heartbroken to say the least," Bruder adds. "JJ went through a lot of crap through the show and he was the one character who deserved his happy ending the most. When the series first came out, people fell in love with JJ and [Kiara]."

While the cast obviously found out about the ending while filming, fans are frustrated with how they chose to promote the show. "Obviously the cast can’t spoil a character death, but to blatantly lie and mislead fans by saying that Jiara was 'evergrowing' and fans would be happy with how the season plays out?" Bruder says. "Jiara fans deserved so much better than what we got, ESPECIALLY when they knew they were killing JJ off."

Why are Outer Banks fans so upset?

The show is the kind of phenomenon that made instant stars out of its cast, but it also made waves because of how the first season portrayed issues like classism, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. "As someone who has been around domestic abuse, I think the handling of the character JJ was detrimental culturally," another fan (who would like to remain anonymous) says. "The character suffered abuse at the hands of a man who was not even his biological father, and the writers almost framed it as if that was okay because in the beginning, his father loved him. Instead of telling a story to victims of abuse about hope and making it through trials, the writers went the opposite way. I also find it interesting that they stated this was a planned death. I think writing a character who is suffering from anxiety and clear mental health issues as well as abuse who is very young like JJ only to let him fall in love and kill him right when he starts to feel happiness doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense narratively."

Another viewer adds that ending JJ's story that way felt "disrespectful...especially when in an interview following the episode, one of the creators literally referred to his death as pointless." She even says "it feels almost like the show died along with him."

Actress Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron) called JJ the "heart of Outer Banks"and for a lot of fans, JJ also became a beacon of hope, a reminder that you can endure, persevere, and come out stronger on the other side. Since the first season of the show dropped during April 2020, it's been one consistent, fun thing for TV fans since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which makes the loss feel even greater.

"Seeing him die at the hands of another abusive father was honestly kind of sickening," the viewer adds. "It’s also unfortunate that his death didn’t seem to mean anything. A character death like this would be one thing if it meant something. If he had died protecting his friends or actively protecting Kiara, rather than having already saved her and then getting killed afterward, it might’ve be easier to get past."

"It’s like a connection to something good and steady was just broken," X user @onlykiep4l says. "Killing a character that has literally gone trough so much trauma and was finally happy just doesn’t make sense. It’s not just the character that’s gone — it feels like a part of the show has ended too."

Why does JJ get killed off?

Rumors have been circulating for years about behind-the-scenes drama between actors Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey, which has fans believing Rudy asked to be written off the show(for the record, Outer Banks creators Josh & Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke have said it was the plan from the beginning). With Rudy's exit, the writers had a difficult choice in front of them. JJ isn't the kind of guy to abandon his friends, meaning the writers obviously felt like killing him was the only option. But according to an additional viewer, "Outer Banks hasn't been that type of show."

"To attempt to turn this fun, summer, boat show into some dark, depressing story where the heart of the show is gone destroys everything that the show started out as," she says.

Another anonymous fan calls the choice "a character assassination," adding other moments from the season that feel like a different character than the one fans have come to love: barely reacting to John B. and Sarah's pregnancy announcement, or to the fact Rafe had come to talk to Kiara — especially after his reaction to Rafe catcalling Kie in the first season is a moment that led fans to ship them in the first place.

The fan continues by calling JJ's treatment a "lack of respect" toward the character. "The fact that the writers tried to make us dislike him, to soften the blow of him dying. It didn’t work. It has everyone distraught because many people’s favorite character ended up dying after 'finding happiness' for about 10 minutes in Episode 10."

​Does Sarah get pregnant in Outer Banks season 4?

But JJ's death isn't the only moment that has fans reeling. In addition to the fact viewers are saying the Pogues barely reacted to the death of their lifelong best friend, Pope is now a murderer and Kiara makes an absolutely chilling vow to get revenge on Groff — a far cry from the characters we fell in love with in season 1.

"Outside of the JJ of it all, a lot of plot lines/dynamics in part 2 felt off," one of our anonymous fans continues. "Sarah’s pregnancy plot line, especially when coupled with the quote from a creator about ‘giving her a baby specifically because she wasn’t ready’ feels incredibly tone deaf given the current state of things here in the US. The fact that there wasn’t even a conversation of if she wanted to continue with the pregnancy felt very icky. Overall, episodes 1-4 of this season did feel like Outer Banks, but everything after that felt like it was from an entirely different piece of media."

However, some fans are excited to see where the show goes from here. "JJ was such a strong character and his presence will obviously be missed, [but] I am excited to see how the Pogues react and what they do to get revenge on Groff," Virginia McGrew says in an email. "I also think that the scene of JJ dying with Kiara was extremely well done and emotional, making his passing even sadder. I ultimately believe that JJ’s passing serves as a reminder of the themes the show."

"JJ made the group even more aware of friendship, the importance of chosen family, and loyalty, which was seen throughout the season and especially in the finale," she continues. "Now that he is gone, the other Pogues will have to step up even more, creating a shift in their dynamic. While many believe that Outer Banks might not be worth watching after this finale, I truly think that it is only going to get even deeper and more interesting."