Into the Gloss: Designers Share Their 2024 Fall Home Trend Predictions

 

The onset of fall calls for a return to the true essence of home. While summer is the season for exploring your outdoor domains, from pools to patios, autumn calls you back indoors, to cozy fires, cashmere throws, cinnamon and cardamom-spiced everything—and maybe even your own wellness room? “Gwyneth Paltrow led the charge with full spa experiences [at home],” designer Tyka Pryde Edwards explains. “The spa in her basement is a perfect example—dedicated entirely to relaxation and rejuvenation. Wellness has transitioned from being a luxury to a necessity.” This isn’t just a jacuzzi either. We’re talking cold-plunge pool, a hot tub, a steam room, a sauna room, and rain showers. While we love the concept of integrating spa-like spaces at home, not everyone has the luxury. Some designers are exploring the idea of bringing cozy elements into the bathroom. Why not curl up with a good book next to your bath in a deep feather-down chair complete with throw pillows? Elsewhere, fall’s inherent melding of hot and cold (from the weather to Chai tea lattes) becomes evident in design as well with cool-tone metals juxtaposed against warm woods in inspired kitchens and beyond. From bold window treatments to bespoke murals, see what else the season has in store for interior design according to seven experienced and inspiring designers and architects below.

 

 

While warm-toned metals complement wood tones, Tania Handelsmann, director, HANDELSMANN + KHAW, has been leaning into the contrast (and unexpected allure) that cooler materialities provide. Polished nickel tapware and lighting, stainless steel kitchens, chrome furniture, burnished white bronze hardware, and heirloom silverware for the table have become just a few of her favorite things. “We love to combine it with wooden accents (such as the door handles in the kitchen pictured) for an unexpected mix of warm and cool materiality,“ she says.

 

So which metals make for a great combination with your wood floors and cabinets now? “Silver-tone metals like polished nickel, stainless steel, and chrome,” Handelsmann explains. The reason could be as simple as an adjustment of the eye. “It feels like a natural response to the years of weathered brass and bronze that came before it.,” the designer outlines, “For so long, we have embraced materials with a warm glow and a dusty patina… cool crisp silver suddenly feels fresh and relevant and works in both heritage homes and contemporary spaces.”

 

 

For designer Garance Rousseau, bold window treatments are not a novel phenomenon in her own work, but she predicts that the look will gain traction overall, especially going into the cooler seasons. “We've seen so much of the white/cream trend on windows, and I always thought it was a missed opportunity,” she explains. “Window treatments can add so much to a room—they can even be an instant mood booster. I love how sunlight shines through a bold and colorful fabric. Whether it's a simple stripe or something more eccentric, it can make a big difference.”

 

Rousseau views windows as a rich opportunity to add a little life and color to a space. So how does one approach this eye-catching look? “The taller the windows, the better,” she notes. “When working with smaller windows, I like to hang window treatments higher to give the impression of a larger window. “These small tricks can go a long way. If your walls are white and the furnishings are light, a bold Roman shade or curtain fabric can add depth and character to the room.” When in doubt go big, but still well-considered. “Don’t be afraid to experiment but always test samples against the light,” she says. “And remember to consider the other colors and prints in the room when choosing fabrics. It should all feel harmonious and not overpowering.”

 

 

 

We are in a brave new world of cold plunges, PEMF mats, and even building a private hammam (as seen in Gwyneth Paltrow’s house)—and strategic decorating can play an impactful role if it’s approached the right way. “I’m really into the idea of incorporating wellness into home design, and infrared saunas are at the heart of that for me right now,” designer Tyka Pryde Edwards declares. “I’m a big believer in the impact design has on our mental health, so any elements that speak to well-being are a win for me.” In short, make fall all about utilizing space as a tool for overall holistic equilibrium. “There’s something transformative about creating a space that centers both health and relaxation,” she adds.

 

The idea is about personal luxury as much as it is about prioritizing self-care. “It’s no longer about visiting a spa for an occasional retreat; it’s about crafting that experience within your own space,” she says. “I’m particularly drawn to the idea of creating small, functional spaces—turning an unused closet or a corner of a bathroom into a wellness nook.” So where do you start? “You don’t need a lot of square footage to make this work,” she explains. “Identify a small area—whether it’s an empty closet or an unused space in your bathroom—and transform it with an infrared sauna unit. Choose natural wood finishes like cedar to bring warmth and texture to the space, and pair it with soft, ambient lighting to create a calming atmosphere.” And for those who don’t have the square footage, an infrared sauna blanket, LED mask, diffuser, air purifier, soft lighting, plants, and cozy furniture and objects that make you feel good will also imbue a sense of calm at home. This area should be intentionally designed for healing. As the best-selling spiritual author and founder of Vibrate Higher, Lalah Delia tells AD: “Entering this space should feel like an exhale. It should be free from distractions and seen as an unapologetic, judgment-free place to maintain or reclaim one’s sense of self, power, and well-being.” We couldn't agree more.

