86 Interior Design Styles: From Classic to Vintage and Everything in Between
Remember that time you walked into a room and just… felt something? Maybe it was your great-aunt’s perfectly preserved mid-century modern living room, or that boutique hotel lobby that made you want to move in permanently. That’s the magic of finding the right interior style – it speaks to you before you can even put words to why you love it.
I’ll be honest: my own style journey has been less of a straight path and more of a design-obsessed wandering through the wilderness. I’ve crushed hard on Scandinavian minimalism while secretly hoarding colorful Moroccan poufs. I’ve tried to convince myself that industrial chic would work in my very traditional colonial home (narrator: it did not). But you know what? Each style experiment taught me something valuable.
In this guide, we’re diving into 86 distinct interior styles. Whether you’re a die-hard traditionalist, a bohemian free spirit, or someone who’s still trying to figure out why people are so obsessed with “subway tile,” you’ll find your design tribe here. No judgments, no rules – just pure inspiration and practical insights with a splash of history.
#01 American Colonial
American Colonial style draws inspiration from the early European settlers in America during the Colonial period (1600s-1700s). What makes this style particularly fascinating is its emphasis on practicality combined with formal elegance. You’ll find lots of handcrafted wood furniture in dark finishes, often featuring straight lines and minimal ornamentation. The color palette tends toward earthy, warm tones complemented by creamy whites. One of the most distinctive features is the use of period-appropriate details like exposed wooden beams, wainscoting, and multi-pane windows. Textiles are typically simple but sturdy – think wool, cotton, and linen in practical patterns like stripes or checks. What I find really interesting about this style is how it balances functionality with a certain dignified charm.
#02 American Craftsman
American Craftsman style emerged as a celebration of handcrafted quality and natural materials during the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century. What really sets this style apart is its dedication to highlighting the beauty of craftsmanship. You’ll notice exposed wooden joinery, built-in cabinetry with visible grain patterns, and custom-made furniture that showcases the maker’s skill. The color scheme draws from nature – think forest greens, warm browns, and rusty oranges. One of the most captivating aspects is the attention to architectural details: wide overhanging eaves, multiple paned windows, and signature materials like oak, copper, and stained glass. There’s something incredibly honest and grounding about this style that continues to resonate with people today.
#03 American Farmhouse
American Farmhouse style tells a story of rural American life with a modern twist. What I find particularly compelling about this style is how it manages to feel both timelessly nostalgic and freshly relevant. The design typically features practical elements like apron sinks, wide plank floors, and shiplap walls, but updates them with contemporary touches. The color palette is predominantly white and cream, creating a bright, airy feel, punctuated by black hardware and natural wood tones. Modern farmhouse interiors often incorporate industrial elements like metal light fixtures alongside more traditional pieces like Windsor chairs or vintage farm tools. It’s a style that celebrates imperfection and lived-in comfort while maintaining a clean, organized aesthetic.
#04 Art Deco
Art Deco took the world by storm in the 1920s and 1930s, and what a glamorous storm it was! This style absolutely radiates luxury and progress through its bold geometric patterns, decadent materials, and dramatic contrasts. You’ll spot signature elements like sunburst mirrors, zigzag patterns, and stepped forms inspired by skyscraper architecture. The color palette is nothing short of theatrical – think deep emerald greens, rich golds, bold blacks, and chrome accents. Materials play a huge role here: lacquered wood, polished stone, mirrors, and glass create sophisticated, light-reflecting surfaces. What makes Art Deco so endlessly fascinating is how it manages to feel both historic and futuristic at the same time.
#05 Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau emerged in the late 19th century as a truly revolutionary design movement. What makes this style so distinctive is its celebration of natural forms and flowing, organic lines – imagine whiplash curves inspired by flower stems and vines. The color palette tends toward muted, nature-inspired tones like sage green, dusky rose, and warm browns, often with iridescent or metallic accents. You’ll find lots of custom details: stained glass windows with nature motifs, carved wooden elements that seem to grow right out of the walls, and intricate ironwork that curves and twists like living plants. One of the most interesting aspects of Art Nouveau is how it rejected the industrial revolution’s rigid geometries in favor of nature’s more fluid forms. The result is spaces that feel almost magical in their organic beauty.
#06 Asian Zen
Asian Zen style embodies the principles of simplicity, tranquility, and harmony with nature. What’s remarkable about this approach is how it creates a sense of peace through careful restraint. The style emphasizes empty space as much as physical elements, following the principle of ‘ma’ or negative space. Natural materials take center stage – think bamboo, stone, and unfinished wood. What really sets this style apart is its ability to make minimalism feel warm and inviting rather than stark or cold. Colors are drawn from nature: soft blacks, warm browns, and misty greys, with occasional touches of moss green.
