OUT: Throwaway Furniture

Even if chain-retailer prices are tolerable, it’s become less appealing to buy a bed or dresser thinking you’ll replace it in a few years. “Longevity is in, throwaway culture is out,” said Shea Soucie, co-founder of Soucie Horner, a design and architecture firm in Chicago. The toll that disposable furniture takes on the environment has people looking at revitalizing old pieces, noted Richmond, Va., designer Sara Hillery, “especially those with meaning.” Said Rome-based designer Achille Salvagni, “No one wants to inherit that IKEA coffee table.”

IN: Pieces Worth Keeping

Discerning Americans are turning to furniture with soul, like this Custom Rift Sawn Oak Dresser made for Sunday Shop by New Orleans workshop Doorman. “There is a palpable shift toward collecting fewer but better things that represent shared experiences through real craftsmanship,” said Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Italian brand Poltrona Frau. Also gaining value: the history inherent in antiques and hand-me-downs. Said Elizabeth Lowrey, of Boston’s Elkus Manfredi Architects, “If it’s meaningful, find a place for it.”

OUT: Bleached and Whitewashed Floors

Blanched wood surfaces, a hallmark of Scandinavian and Modern Farmhouse styles, are fading. “Clients worry that it will be too identifiable as ‘a look’ from this period and not stand the test of time,” said San Francisco designer Kendall Wilkinson. Also taking a powder: the flooring materials that were part of the gray wave of the past five years. “Gray woods have been reigning supreme for years, but we’re seeing a shift to warmer palettes,” said Glencoe, Ill., designer Andrea Goldman.

IN: Warm Woods Underfoot

People want rooms that are a bit more cozy, with richer, darker colors, noted Jenna Rochon, co-founder of Transition State design in Los Angeles. On the floor, that translates to walnut, mahogany and dark oak. New York designer Young Huh also noted a tendency toward “finishes with old-world charm.” Honey-toned species like oak and maple contribute to a casual vibe, said Ms. Goldman, “but since they pair nicely with warmer hues, the final look is not as faded out” as that of bleached wood.

OUT: Gray...Again!

Yes, we confidently reported last year that the ubiquitous gray that charcoaled homes inside and out in 2018 was past its prime. Designers had tired of the sooty shade, but apparently the public hadn’t. “As we close out the decade, the ‘cool gray everything’ style is finally (and thankfully) out for good,” ventured Laura Muller, owner and principal designer of Four Point Design Build. Designer and artist Barry Lantz in Carmel, Ind., despaired of gray, “It’s like a gloomy winter day all year.”