 

 

Like many designers, Louise Liu, Creative Director of Studio Liu was long intrigued by more matte finishes in interiors, but the pendulum began to swing after sourcing some particular ceramics. “For some time, our interiors favored matte-painted textures and aged finishes as a way of evoking calm and softness,” she muses. “However, the water-like surfaces of glazed ceramics recently inspired me to explore implementing the use of high gloss finishes. I have also been drawing inspiration from the Art Deco era lately, which has great examples of lacquered timbers. I am currently loving the impact high gloss finishes bring to a space.”

 

We predicted this glossy movement in our 2024 home decor trend report earlier this year along with the Art Deco shift on EyeSwoon earlier this year as Athena Calderone explores this era in the research for her Tribeca apartment renovation. Of course, history favors Lui’s new predilections as well. “[High gloss] has always been a hallmark of luxury dating back to iconic design movements like Art Deco,” Liu explains, “I am especially fond of pairing pops of high gloss with natural, matte finishes—whether it's through traditionally lacquered surfaces, glossy ceramics or sleek chrome accents. The contrast adds depth to an interior.”

 

A perfect example of this juxtaposition is in the dining room (pictured above) of her Laguna Beach project by LA-based designer and founder of Well Received, Julie Van Daele. The custom high gloss dining table in a green piano-grade lacquer contrasts beautifully with the warm wood dining chairs and wall paneling. "For me using a lacquer finish is just one more way to add texture to the space," she reveals. "With so many rich wood tones, this elevates and balances the space by incorporating a fun shape with a luxurious texture."

 

If you want to incorporate some high shine at home, Liu recommends starting slowly. “A little goes a long way,” she says. “You could introduce it through a statement piece of furniture (like Julie), a glossy art piece, or if you're bold, a splashback of glossy tiles. The key is to balance it with softer, textured surfaces to create harmony.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consider this look a clean slate approach, which is especially relevant when we’re talking about the space where we decompress at the end of each day: the bedroom. “Amid the constant barrage of information from today's news and social media platforms, we're craving the need to digitally declutter and soothe our design sensibilities,” designer and architect Brendan Tadler explains. “I lean into the sophisticated, serene, austere aesthetics often associated with monastic living blended with contemporary elegance—evoking a sense of calm and purity.” In practice, this means choosing luxe, textural materiality generously like impactful curtains or extra long linen bedding, tailored with precision. “This style emphasizes simplicity, tranquility, and natural materials, creating spaces that are both peaceful and refined,” says Tadler. “With its neutral palette and restrained use of natural elements, it offers the perfect detox for our cluttered daily lives.”

 

 

It’s no surprise that as design trends become increasingly homogenized on social media people are searching for ways to make their spaces more distinctive and unique. Enter: commissioned original murals. “I am deeply in love with hand-painted murals,” exclaims designer Tess Twiehaus. “I've always been a fan of wallpaper, but there's something so special about commissioning an artist to paint directly onto the walls of a room. It's much more personal and extremely special.”

 

The designer integrated a bespoke mural into a 1920s Spanish home recently to make it look and feel original to the space. “There were a lot of existing hand-painted elements on doors and beams,” she explains. “We were tasked with transforming the kitchen pantry into a powder bath and it felt like the perfect place for a mural to make it look like the powder has been there from day one.” While the mural at hand depicts a serene flora and fauna motif, Cocteau or Picasso-inspired abstract murals are also popping up in well-appointed rooms. In short, there’s no wrong way to implement this look, as Twiehaus says, “You just need wall space and a vision!”

 

 

While Buchanan Studio is patently trend-averse, one look the firm has long favored is coming to the fore. “A common thread that runs through our projects is the notion of incorporating soft furnishings such as cushions, curtains, fabrics, rugs, and upholstery, into bathroom spaces,” the studio’s creative director, Angus Buchanan explains. The notion of making the bathroom a full haven, a place to be, and lounge and enjoy, feels very much like getting to live in your favorite boutique hotel room all the time. “We have always felt that a bathroom should be treated like any other room that one spends a significant amount of time in, with comfort pieces layered in to encourage time spent in the space regardless of just for its practical use,” the designer continues. “For example, an armchair for reading or taking a phone call, thick curtains to close on a cold evening, and an open log fire. Even a smaller bathroom space can have enough room for a little chair or a shelf for objects and books.” The approach is all about finding balance. “Small touches offset the practical but hard finishes of a bathroom like tiling,” Buchanan posits.