So, you look around your living room, and it feels as bland as a plain bagel. I get it. An interior design style is not easy to choose, especially after every single Pinterest scroll, you begin to doubt even your entire aesthetics. But don’t worry, I got you. I will discuss all new A to Z series on interior design styles in this blog to help you finally determine your aesthetic. You may also reach out to the nearest interior design companies in Abu Dhabi if you are still lost because they will easily bring you your dream space while you sip your pricey latte.
Factors to be considered while choosing the most popular interior design style
So, you are all set on choosing the most popular design. Ok but before you go all in on a style, let’s talk about reality because trust me, a space that looks good but doesn’t work for your space is a guaranteed recipe for regret.
Here’s what actually matters before you actually commit:
1. Lifestyle
If you have kids, pets, or spend your talent towards spilling coffee, then an all-white aesthetic is not on your friend list either.
Remember, the place you live in cannot just look good but has to fit with how you actually live. Love hosting? You need comfy seating. Or work from home? Then you need a space that actually works for you.
Don’t design for an idealized version of your life instead design something which you can actually live.
2. Budget
I would say I can do Quiet Luxury on a thrift store budget, but let’s be real some styles actually require a bigger budget. If you’re flush, spend freely without worry. Still, if you’re short for cash, concentrate on statement pieces that can reflect your personal style.
You can achieve styles like Retro Revival, Eclectic Chaos, or Hollywood Regency without breaking the bank just visit second-hand shops, and DIY projects.
3. Maintenance
I had learned the hard way that high maintenance decor is actually a nightmare itself. Velvet furniture? It may look stunning, but the only bad thing is the constant cleaning of it.
Open shelving? Certainly, it looks great until you realize how much dust it collects daily. Some like Wabi-Sabi or Organic Modern, whereas others like Traditional or Parisian Chic.
So be clear what you want. Do your battle now or in future you will curse yourself for turning your home into a high-maintenance nightmare.
4. Commitment Level
There are some styles that need it all to take place while some other styles that you can apply incrementally.
If you’re the kind of person who is always changing their mind, then maybe Industrial Loft isn’t the best place: here the entire look relies on architectural finishes and materials which you can’t easily replace.
Eclectic Chaos? Or Youthful Pop? Those options allow you to mix and match, meaning that you’re not house-committed. Before you dive in too deep try to know yourself.
5. Value for money
There is a time when people actually buy unnecessary things to decorate their house. But now, it is all about value for money.
If I don’t get something which is useful and same time saves a lot of money, I don’t take it. All, the interior design styles here are specifically chosen as per your budget.
You may go for Japandi, Parsian chic or Victorian, we share all the tips on how you can save a lot of value and time. And I understand that you may think you have a lot of money. Then also the best bang for your budget is always the best choice.
A-Z design
A – Art Deco Glam
Image source: architecturaldigest
I would bathe my entire apartment in gold and walk away with it, oh honey. I can glisten my space. Every step into my living room should make me feel like a 1920s heiress, champagne in hand, effortlessly glamorous.
The whole thing is based around looking expensive even while your bank account won’t let you. Pro tip: your best go-to sources should be thrift stores and estate sales.
Once you got something like a vintage gold bar cart for $40 and it alone makes your living room seem like you are actually some rich old men.
B – Boho Maximalism
Image source: courtneysworld.co
Previously, I used to think that I wasn’t a “boho” person, but then I accidentally bought one macramé wall hanging and my house now looks like an artsy influencer’s fever dream.
As I love colour and patterns. I love this stuff. If an artist’s space doesn’t look lived in, does it even count? The trick is all about making it feel conscious.
Otherwise, it just looks like you hoard rattan furniture and vintage rugs (which, let’s be honest, I do). Also, plants. Everywhere. I even have a pathos in my shower. Is it normal? No. Do I care? Also, no
C – Coastal Grandmother
Image source: bhg.com
I went one weekend to my rich aunt’s beach house and I had never been into this, but now I am after visiting. I mean, neutral linen mixed with crisp white sofas creates the feeling of wealthiness.
And suddenly I’m sipping herbal tea and strolling the beach in a cashmere sweater, as if I belong in a Forbes lifestyle magazine. The secret of this look is that it is a lot simple and breezy.
Light colours, soft fabrics, and a clutter-free space can easily create the illusion that you spend weekends collecting seashells instead of binging reality TV. The idea is to get some striped cushions, and a big squishy sofa that leads you to take a nap.
D – Dark Academia
Image source: decorilla
Listen. This is your vibe if you have ever dramatically stared out of a window during the rain. Honestly, I’ve always dreamed of living in a dark moody library filled with all the centuries-old books, feeling like a character in a gothic novel.
For those who romanticize literally everything, Dark Academia is a dream. Drinking coffee? It’s a ritual. Lighting a candle? It sets the mood.