#07 Barbiecore
Barbiecore style embraces unapologetic femininity and playful glamour through design. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its deliberate celebration of pink in all its shades, from soft blush to vibrant fuchsia. The style especially shines in its ability to create spaces that feel both playful and sophisticated through the use of luxurious materials and thoughtful details. What’s remarkable is how it combines retro elements with contemporary design to create spaces that feel both nostalgic and fresh. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make bold color choices feel sophisticated through careful curation and high-end finishes.
#08 Baroque
Baroque style is an exuberant celebration of drama and grandeur that emerged in 17th-century Europe. What I find fascinating about Baroque is its ‘more is more’ philosophy – every surface is an opportunity for ornate decoration. The style commands attention through its use of dramatic contrasts, curved forms, and rich, sensual materials. Gold leaf, intricate carved details, and trompe l’oeil paintings create an atmosphere of overwhelming opulence. It’s particularly interesting how the style uses theatrical effects like dramatic drapery and strategic lighting to create emotional impact.
#09 Bauhaus
Bauhaus style revolutionized design through its radical simplicity and emphasis on functionality. What makes this style so groundbreaking is its complete rejection of ornamentation in favor of clean lines and honest materials. The fascinating thing about Bauhaus is how it elevated industrial materials like steel, glass, and concrete into something beautiful through pure form. Primary colors are used strategically against neutral backgrounds, creating bold geometric statements.
#10 Beaux-Arts
Beaux-Arts style represents the pinnacle of classical European architectural training. What’s captivating about this style is its perfect balance of symmetry and grandeur. It combines elements from French neoclassical architecture with Renaissance ideals, creating spaces of perfect proportion and sophisticated detail. The style is particularly interesting for its ability to make even the most elaborate classical elements feel cohesive and intentional.
#11 Biedermeier
Biedermeier style developed as a practical yet elegant approach to design in early 19th-century Central Europe. What makes this style unique is its ability to combine functionality with refined beauty. It’s fascinating how it stripped away the excessive ornament of earlier periods while maintaining a sense of sophistication through simple, elegant lines and beautiful wood grains. The style particularly shines in its use of light woods and geometric forms to create warm, inviting spaces.
#12 Biophilic
Biophilic design seamlessly integrates nature into living spaces, creating an environment that connects inhabitants with the natural world. The fascinating aspect of this style is how it goes beyond simply adding plants – it incorporates natural light patterns, organic materials, and even the mathematical patterns found in nature (like the Fibonacci sequence). What really makes this style unique is its basis in scientific research about human wellbeing and our innate connection to nature.
#13 Bohemian/Boho
Bohemian/Boho style is a celebration of free-spirited, unconventional living. What makes this style so captivating is its fearless mixing of patterns, textures, and cultural influences. It’s fascinating how it breaks traditional design rules while still creating harmonious spaces through layered textiles, collected artifacts, and rich colors. The beauty of Boho lies in its personal, lived-in feel – each space tells a unique story.
#14 British Colonial
British Colonial style emerged from the fusion of formal English furniture with tropical materials and motifs. What’s remarkable about this style is how it adapts formal European elements to suit warmer climates while incorporating exotic influences. The interplay between dark woods and light, airy fabrics creates a sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere that tells stories of travel and adventure.
#15 Brutalist
Brutalist style celebrates the honest expression of materials, particularly concrete, in their raw form. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its bold approach to form and scale, creating spaces that feel both monumental and deeply honest. The fascinating aspect is how it finds beauty in what many would consider harsh or cold materials. What’s especially remarkable is its ability to create dramatic spaces through the interplay of light and shadow on raw surfaces. The style particularly excels in creating powerful architectural statements that celebrate the inherent qualities of building materials.
#16 Byzantine
Byzantine style reflects the opulent grandeur of the Eastern Roman Empire. What’s fascinating about this style is its dramatic use of rich colors, particularly gold, and intricate patterns. The most interesting aspect is how it combines classical Roman architecture with Eastern influences, creating spaces that feel both familiar and exotic. The style is particularly notable for its use of mosaics and religious imagery.
#17 Cabin
Cabin style celebrates rustic comfort and connection to nature. What makes this style special is its emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship, creating spaces that feel both rugged and welcoming. It’s fascinating how cabin style manages to make raw materials like rough-hewn logs and stone feel sophisticated while maintaining their authentic character.
#18 Californian
Californian style embodies indoor-outdoor living with a laid-back sophistication. This style blends natural elements with modern touches, creating spaces that feel both elegant and effortlessly casual. What makes it truly distinctive is its emphasis on abundant natural light, organic materials, and a connection to the outdoors. The palette typically draws from the California landscape – sandy beiges, ocean blues, and warm woods, with plenty of texture through natural materials.
#19 Chinoiserie
Chinoiserie brings the romance and exoticism of traditional Chinese design interpreted through a Western lens. What’s fascinating about this style is its fantastical interpretation of Eastern motifs – depicting imagined scenes of Asian life and landscapes. The style combines detailed craftsmanship with whimsical elements, creating spaces that feel both elegant and playful.
