Warmth. Bold bursts of colour. Personally curated spaces. Fat furniture. Luxurious materials. Tech integration. Indoor gardens.
These are just some of the interior décor features that are set to define 2026. REALGLEN Properties has taken a deep dive into these trends, putting together a list of ideas on how to give your home a new look.
Bringing warmth into your living room
Tonal neutrals and natural textiles are top of the trends as we head into 2026. Pantone has named their Colour of the Year to be Cloud Dancer, which they describe as a “billowy, balanced white imbued with a feeling of serenity”. This colour is the epitome of the tonal neutrals trend: it’s an off-white that pairs perfectly with bold bursts of colour.
Adding pops of colour and texture
Your neutral colour palette needs to be offset with vibrant touches of colour, and in 2026, you can expect to see natural, earthy colours like deep greens, blues, browns and terracotta accents. Interior décor is becoming as much about what you can touch as what you can see, and we’re expecting to see textiles become as important as colours. Natural fibres like bamboo, linen and rattan are being coupled with stone floors to create homes in which nature takes centre stage.
Décor that tells your family’s story
One of the biggest drivers of 2026 interior décor is emotional connection. Your home should tell your family’s story through memorabilia, photos and objet d’art. Include snapshots from years gone by, travels and artworks into your home to create a space that’s deeply personal. Your home should reveal your family’s story like a living scrapbook. You could include a collage of vintage travel posters on your wall capturing the routes you’ve followed. If you own your home, these prints could be framed on your walls. If you’re a tenant, you could opt for smaller pictures in picture frames on a mantelpiece or coffee table.
Fat furniture takes centre stage
By fat furniture, we mean oversized, chunky, soft and above all – comfortable. These chairs and couches are oversized in style to the point that they become sculptural elements of your space as well as functional furniture. Choose throws and cushion covers in the aforementioned earthy blues, greens and browns and allow your furniture to become the focal point of your living room. If you prefer warm colours, create a head-turning colour scheme with shades like burnt sienna, clay and warm terracotta.
Tactile richness
In 2026, luxury in home décor centres on tactile richness and sensory engagement. Think velvets and high-thread-count linens paired with sustainable, responsibly sourced fibres. The emphasis is on craftsmanship details, from hand-stitched seams to custom inlays. Tech-aware luxury also plays a part in this trend, and invisible automation and energy-efficient climate control will become increasingly prominent in 2026.
Indoor gardening
The outdoors is coming in in 2026, and one of the trends taking hold – at least among those who can afford it – is AI-powered indoor gardens, complete with hydroponic tubes and Ai-timed LEDs. There are plenty of more down-to-earth ideas you can try when it comes to indoor gardening. Think recycled materials as planters, self-watering containers, patio or balcony gardens, wall-mounted planters and DIY microgreens in trays.
There’s one thing you need before you can implement 2026’s top décor trends in your home: you need the home itself! If you’re looking for a new home to buy or rent in Kempton Park, Boksburg or Benoni, get in touch and let our expert team help you every step of the way.
