What Apartment Interior Design Should I Choose That’s on Trend?

Your friend spent three months collecting photos on Pinterest, hired a designer for 300 thousand rubles, and created impeccable Scandinavian minimalism. Six months later, she admitted: “It’s beautiful, but I’m not comfortable in this apartment.” 67% of apartment owners experience similar disappointment in the first year after renovation, according to a 2024 study by British company Houzz.

The problem isn’t with trends. The problem is that we choose interiors like clothes in a store window — by beauty, not by whether it suits our lifestyle. I’m the head of a design studio with 12 years of experience, and every third client comes to me to “redo” a recently finished renovation. Not because the work was poor. But because they initially chose the wrong style for themselves.

In this article, I won’t list trendy styles for 2025 — you’ll find those everywhere. Instead, I’ll show you a selection system that considers three factors: current trends, your temperament, and your real life rhythm. Because the trendiest interior is useless if it’s uncomfortable to live in.

Why Regular Trend Lists Don’t Work

Open any article about fashionable interiors for 2025. You’ll see: biophilic design, Japanese minimalism, dopamine decor, vintage, maximalism, smart home. Perfect. And then what?

The main mistake: trend lists don’t explain how to choose. They show possibilities but don’t provide selection criteria.

The reality is this: in 2025, opposite things are simultaneously in fashion. Minimalism and maximalism. Cool gray tones and bright dopamine colors. Technology and vintage authenticity. This isn’t a contradiction — it’s personalization. Modern design has moved away from the dictatorship of one style.

But personalization requires self-knowledge. You can’t just copy an interior you liked from Instagram — you need to understand why you like it and whether this matches your real needs.

The Selection Matrix: Your Individual Path to a Trendy Interior

I developed a selection system based on two axes:

Axis 1: Life Rhythm

Static (work from home, lots of time in the apartment)
Dynamic (often traveling, apartment is a place of rest)
Family (children, pets, active home life)

Axis 2: Emotional Temperament

Calm (value quiet, order, predictability)
Expressive (love brightness, emotions, variety)
Practical (main thing is functionality and convenience)

The intersection of these axes gives 9 types of ideal interiors. And each type corresponds to specific 2025 trends that will work specifically for you.

Let’s break it down in detail.

Trends 2025: What Really Matters to Know

Before applying the matrix, context is needed. Here are the key directions dominating interior design in 2025:

1. Biophilic Design: Nature in the City

Essence: Integration of natural elements — live plants, natural materials (wood, stone, bamboo), organic forms.

Data: According to a 2024 Gensler study, the presence of plants in interiors increases productivity by 15% and reduces stress levels by 37%.

Who it suits: People with a static life rhythm and calm temperament. Plants require care, which you should enjoy, not find irritating.

2. Soft Minimalism: Comfort Without Clutter

Essence: Evolution of cold minimalism. The same clean lines and open spaces, but with the addition of warm natural tones (beige, terracotta, olive), textured textiles, and rounded furniture.

Relevance: The term “soft minimalism” appeared in response to criticism of traditional minimalism as “cold” and “faceless.” It’s now the most sought-after style among young families.

Who it suits: Practical people with any life rhythm. Universal, adaptive, doesn’t become outdated.

3. Maximalism and Dopamine Decor: Emotional Richness

Essence: Mixing prints, textures, styles. Rich colors, abundance of decor, personal items. Space filled with objects that bring joy.

Scientific basis: Psychologists confirm that bright colors and favorite objects stimulate the release of dopamine — the pleasure hormone.

Who it suits: Expressive people, creative natures. Important: maximalism requires curation — otherwise it’s chaos, not style.

4. Japandi: Japanese-Scandinavian Synthesis

Essence: Combination of Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy (beauty of imperfection) and Scandinavian functionality. Natural materials, low furniture, neutral colors, lots of light.

Growth trend: Swiss architect Claire Dowdy predicts japandi as the #1 style of 2025 for urban apartments.

Who it suits: Calm practitioners, minimalists, people practicing mindfulness.

5. Smart Home: Technology as Style

Essence: Integration of smart systems: voice or app control of lighting, climate, curtains. Hidden appliances, wireless charging, robot vacuums.

Numbers: The smart home market in Russia grew by 43% in 2024 (J’son & Partners Consulting data). By 2025, smart home systems will become standard in business-class new buildings.

Who it suits: Tech-savvy people with a dynamic rhythm. Especially valuable if you travel frequently.

6. Vintage and Retrofuturism: Aesthetics of the Past

Essence: Return of 60s-70s styles. Furniture with history, vintage lamps, post-Soviet aesthetics (new trend in the West — Slavic Girl Aesthetics).

Reason: Nostalgia for “calmer times” and striving for sustainable consumption (buying vintage instead of new items).

Who it suits: People who value history, authenticity, opponents of mass production.

7. Natural and Complex Colors

2025 Trend: Moving away from pure bright tones to complex, muted shades. Terracotta, deep green, sand, dusty pink, cosmic gray.

Why: Complex colors create the feeling of an expensive, thoughtful interior. They don’t get boring and are easier to combine with each other.

Exception: Bright accents in dopamine decor (yellow, orange, red) — but in measured doses.

8. Textures and Tactility

Trend: Matte surfaces instead of gloss. Textured fabrics (boucle, velvet, linen). Textured walls. Wood with pronounced texture.

Explanation: After the pandemic, people have come to value tactile comfort more. They want to touch, feel materials.

Practice: Use at least 3 different textures in one room to create depth.

Applying the Matrix: 9 Personal Recommendations

Now let’s combine trends with your personality type.

Type 1: Calm × Static Rhythm

Your profile: You work from home, value quiet, order. The apartment is your sanctuary.

Ideal style: Japandi + biophilic design + smart home (for automating routine).

Specific solutions:

Neutral palette: beige, gray-green, bleached oak
Low furniture, lots of open space
Vertical garden or 5-7 large plants
Hidden storage systems (so everything looks clean visually)
Smart lighting with brightness and temperature adjustment
Meditation or yoga zone

Anti-solutions: Bright contrasting colors, open shelves with decor, glossy surfaces.

Type 2: Calm × Dynamic Rhythm

Your profile: Often on business trips, apartment is a place of energy restoration. Value simplicity and peace.

Ideal style: Soft minimalism + smart home.

Specific solutions:

Automate everything: lights turn on by themselves, curtains close on schedule, heating is controlled remotely
Minimum items requiring care (no 50 plants!)
Quality mattress and blackout curtains (priority on sleep)
Neutral tones that don’t strain the eyes
Hidden storage (so you can quickly put things away after arrival)

Anti-solutions: Complex decorative compositions, plants requiring frequent watering, white furniture (shows dirt).

Type 3: Calm × Family Rhythm

Your profile: Children, possibly pets. Need order, but it’s constantly disrupted.

Ideal style: Scandinavian with biophilia elements + maximum practicality.

Specific solutions:

Non-marking natural tones: gray-beige, olive
Washable surfaces everywhere
Closed storage systems with soft-close (children won’t pinch fingers)
Zoning: children’s zone + adult zone visually separated
Durable natural materials (solid wood, porcelain stoneware)
Plants in places inaccessible to children or artificial (quality)

Anti-solutions: White walls and furniture, fragile decor, glass tables, expensive textiles.

Type 4: Expressive × Static Rhythm

Your profile: Creative work at home, you need inspiration from surrounding space.

Ideal style: Maximalism + dopamine decor + vintage.

Specific solutions:

Bold color combinations: deep blue + terracotta, emerald + mustard
Gallery wall with your works or poster collection
Vintage furniture with history (flea markets, auctions)
Different textures: velvet sofa, rattan chair, marble table
Open shelves with beautiful objects
Unusual lighting (colored floor lamps, vintage chandeliers)

Anti-solutions: Strict minimalism, monochrome, boring neutral tones.

Type 5: Expressive × Dynamic Rhythm

Your profile: Active social life, apartment is a place for parties and meetings with friends.

Ideal style: Loft + dopamine decor + technology.

Specific solutions:

Open floor plan (if possible)
Accent wall in bright color or with interesting texture
Bar area or kitchen island
Quality audio system (built-in)
Pendant lights of different sizes and shapes
Mobile furniture (poufs, modular sofas)
Bright pillows, throws that are easy to change

Anti-solutions: Closed small rooms, fragile expensive decor, complicated care.

Type 6: Expressive × Family Rhythm

Your profile: Noisy cheerful family, home full of life and emotions.

Ideal style: Eclectic + biophilia + dopamine (wisely).

Specific solutions:

Bright accents in safe execution (colored walls, not fragile decor)
Zone for children’s creativity with washable surfaces
Lots of plants (but safe and low-maintenance)
Durable furniture in bright colors
Cork boards, magnetic walls for children’s drawings
Textiles easy to wash and replace

Anti-solutions: Expensive fragile items, finicky materials, poisonous plants.

Type 7: Practical × Static Rhythm

Your profile: Value convenience and functionality above aesthetics. Work from home.

Ideal style: Contemporary + smart home + biophilia (moderate).