#20 Classical
Classical style draws directly from Greek and Roman architecture and design principles. What makes this style endure is its emphasis on perfect proportion, symmetry, and timeless elegance. The fascinating aspect is how it uses architectural elements – columns, pediments, and moldings – to create spaces that feel grand yet harmonious.
#21 Coastal
Coastal style brings the breeziness of beach living indoors. What’s compelling about this style is how it creates a relaxed, vacation-like atmosphere while maintaining sophistication. The beauty lies in its ability to reference nautical themes subtly through texture and color rather than obvious themed décor.
#22 Contemporary
Contemporary style reflects current design trends while maintaining a clean, sophisticated aesthetic. What makes this style interesting is its ability to blend comfort with modernity, incorporating current technology and lifestyle needs seamlessly into the design. The style is particularly notable for its mix of textures and emphasis on negative space.
#23 Corporate
Corporate style focuses on creating professional environments that balance functionality with sophistication. What makes this style interesting is how it maintains professionalism while incorporating elements of comfort and brand identity. The style particularly shines in its ability to create spaces that feel both impressive to clients and comfortable for daily work.
#24 Cottage
Cottage style embodies cozy charm and rustic comfort. What’s delightful about this style is its emphasis on creating warm, inviting spaces through collected pieces and informal arrangements. Think of it as a hug in architectural form – everything is designed to feel welcoming and lived-in.
#25 American Country
American Country style embodies the warmth and practicality of rural American living. What makes this style special is its focus on sturdy, practical furnishings and handcrafted elements that tell stories of American heritage. You’ll find a fascinating mix of utilitarian items repurposed as décor, like vintage farm tools and handmade quilts. The style particularly shines in its ability to create spaces that feel authentically lived-in and welcoming, with a strong emphasis on family gatherings and comfort.
#26 English Country
English Country style captures the charming, collected-over-time aesthetic of traditional British country houses. What’s fascinating about this style is how it effortlessly combines seemingly mismatched elements – floral prints, antique furniture, and family heirlooms – into a cohesive look that feels both elegant and comfortably worn. The style is particularly interesting for its layered approach, where each piece tells a story and patterns are mixed with confident abandon.
#27 French Country
French Country style brings the rustic elegance of Provence into the home. What makes this style distinctive is its ability to blend sophistication with rural charm. The fascinating aspect is how it incorporates both refined elements (like carved details and elegant toile fabrics) with rustic features (such as rough-hewn beams and stone floors). It’s particularly noteworthy for its use of soft, sun-washed colors inspired by the French countryside.
#28 Italian Country
Italian Country style, often called Tuscan style, reflects the rustic warmth of Mediterranean farmhouses. What’s remarkable about this style is its emphasis on natural materials and time-worn surfaces that create a sense of history and permanence. The style is particularly interesting for how it combines architectural elements like exposed stone walls and wooden beams with comfortable, family-friendly furnishings. The warm color palette and emphasis on natural materials create spaces that feel both refined and authentically rustic.
#29 Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk style envisions a high-tech dystopian future through interior design. What makes this style particularly captivating is its juxtaposition of advanced technology with urban decay. The fascinating aspect is how it creates spaces that feel both futuristic and lived-in through the mixture of sleek tech elements and weathered materials. What’s especially interesting is its use of dramatic lighting, particularly neon, to create atmospheric environments. The style particularly excels in creating immersive spaces that tell stories about a possible future while remaining functional living spaces.
#30 Dark Academia
Dark Academia style embodies the romantic ideals of classical education and intellectual pursuit through design. What makes this style particularly fascinating is how it creates moody, contemplative spaces that feel like historic universities and libraries. The style especially shines in its use of dark wood, leather, and vintage academic elements to create an atmosphere of scholarly pursuit. What’s remarkable is how it combines classical elements with a slightly gothic edge, incorporating elements like skulls, preserved specimens, and scientific illustrations. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make traditionally austere academic spaces feel both dramatic and deeply comfortable.
#31 Desert Modern
Desert Modern style celebrates minimalism while drawing inspiration from arid landscapes. What’s fascinating about this style is how it creates dialogue between indoor and outdoor desert environments through materials and forms.
#32 Eclectic
Eclectic style is the art of mixing periods and styles cohesively. What makes this style exciting is its ability to create harmony from apparent chaos, combining seemingly disparate elements into a unified whole.
#33 Empire
Empire style, born from Napoleon’s reign, embodies military glory and imperial power through design. This style is defined by its bold classical references and military motifs, combining Roman grandeur with Egyptian elements discovered during Napoleon’s campaigns. What makes Empire style fascinating is its use of symbolic decorative elements – imperial eagles, laurel wreaths, and sphinx figures – combined with strong architectural lines and rich materials.
#34 English Manor
English Manor style represents the refined country house living of the British aristocracy. This style combines grandeur with comfort, layering centuries of collected furnishings and art. What’s captivating about manor style is how it balances formal architectural elements with lived-in comfort, creating spaces that feel both impressive and welcoming.