Lots of deep, rich colours are the trick, emerald green, navy blue, all the dark wood tones, etc. With a leather chair that reads a dramatic reading nook boom.
It feels like Your fate will end somewhere under mysterious circumstances and you will be the main character of a novel where someone dies.
E – Eclectic Chaos
Image source: artfasad.com
I thrive in chaos. Not mess, make me remind you, I said chaos. The kind of chaos that somehow looks intentional. It’s like if you look at two things that are totally different with the concept of ‘that would actually work’ and you think that, welcome to the club.
I love mixing old and new, classic and quirky. Antique coffee table, mid-century modern couch, whatever wall art I found by the time at the old store. Are you an impulse buyer? It is the best part of this style.
If you love it, it belongs. The balance is in making it feel that way, which I might stridently pretend that I know how to do while shuffling random decorative objects at 2 AM.
F – Farmhouse Modern
Image source: decorilla
When I want a client house to look and feel like a farm + modern home, then I choose this type of design. The best part? soft neutrals, reclaimed wood, and all of those cozy ass textures is just homey.
The problem is, you got to be careful because if you go too far, then all of a sudden, your house looks like a house that never actually got fixed up.
For me that’s one statement: a barn door is all I need. White sofas also are not for those who spill things. Learn from my mistakes.
G – Gothic Revival
Image source: britannica.com
This is my soul. I would live in a castle with some giant stone fireplaces and stained glass. However, as I can’t, I just get into the moody vibes. Dark walls? Done. Dramatic chandeliers?
Absolutely. I like the part that looks both creepy and chic, that of black velvet curtains, and no, my home isn’t haunted yet. The best part? If you felt luxury but it wasn’t expensive, that would be luxury.
And that’s what this one is. A few ornate vintage frames, deep jewel tones, and suddenly my tiny apartment feels like the setting of a gothic novel. If only there was a secret passageway I could actually use like batman.
H – Hollywood Regency
Image source: pinterest
I want my home to make me feel like a celebrity from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I also need velvet. I need mirrored surfaces. I need drama. I am obsessed with it for that reason (everything is added in the best possible way).
That’s why I skipped the basic couch and went for a plush jewel-toned velvet masterpiece that practically begs you to lounge on it like you’re in a perfume ad.
My biggest tip: metallic accents everywhere gold, silver, black lacquer if you’re bold enough. And my coffee table? A reflective surface. My lamps? Gold-trimmed. My soul? Over-the-top. It is like walking into a room and thinking, “damn I feel expensive.”
I – Industrial Loft
Image source: work-tops.com
Pinterest is the culprit for my obsession with exposed brick. There’s just something about that raw, unfinished look that try to speak with me.
I want some high ceilings, banister exposed beams and enough metal fixtures to give my place the abandoned factory look but chic.
Everything about it is that effortlessly cool sartorial look of slightly ruggedness that may or may not be drinking espresso while working on your new creative project (real project or watching Netflix in a hoodie).
In fact, this style isn’t for those who love warmth and coziness. I once put a soft and fluffy rug, and it seemed like betrayal. Gritty, masculine energy, concrete, wood, steel and leather is embraced by industrial lofts.
If it bears the look of something that might have been salvaged from a former warehouse, then it is.
J – Japandi
Image source: euphoriainteriors
Although minimalist, it is not cold and empty. The Japandi style is essentially a mix of Scandinavian design and Japanese Zen baby, and I’m all in.
It’s like neutral blended colours across the palette and a little cozy texture to make your home feel secluded, and clean lines that will soften your space. My rule? Beautiful and functional is everything (hence why I tossed half my junk when I adopted this style).
No clutter, no unnecessary decorations and only just essentials that spark joy. Warmth, simplicity and only the things that you actually need. When you walk into the door, you feel calm.
But I understand some folks might say it ‘is too plain.’ Nobody understands that a beautifully organised shelf with nothing but three things on it is so stunning. I don’t need 37 throw pillows. I need peace.
K – Kitsch
Image source: pinterest
Success is having at least one ridiculously quirky décor piece that makes guests say, ‘What the hell is that?” Those who do not take interior design too seriously, and honestly? I love that energy.
Send me brights, retro, and 1950s diner looking furniture. And there is a room sized collection of vintage postcards framed in my hallway.
What about my salt and pepper shakers? Little flamingos, obviously. It is not about being trendy, it’s more about having fun. I only ask myself, “Do I need this,” if I’m standing at a flea market while seeing something ridiculous.
I wonder aloud whether this would actually inspire my space to feel more like a freakish movie set. I’m inclined to buy it if the answer is yes. No regrets.
L – Luxe Minimalism
Image source: architectandinteriorsindia
Sometimes, I want my home to look like a quiet luxury style which is not flashy, just effortlessly expensive-looking. Luxe minimalism is the best design for that.