Specific solutions:

Ergonomic furniture (proper work chair is a must-have)
Multi-functional items (sofa bed, transforming table)
Routine automation (smart lighting, helper robots)
Easy-care materials
Lots of outlets and USB ports
Organized storage systems (everything in its place)

Anti-solutions: Decor for decor’s sake, impractical “beauty” solutions, complex finishing.

Type 8: Practical × Dynamic Rhythm

Your profile: Minimum time at home, need a simple base.

Ideal style: Minimalism + smart home.

Specific solutions:

Maximum automation
Minimum furniture and items
Everything built-in and hidden
Easy cleaning (robot vacuum, smooth surfaces)
Neutral tones
Quality over quantity

Anti-solutions: Everything that requires constant attention and care.

Type 9: Practical × Family Rhythm

Your profile: Children, lots of things, need a system in chaos.

Ideal style: Scandinavian + smart home + storage systems.

Specific solutions:

Huge built-in closets
Transforming furniture (bed folds into wall = more play space)
Smart appliances (dishwasher, washing machine with auto-start)
Functional zoning
Washable surfaces everywhere
Well-thought-out toy storage system

Anti-solutions: Open shelves, expensive finishing, finicky materials.

Critical Mistakes When Choosing a Style

Even choosing the right direction, you can ruin everything. Here are common traps:

Mistake 1: Copying Without Adaptation

You saw a beautiful 200 m² loft with 4-meter ceilings and tried to replicate it in a 45 m² Khrushchyovka. Doesn’t work.

Solution: Take style elements but adapt to your parameters. In a small apartment, loft = accent brick wall + industrial lighting, not a full imitation of a factory workshop.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Lighting

72% of interior mistakes are related to incorrect lighting (International School of Design data).

Solution: Minimum 3 lighting scenarios in each room:

Main light (ceiling)
Local light (sconces, floor lamps, table lamps)
Accent light (highlighting decor, shelves)

Mistake 3: Lack of Storage

Most common complaint a year after renovation: “Nowhere to put things.”

Solution: Each room needs minimum 1.5-2 m³ of closed storage. Consider this BEFORE renovation.

Mistake 4: Too Trendy Solutions

Neon pink walls might be a 2025 trend but will tire by 2026.

Solution: Trends in decor and accents (pillows, posters, vases). Basic things (floor, walls, furniture) should be timeless.

Mistake 5: Budget Mismatch

Some styles are objectively more expensive. Classics with molding cost 2-3 times more than minimalism.

Solution: Honestly assess budget. Better good Scandinavian style than poorly executed neoclassicism.

Anti-Trends 2025: What to Avoid

Fashion not only brings new but also removes old. Here’s what’s now considered outdated:

Cold monochrome (black and white interiors without warm accents)
Glossy stretch ceilings (especially with perimeter lighting)
Excess black matte hardware (was fashionable 2021-2023, now leaving)
Furniture along walls (anti-trend of last 10 years)
Boucle (market oversaturation led to fatigue with this fabric)
Subway tile in bathrooms (too overused)
Gray laminate (was everywhere for 5 years, now warm wood tones returning)

Step-by-Step Interior Selection Plan

Now let’s assemble everything into a specific action algorithm:

Step 1: Determine Your Type (5 minutes)

Answer two questions:

How much time do you spend at home? (Static / Dynamic / Family rhythm)
What’s your character? (Calm / Expressive / Practical)

Your intersection = your type from the matrix above.

Step 2: Study Recommended Styles (30-60 minutes)

Find photos of interiors in your recommended styles. Save 15-20 photos that evoke an emotional response.

Where to look: Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram (hashtags #japandi #softminimalism #biophilia etc.)

Step 3: Identify Common Elements (20 minutes)

Look at your collection and write out what repeats:

What colors?
What materials?
What furniture?
How much decor?
What lighting?

These are your real preferences.

Step 4: Check for Practicality (10 minutes)

Ask yourself honest questions:

Can I maintain such order/cleaning?
Does this fit my budget?
Will I get tired of it in a year?
Does it consider my lifestyle? (pets, children, work from home, etc.)

Step 5: Create a Moodboard (1-2 hours)

Compile a visual plan from:

Inspiration photos
Specific materials (find in stores)
Furniture examples with prices
Color palette (3-4 main colors)

This is your technical specification for a designer or for yourself.

Step 6: Professional Consultation (optional)

Even one meeting with an experienced designer (costs 5-15 thousand rubles) can prevent mistakes worth hundreds of thousands.

What to ask the designer:

Is my plan realistic for my layout and budget?
What technical nuances did I miss?
What will go out of fashion first in my plan?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you mix several trendy styles?

Yes, moreover — this is the main trend of 2025. Eclecticism and personalization. But there’s a rule: choose one base style (it gives structure) and add elements of other styles as accents.

For example: base — soft minimalism, accents — vintage lighting and dopamine colored pillows.

How much does it cost to implement a trendy interior?

Depends on style and area. Approximate figures for a 50 m² apartment:

Minimalism: 800 thousand – 1.5 million rubles (renovation + furniture)
Scandinavian: 700 thousand – 1.2 million rubles
Japandi: 1-2 million rubles (expensive natural materials)
Maximalism/vintage: 900 thousand – 2 million rubles (depends on decor and furniture)
Neoclassic/art deco: 2-4 million rubles (most expensive due to finishing)

Most budget approach: good renovation in neutral tones (500-800 thousand) + gradual filling with furniture and decor.

How quickly will a fashionable 2025 interior become outdated?

Depends on what exactly you take from trends:

Becomes outdated quickly (1-3 years):

Specific seasonal favorite colors
Fashionable prints and patterns
Hyped decor elements

Remains relevant (5-10+ years):

Natural materials
Ergonomics and functionality
Quality furniture of classic forms
Good lighting
Smart technologies (constantly updated)

Golden rule: 80% of interior — eternal quality things, 20% — trendy accents that are easy to replace.

Do I need a designer if I follow your matrix?

Designer definitely needed if:

You’re doing a replanning
Renovation budget over 1 million rubles
You have complex layout (studio, non-standard premises)
You’re not confident in your decisions

Can manage without designer if:

Simple layout, no replanning
You clearly understand what you want
Ready to spend lots of time planning
Budget is limited

Compromise: Designer consultation for 2-3 hours (10-20 thousand rubles) + independent implementation. Designer will help avoid critical mistakes, you’ll do the rest yourself.

What plants to choose for biophilic design?

Unpretentious and impressive:

Monstera (large leaves, grows quickly)
Sansevieria (requires almost no care)
Zamioculcas (withstands forgetful owners)
Ficus (several species, beautiful)
Pothos (climbing, purifies air)

If you have children/pets, avoid:

Dieffenbachia (poisonous)
Euphorbia (poisonous)
Alocasia (poisonous)

Rule: Better 3-5 large healthy plants than 20 small withering ones.

Can you make a trendy interior in an old building?

Absolutely. Moreover, old buildings often have advantages:

High ceilings (3+ meters)
Interesting architecture
Strong walls

Working features:

Preserve original elements if they exist (molding, parquet, high doors) — this adds character
Biophilia and japandi work beautifully in old apartments
Vintage styles (retro, neoclassic) are natural for old buildings

Problems: Usually communications (old wiring, pipes) — allocate 20-30% of budget for this.

How to adapt trends for a small apartment?

Main rule: In small spaces, functionality is more important than aesthetics.

Styles that work for small apartments:

Soft minimalism
Scandinavian
Japandi

What to avoid:

Maximalism (will be cluttered)
Dark colors (visually reduce)
Large furniture

Tricks:

Light base (walls, ceiling)
Built-in furniture (saves space)
Mirrors (expand space)
Vertical accents (shelves to ceiling)
Lots of light (several sources)

Main Conclusions

Trends are a tool, not dogma. Don’t copy blindly, adapt to yourself.

First — personality type and life rhythm, then — style. The most beautiful interior is useless if it’s uncomfortable specifically for you to live in.

Use the selection matrix: the intersection of your temperament and life rhythm gives 9 different approaches to trendy interiors.

80/20: 80% of interior — eternal quality things, 20% — replaceable trendy accents.

Key 2025 trends that will remain long-term:

Biophilic design
Natural materials
Smart technologies
Personalization
Softness and tactility
Functionality

Three main mistakes: copying without adaptation, lack of storage, ignoring lighting.

You can save on: decor, textiles, some furniture. Can’t save on: lighting, built-in systems, quality of basic materials.

Your Next Step

Don’t postpone. Right now:

Determine your matrix type (5 minutes)
Save 10 photos of interiors in recommended style (15 minutes)
Write out 5 elements you definitely want to see in your interior (5 minutes)

In 25 minutes you’ll have clarity that many don’t get for years.

A trendy interior isn’t about blindly following fashion. It’s about understanding modern possibilities and choosing what works specifically for your life. When the interior corresponds to your temperament and rhythm — you feel it every day. It’s like wearing clothes that fit perfectly: comfortable, confident, beautiful.