#35 French Provincial
French Provincial style captures the elegant rusticity of 18th-century French countryside estates. The style beautifully balances refined elements with rustic charm, featuring curved lines and delicate details alongside sturdy country furniture. What makes this style special is its ability to remain elegant while feeling relaxed and inviting.
#36 Georgian
Georgian style embodies the refined elegance of 18th-century British design. What makes this style remarkable is its strict adherence to classical proportions and symmetry, creating spaces of perfect balance. The style is particularly noteworthy for its sophisticated use of architectural elements and its emphasis on light and space.
#37 Gothic
Gothic style draws from medieval architecture and romantic revival influences. What’s fascinating about this style is its dramatic use of vertical lines and ornate decorative elements, creating spaces that feel both mysterious and majestic. The style particularly excels in creating atmospheric environments through architectural details and dramatic lighting.
#38 Grandmillennial
Grandmillennial style, affectionately known as “granny chic,” offers a fresh take on traditional design elements through a modern lens. What makes this style particularly fascinating is how it fearlessly embraces the patterns and pieces that defined our grandparents’ homes, but reinterprets them for contemporary living. The style celebrates the return to ornamentation and detail, mixing chintz, wicker, needlepoint, and traditional furniture forms with modern touches. What’s especially interesting is how it manages to make traditionally formal elements feel young and fresh through unexpected color combinations and playful mixing of patterns.
#39 Hollywood Regency
Hollywood Regency style epitomizes the glamour of cinema’s golden age. What’s remarkable about this style is its fearless approach to luxury and drama, creating spaces that feel like movie sets come to life. The fascinating aspect is how it combines dramatic contrasts, reflective surfaces, and bold geometric patterns to create theatrical environments that still manage to feel livable. The style particularly excels in its use of jewel tones, metallic finishes, and statement pieces that command attention.
#40 Industrial
Industrial style celebrates the raw beauty of utilitarian spaces. What makes this style particularly intriguing is how it elevates structural elements typically hidden in traditional interiors into features worth showcasing. The fascinating aspect is its ability to create warmth from seemingly cold materials through thoughtful layering and intentional contrast. It’s especially interesting how the style manages to balance mechanical elements with organic touches to create spaces that feel both edgy and welcoming.
#41 Islamic/Moorish
Islamic/Moorish style brings the richness of Islamic architectural traditions into contemporary spaces. What’s fascinating about this style is its mathematical precision in creating intricate geometric patterns alongside organic arabesque designs. The style particularly shines in its ability to create spaces that feel both meditative and luxurious through the use of repetitive patterns, careful proportions, and rich materials. The interesting aspect is how it manages to combine complex decorative elements while maintaining a sense of serenity.
#42 Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance style embodies the cultural rebirth of 15th-century Italy. What makes this style remarkable is its perfect balance of symmetry, proportion, and classical detail. The fascinating aspect is how it combines architectural grandeur with humanist touches, creating spaces that feel both impressive and intimately connected to human scale. The style particularly excels in its use of classical motifs and rich materials to create environments that feel timelessly elegant.
#43 Japamericana
Japamericana style represents a thoughtful fusion of Japanese minimalism with American craftsman traditions. What makes this style particularly interesting is how it combines Japanese principles of simplicity and natural materials with the warmth and handcrafted detail of American woodworking. The fascinating aspect is its ability to create spaces that feel both zen-like and deeply personal through the celebration of craftsmanship. What’s especially remarkable is how it balances clean lines with organic materials and forms, creating environments that feel both serene and substantial.
#44 Japanese
Japanese style embodies the principles of zen and minimalism, creating spaces that feel both serene and deeply meaningful. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its attention to negative space (ma) and the way it elevates simplicity to an art form. The style is especially interesting in how it connects to nature through careful material selection and placement, making even indoor spaces feel like peaceful gardens. Every element serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose, creating a profound sense of harmony.
#45 Japandi
Japandi style brilliantly merges Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian functionality. What’s remarkable about this fusion is how it combines the warmth of Nordic design with the refinement of Japanese aesthetics. The style particularly excels in creating spaces that feel both cozy and uncluttered, mastering the art of comfortable minimalism. The fascinating aspect is its emphasis on craftsmanship and natural materials while maintaining a contemporary edge.
#46 Kitsch
Kitsch style embraces bold, playful, and often ironic decorative elements. What makes this style so intriguing is its deliberate rejection of conventional ‘good taste’ in favor of fun and nostalgia. The fascinating aspect is how it manages to combine seemingly tacky elements into spaces that feel both humorous and somehow sophisticated. It’s particularly interesting how the style celebrates popular culture and everyday objects as art.
#47 Louis XIV, XV, XVI
The Louis styles (XIV, XV, XVI) represent the evolution of French royal design: Louis XIV style epitomizes the Sun King’s grandeur. What’s remarkable is its emphasis on symmetry, gilt work, and dramatic ornamentation that literally made palace visitors stop in their tracks. The fascinating aspect is how every element was designed to reflect royal power and wealth. Louis XV style introduces more comfort and intimacy. What makes this style particularly interesting is its movement away from rigid symmetry toward more organic, curved forms. The style particularly shines in its delicate carved details and comfortable adaptations of formal elements. Louis XVI style represents a return to classical order but with refined elegance. What’s fascinating is how it maintains luxury while introducing simpler, more geometric forms. The style is especially noteworthy for its perfect balance of decoration and restraint.
#48 Maximalism
Maximalism style celebrates the “more is more” philosophy, creating spaces filled with color, pattern, and collected treasures. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its deliberate rejection of minimalist principles in favor of abundant decoration and personal expression. The fascinating aspect is how it creates spaces that feel curated rather than cluttered, despite their fullness. What’s especially remarkable is its ability to combine multiple patterns, colors, and objects in a way that feels intentional and sophisticated rather than chaotic.
#49 Mediterranean
Mediterranean style brings the warmth and texture of coastal European living spaces indoors. What makes this style particularly captivating is its ability to create spaces that feel both rustic and refined, using natural materials and sun-washed colors. The fascinating aspect is how it incorporates architectural elements that have evolved over centuries of seaside living, creating spaces that feel timeless and grounded in history.
Mediterranean style brings the warmth and texture of coastal European living spaces indoors. What makes this style particularly captivating is its ability to create spaces that feel both rustic and refined, using natural materials and sun-washed colors. The fascinating aspect is how it incorporates architectural elements that have evolved over centuries of seaside living, creating spaces that feel timeless and grounded in history.
#50 Memphis
Memphis style, born in the 1980s, completely revolutionized design through its bold rejection of modernist principles. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its deliberate embrace of clashing colors, wild patterns, and playful geometric shapes that seem to defy gravity. The style is especially interesting for how it turns traditional design rules upside down, mixing plastic laminates with luxury materials and combining cartoonish elements with sophisticated forms.
#51 Mexican Hacienda
Mexican Hacienda style brings the warmth and vibrancy of traditional Mexican estates into living spaces. What’s remarkable about this style is how it combines rustic architectural elements with rich decorative details, creating environments that feel both grand and welcoming. The fascinating aspect is its ability to blend indoor and outdoor living while incorporating centuries of craftsmanship traditions.
#52 Mid-Century Modern
Mid-Century Modern style captures the optimistic spirit of post-war America through clean lines and organic forms. What makes this style particularly captivating is its perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics, creating spaces that feel both timeless and forward-looking. The fascinating aspect is how it manages to make architectural statements while maintaining livability and comfort.
#53 Minimalist
Minimalist style elevates the concept of ‘less is more’ to an art form. What’s fascinating about this style is its rigorous approach to reduction, keeping only what’s essential while making each element count. The style particularly excels in creating calm, uncluttered spaces that still manage to feel warm and inviting through careful attention to texture and proportion.
#54 Modern
Modern style represents the bold break from historical design traditions. What makes this style particularly interesting is its emphasis on honest materials and forms that follow function. The fascinating aspect is how it creates beauty through simplicity and structural elements rather than applied decoration. The style especially shines in its use of new materials and technologies to create innovative living spaces.
#55 Modern Farmhouse
Modern Farmhouse style represents a fascinating evolution in residential design, blending the comfort of rural living with contemporary sophistication. What makes this style particularly captivating is its ability to honor traditional farmhouse elements while completely reimagining them for modern living. The style excels in creating a delicate balance between rustic and refined, incorporating industrial touches without losing the warmth that makes farmhouse style so appealing. It’s especially interesting how the style uses contrast – both in materials and finishes – to create visual interest while maintaining a clean, uncluttered feel. The use of natural materials alongside modern finishes creates spaces that feel both timeless and current, while the emphasis on functionality pays homage to the practical nature of traditional farmhouse design.
#56 Modernist
Modernist style embodies one of the most radical shifts in architectural history, representing a complete departure from historical precedent. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its unwavering commitment to expressing the spirit of the industrial age through architecture and design. The style is especially noteworthy for its exploration of new materials like reinforced concrete, steel, and large expanses of glass, using them to create spaces that would have been impossible in earlier eras. The fascinating aspect is how it approaches space planning from the inside out, letting function dictate form rather than forcing modern life into traditional architectural forms. What’s particularly remarkable is how the style manages to create beauty through the honest expression of materials and structure, finding elegance in industrial elements that previous generations would have hidden away.
#57 Moroccan
Moroccan style brings the rich sensory experience of North African design into contemporary living spaces. What makes this style particularly intriguing is its masterful approach to layering – not just of patterns and colors, but of cultural influences spanning Arabic, African, and Mediterranean traditions. The fascinating aspect is how it creates spaces that feel both exotic and incredibly welcoming through the use of handcrafted elements and comfortable, conversation-friendly furniture arrangements. The style particularly excels in its use of architectural details as decoration, from intricate plasterwork to complex geometric tiles, creating rooms that feel like jewel boxes. What’s especially interesting is how the style manages to combine what might seem like overwhelming amounts of pattern and color into spaces that feel harmonious rather than chaotic.
#58 Neoclassical
Neoclassical style represents a sophisticated reinterpretation of ancient classical design principles through an 18th-century lens. What makes this style particularly remarkable is its ability to create grandeur through perfect proportion and symmetry rather than excessive ornamentation. The fascinating aspect is how it uses classical architectural elements – columns, pediments, and moldings – in a more restrained way than previous classical revivals, creating spaces that feel elegant rather than overwhelming. The style is especially interesting for how it balances formal architectural elements with comfortable living spaces, creating rooms that feel both impressive and livable. What’s particularly noteworthy is its attention to the classical orders and proportional systems while adapting them to modern comfort requirements.
#59 New Victorian
New Victorian style reimagines the ornate aesthetics of the Victorian era through a contemporary lens. What makes this style particularly captivating is how it maintains Victorian drama while updating it with modern colors and materials. The fascinating aspect is its ability to preserve ornate architectural details while introducing contemporary furniture and art. What’s especially interesting is how it plays with traditional Victorian elements – like dark walls and ornate moldings – but lightens them with modern textiles and unexpected color combinations. The style particularly excels in creating spaces that feel both historically inspired and thoroughly current.
#60 Neo Art Deco
Neo Art Deco style reinterprets the glamour of the 1920s and 30s for contemporary living. What makes this style particularly captivating is how it maintains the sophisticated geometry and luxurious materials of classic Art Deco while introducing modern technologies and comfort. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make bold geometric statements feel fresh through updated materials and colors. What’s especially interesting is how it incorporates contemporary elements like LED lighting and smart home features while maintaining the elegant spirit of the original style.
#61 Nordic
Nordic style embodies the Scandinavian principles of simplicity, functionality, and connection to nature. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to create warm, inviting spaces while maintaining a minimal aesthetic – a seemingly contradictory achievement. The style especially shines in its understanding of light and its importance in regions where natural light is precious, creating spaces that capture and reflect every available ray. What’s remarkable is how it uses texture rather than pattern to create interest, incorporating natural materials like wood, stone, and textiles to add warmth to predominantly white spaces. The fascinating aspect is its approach to comfort, which prioritizes both physical and visual comfort through clean lines and uncluttered spaces. The style particularly excels in creating calm, organized environments that still feel personal and lived-in rather than sterile or cold.
#62 Organic Modern
Organic Modern style represents a sophisticated fusion of minimalist design principles with natural elements and materials. What makes this style particularly fascinating is how it creates warmth within modern spaces through the intentional use of organic shapes and natural materials. The style especially shines in its ability to incorporate biophilic elements without compromising clean architectural lines. What’s remarkable is how it achieves visual interest through texture and natural patterns rather than decorative elements. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make modern spaces feel nurturing and connected to nature while maintaining contemporary sophistication.
#63 Oriental
Oriental style represents a Western interpretation of East Asian design elements, particularly Chinese and Japanese influences. What makes this style particularly fascinating is how it adapts traditional Asian design elements for Western spaces while maintaining their cultural significance. The style especially shines in its attention to balance and spatial arrangement, incorporating principles of feng shui with decorative elements. What’s remarkable is how it creates drama through careful layering of textures, patterns, and symbolic motifs, while maintaining a sense of serenity. The fascinating aspect is its ability to blend ornate decorative elements with clean lines and open spaces, creating environments that feel both exotic and harmonious.
#64 Postmodern
Postmodern style emerged as a playful and rebellious response to modernism’s serious minimalism. What makes this style particularly captivating is its fearless mixing of historical references with contemporary elements, often with a hint of irony. The fascinating aspect is how it deliberately breaks traditional design rules, combining unexpected colors, patterns, and forms to create spaces that challenge our expectations. What’s especially interesting is its use of historical elements in non-traditional ways, often exaggerating or distorting classical forms to create something entirely new. The style particularly excels in creating spaces that feel both intellectual and playful.
#65 Retro
Retro style celebrates the design aesthetics of the recent past, particularly the 1950s through 1970s. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to capture the optimistic spirit of mid-century America while incorporating contemporary comforts. The style especially shines in its use of bold colors, innovative materials, and organic forms that characterized these decades. What’s remarkable is how it manages to feel both nostalgic and fresh, often combining period pieces with modern interpretations of classic designs. The fascinating aspect is its attention to authentic details while creating spaces that work for modern living.
#66 Rococo
Rococo style embodies the height of 18th-century French ornamental exuberance. What makes this style particularly remarkable is its celebration of ornate decoration and asymmetrical design. The fascinating aspect is how it transforms architectural elements into light, playful features through elaborate carved details and gilding. What’s especially interesting is its use of pastoral and romantic themes in decorative elements, creating spaces that feel both grand and whimsical. The style particularly excels in creating environments that feel like fantasy brought to life.
#67 Rustic
Rustic style celebrates the raw beauty of natural materials and traditional craftsmanship. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to create spaces that feel deeply connected to nature and local building traditions. The style especially shines in its use of unrefined materials and honest construction methods, letting the natural beauty of wood, stone, and metal take center stage. What’s remarkable is how it creates warmth through texture and patina rather than polish and perfection. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make imperfections feel intentional and beautiful.
#68 Scandinavian
Scandinavian style embodies the Nordic principles of simplicity, functionality, and connection to natural light. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its response to the harsh Nordic climate, creating bright, uplifting interiors that maximize light during long, dark winters. The style especially shines in its thoughtful approach to materials, combining pale woods, natural textiles, and white surfaces to reflect and amplify available light. What’s remarkable is how it creates warmth despite a predominantly light color palette through layered textures and organic materials. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make minimal spaces feel cozy through the concept of ‘hygge’ – the Danish art of creating intimate, comfortable environments.
#69 Shabby Chic
Shabby Chic style celebrates the beauty of imperfection and aged patina. What makes this style particularly interesting is its romantic approach to wear and tear, deliberately choosing and creating pieces that look gently worn by time. The fascinating aspect is how it combines traditionally feminine elements – florals, pastels, and romantic details – with rustic, distressed finishes to create spaces that feel both elegant and lived-in. What’s especially remarkable is its ability to make formally elegant pieces feel approachable and comfortable through careful distressing and casual styling.
#70 Space Age/Atomic
Space Age/Atomic style captures the optimistic futurism of the 1950s and 60s. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its expression of post-war optimism about technology and the future. The style especially shines in its use of innovative materials and organic, space-inspired forms. What’s remarkable is how it combines sleek modernism with playful, science fiction-inspired elements to create spaces that feel both retro and futuristic. The fascinating aspect is its celebration of new technologies and materials, incorporating plastic, fiberglass, and chrome in revolutionary ways.
#71 Spanish Colonial
Spanish Colonial style reflects the rich heritage of Spanish architecture in the Americas. What makes this style particularly captivating is its ability to create cool, sheltered spaces that respond to warm climates. The fascinating aspect is how it combines European architectural elements with indigenous craftsmanship and materials. What’s especially interesting is its use of thick walls, wooden beams, and interior courtyards to create naturally climate-controlled spaces. The style particularly excels in creating dramatic contrasts between dark wooden elements and white-washed walls.
#72 Steam Punk
Steampunk style reimagines Victorian industrialism through a science fiction lens. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its blend of Victorian elegance with industrial machinery and modern technology. The style especially shines in its creative repurposing of industrial elements as decorative features. What’s remarkable is how it creates warmth despite using predominantly metal materials through the use of rich woods, leather, and warm lighting. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make mechanical elements feel romantic rather than cold through careful styling and material combinations.
#73 Swedish Gustavian
Swedish Gustavian style represents a fascinating interpretation of French neoclassical design through a Nordic lens. What makes this style particularly captivating is how it adapted the ornate French court style into something more restrained and suitable for Scandinavia’s limited light. The fascinating aspect is its use of light-reflecting surfaces and pale colors to brighten dark Nordic winters, while maintaining an air of elegance and refinement. What’s especially interesting is how the style balances formal architectural elements with comfortable, practical furnishings – a reflection of Swedish sensibility. The style particularly excels in creating spaces that feel both aristocratic and approachable through its use of painted finishes, subtle carved details, and elegant proportions. The remarkable aspect is how it manages to make formal furniture feel casual through the use of painted finishes and light upholstery, creating rooms that are both elegant and livable.
#74 Traditional
Traditional style encompasses the rich history of European and American decorative arts. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to combine elements from various historical periods into cohesive, elegant spaces. The style especially shines in its attention to architectural details and carefully chosen furnishings that reflect different historical influences. What’s remarkable is how it creates formal spaces that still feel welcoming and lived-in through the use of rich colors, patterns, and comfortable upholstery. The fascinating aspect is its ability to tell stories through carefully curated collections and family heirlooms, creating spaces that feel both timeless and personal. The style particularly excels in creating rooms that balance sophistication with comfort, using layered textiles, mixed patterns, and collected accessories to create rich, inviting environments that improve with age.
#75 Transitional
Transitional style bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary design with sophisticated balance. What makes this style particularly interesting is its ability to create spaces that feel both timeless and current by carefully selecting elements from both classical and modern design. The fascinating aspect is how it maintains the comfort and warmth of traditional style while incorporating the clean lines and simplified forms of contemporary design. What’s especially remarkable is its sophisticated use of texture rather than pattern to create visual interest, often employing neutral color palettes that feel rich through layering. The style particularly excels in creating elegant spaces that feel fresh and current while honoring classical design principles through updated interpretations of traditional forms.