The things are not in number, they’re in kind. My rule: If it’s in my house, it needs to look good and also feel luxurious.
To that effect, I switched my dispenser out for a pretty marble one. My bedding? All white, all premium cotton, and wrinkle-free.
My colour palette? Neutrals, but like expensive-looking neutrals. Soft beige, creamy taupe, black though in contrast.
M – Mid-Century Modern
Image source: stylebyemilyhenderson
Whether or not anyone says that this style will fade away in the future is irrelevant to me now, it will never go out of fashion. And I have a strong reason as it’s been thriving since the 1950s.
Wood tones, sleek lines and mid-century modern somehow feels both retro and futuristic at once. My couch? Low-profile, slightly curved, and standing on tapered wooden legs.
My coffee table? Probably teak, definitely vintage. My light fixtures? Sputnik-style, obviously. The best part? You don’t even have to go all the way to mid-century even.
These are a few well-placed pieces: Maybe a credenza with that signature, those slender legs or a simple statement chair of perfect curves and what was once tacky all of a sudden look right at home in an old design magazine. My tip? Thrift. Thrift. Thrift.
Keep it in your mind, pick up original mid-century pieces wherever you look, as they are built far better than overpriced junk in today’s stores.
N – Neo-Classical
Image source: decorilla
I’m not interested in a home that doesn’t make me feel like a modern-day aristocrat. Instead, I love Neo-classical: grandeur, marble, columns and insipid mouldings, and grand drapery.
I want more of my guests to walk in and have them thinking, ‘Wow! Does a duchess live here, even though sitting on my couch in sweat pants eating take out.’ Was it the key to make it work without drastically looking over the top? Balance.
I combine antique furniture look with modern lighting. The colour palette chosen is soft, and I do not time travel from the 1800s by using whites, greys, pastels.
Gold accents also do not escape my attention. Do you not even own a house with a gilded mirror? No Neo-Classical touches in your home? Didn’t think so.
O – Organic Modern
Image source: luxesource.com
I don’t know when I began to be the type of person where there is noise about wood grain and imperfect pottery, but what we have is what we have.
Organic Modern makes my space feel calm, sophisticated, and effortlessly earthy like I drink matcha and do yoga (even if I don’t).
It has a nice neutral tone without being boring, achieves minimalism without feeling like I live in a showroom. My absolute must-haves? The type of furniture that looks like a piece of modern art, the texture of the fabrics also needs to feel great to touch, the wood, linen, stone that just speak sophistication.
You need at least one statement ceramic vase that looks like it belongs in a high-end gallery. If not, are you even trying?
P – Parisian Chic
Image source: leoncechenal.com
Parisian interiors would have me swear like I should be dramatically sipping an espresso while looking effortlessly elegant living in sweatpants.
It’s a style about all those hard times gone and now you just inheriting this phenomenal taste that you just casually have over the course. The secret? A dark space with limited bursts of colour, antique furniture that conjures up a period like a French film scene.
And my favourite part? Mixing all those old and new. A sleek modern sofa with a gilded mirror. I am Obsessed. And an antique coffee table next to a contemporary lamp?
Absolutely. The success is all in not trying too hard. And that’s the magic of Parisian homes, because over the years they seem as if they have been turned into beautiful homes.
Q – Quiet Luxury
Image source: decorilla
This is a rich people’s design, but it was made subtle. There are no big logos, no flamboyant decoration, just big money represented by a beautifully designed space that hums, “I am wealthy, but don’t need to show it off.”
And honestly? I want that for me. Everything is about perfectly designed furniture, high end materials like marble or cashmere and a hardly expensive colour palette.
People who want a vacation in the South of France will think of soft neutrals, natural light, and pieces that look like they were photographed for a magazine spread.
Instead of chasing trends, I invest in a few quality pieces so I won’t hate my decor in a year. If you’re not touching your furniture and thinking, ‘Damn, this feels luxurious,’ you’re probably doing it wrong.
R – Retro Revival
Image source: birlaa1.com
We are reviving those 70s’, 80s’ and 90s’ babies, and I’ll take all of it. Retro is not a quest for a time capsule house, but doing the things of the decades, and making them fit in today’s world. Me?
A bold funky statement piece is what I cannot resist. A mustard-yellow couch? Yes. Could it be a geometric rug of sorts that could belong to a 1975 bachelor pad? Absolutely.
The key here is balance; so, it doesn’t appear as if it’s your grandma’s basement. Even better? Mixing vintage finds with modern elements. My dream? Choosing the right vintage record player without covering my tracks with streaming all my Spotify.
S – Scandinavian
Image source: designcafe.com
Would a stylish Danish person own this? Every time I attempt to declutter. It has to go if the answer is no. