5 trends to watch from the 2025 Interior Design Show

For years, the design scene has been a blanket of neutral colours, clean lines, minimalist furniture and hard surfaces. But things felt different at this year's Interior Design Show (IDS), which took place in Toronto late last month. 

It's clear that bolder colours and patterns and a creative spirit will be among the design trends of 2025. Small Canadian vendors are leading this charge, taking cues from heritage practices and using handiwork to produce pieces that look like art.

Below are five trends that stood out at this year's show.

Playful objects

The popularity of handmade goods is becoming stronger as technology dominates our lives. It seems in 2025, we'll be creating environments that feel deeply familiar, even nostalgic, by embracing imperfections and incorporating quirky objects that bring us joy.

And that's where pottery shines. Notably at IDS, it showed up as clay forms that immediately transported you to the maker's studio. It was easy to imagine potters in their mud-spattered aprons, focused on creating an objet d'art rather than a functional vessel. 

Mima Ceramics stood out with its playful patterns and colour-forward vessels, while ABZ Pottery's collection featured unusual shapes.

Dressing a mantel or dining table with a one-of-a-kind piece tells a story and creates a sense of home. These items can live on their own or display the season's foraged flora.

Statement furniture

Furniture at the show took organic and unexpected forms and delivered a playfulness we've been missing. The collaboration between Brett Paulin Design and Studio Otty presents the materials in a thoughtful way. Their Rooted collection, for instance, uses precise joinery and texture to highlight the unique, locally sourced wood.

Playful shapes and bold colour extended to upholstered furniture too. The serpentine Montauk sofa throws out the rule book, and its rich, shimmery upholstery is a refreshing antidote to grey. Rather than sitting in an appointed corner, the sofa was placed away from the wall and its long, curvy shape flowed through the space, inviting visitors to interact with it.

Even if a statement sofa is out of budget, you can take inspiration from this piece and others like it and see your home with fresh eyes. Could you rearrange your layout to invite conversation or to change the traffic flow and use the space in a new way?

Textured walls 

This year, we'll use wall finishes, such as microcement and plaster, to add texture to any space — as pictured in the post below from VeniLux. In a neutral colour, these impactful and versatile materials can change the light in a room and add warmth.

They can create a spa-like atmosphere or evoke an old-world sensibility, and some types of microcement can be waterproof. I often use it in spaces like a mud room or home gym, where I need something more durable than textured drywall.

Antique accents

Antiques and vintage pieces never really left our homes, but for a while, they were passed over for items with a modern esthetic. But over the last few years, we've seen the popularity of pre-loved accents and furniture steadily growing again, and it was evident that antiques were back in a big way at IDS.

It's time to look beyond your grandmother's fussy Victorian parlour table and see the ways rougher and more utilitarian pottery and raw wood pieces — like the boards, basins and trays spotted at Hauer Market's booth — can fit into your home. They're guaranteed to make any space feel layered. 

Reclaimed materials 

Given the vast amount of waste and pollution the industry creates each year, it was exciting to hear conversations about sustainability at IDS and see companies like Ouroboros Deconstruction and Arcana Materials, which recover wood, brick and other masonry products from demolitions. 

Not only are these environmentally responsible options, but they're also more appealing esthetically. In my opinion, the warmth and tactile quality of some reclaimed materials eclipses brand new finishes.

If you're considering a renovation or new build, look to local salvage companies when shopping for materials. You might get lucky and find beautiful wide-plank flooring; the quality of old-growth wood, with its tight grain, is far superior to new wood products. 

And reclaimed brick can be used for flooring — in a high-traffic area, like an entryway or mud room — for walls or a charming garden path.