#80 Tribal
Tribal style celebrates the rich textile and craft traditions of indigenous cultures worldwide. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to tell stories through pattern and craft, incorporating pieces that carry deep cultural significance. The style especially shines in its fearless mixing of textiles, artifacts, and natural materials to create spaces that feel both authentic and artistic. What’s remarkable is how it creates warmth through layered textiles and organic materials while maintaining a sophisticated aesthetic that transcends simple decoration. The fascinating aspect is its ability to combine pieces from different tribal traditions in a way that feels respectful and cohesive rather than cluttered or arbitrary. The style particularly excels in creating spaces that feel both globally inspired and personally meaningful through the careful curation of handcrafted elements and authentic artifacts.
#81 Tropical
Tropical style embraces the lush, vibrant character of equatorial regions through design. What makes this style particularly captivating is its ability to bring the feeling of a permanent vacation into everyday living spaces. The fascinating aspect is how it creates a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor living while incorporating natural materials and botanical elements. What’s especially interesting is its use of texture and pattern inspired by tropical flora and fauna, creating spaces that feel both exotic and welcoming. The style particularly excels in balancing dramatic natural elements with comfortable, practical furnishings that can withstand humid climates. The remarkable aspect is its ability to create spaces that feel both luxuriant and casual through the use of natural materials, bold patterns, and indoor plants.
#82 Tudor
Tudor style embodies the rich architectural heritage of 16th-century English design. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its dramatic use of exposed timber framing contrasted with white plaster walls, creating instantly recognizable geometric patterns. The style especially shines in its ability to create cozy, intimate spaces despite grand architectural features. What’s remarkable is how it combines medieval building techniques with comfortable living spaces, incorporating elements like leaded glass windows, massive fireplaces, and heavy wooden furniture. The fascinating aspect is its ability to make imposing architectural elements feel warm and inviting through the use of rich textiles, tapestries, and warm lighting.
#83 Victorian
Victorian style captures the opulent, eclectic character of 19th-century design during Queen Victoria’s reign. What makes this style particularly remarkable is its fearless approach to ornamentation and its embrace of new industrial capabilities in design. The fascinating aspect is how it combines multiple influences – Gothic Revival, Rococo, Middle Eastern, and Asian – into a distinctly recognizable style. What’s especially interesting is its use of pattern mixing, rich colors, and architectural details to create spaces that feel both formal and comfortable. The style particularly excels in creating rooms that showcase the Victorian love of collecting and displaying objects, incorporating everything from botanical specimens to global artifacts.
#84 Vintage
Vintage style thoughtfully incorporates authentic pieces from specific decades to create nostalgic yet fresh spaces. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to mix periods while maintaining a cohesive look. The style especially shines in its attention to authentic details and its celebration of the patina that comes with age. What’s remarkable is how it creates spaces that feel both historical and current through careful curation and styling. The fascinating aspect is its ability to tell stories through collected pieces while maintaining functionality for modern living.
#85 Wabi-Sabi
Wabi-Sabi style embraces the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence. What makes this style particularly captivating is its profound appreciation for natural processes and materials showing signs of age and wear. The fascinating aspect is how it creates deeply peaceful spaces through careful elimination of the unnecessary while celebrating the marks of time. What’s especially remarkable is its ability to find beauty in simplicity and authenticity rather than artificial perfection. The style particularly excels in creating contemplative spaces that feel both ancient and timeless through the use of natural materials, simple forms, and thoughtful curation.
#86 Western/Southwestern
Western/Southwestern style celebrates the rugged beauty and cultural heritage of the American frontier and desert regions. What makes this style particularly fascinating is its ability to combine Native American, Spanish Colonial, and American frontier influences. The style especially shines in its use of natural materials and careful attention to the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. What’s remarkable is how it creates warm, inviting environments using elements that might seem rustic or harsh in other contexts. The fascinating aspect is its ability to incorporate bold patterns and natural elements while maintaining sophisticated, comfortable living spaces.
Wrapping Up: Your Style Story Starts Here
After exploring these 86 styles, here’s the plot twist that took me years to understand: the best interiors aren’t about perfectly executing a single style – they’re about finding the elements that make your heart skip a beat and your space feel like home. Maybe you’re head over heels for Art Deco’s glamour but need the practicality of modern farmhouse. Guess what? There’s room for both in your style story.
Think of these 86 styles as your design vocabulary. Some will become your go-to words, others might be saved for special occasions, and a few might never make it into your personal dictionary – and that’s perfectly okay. The real joy isn’t in picking just one style and sticking to it religiously; it’s in discovering how different elements can come together to create spaces that feel authentically you.
So take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and remember that the most beautiful homes aren’t the ones that look like they came straight out of a magazine – they’re the ones that tell your story, showcase what you love, and make you feel like you can finally exhale when you walk through the door.
Now, go forth and style with confidence. And if you end up mixing Memphis Design with Minimalism? Send me pictures. I’m here for all of it.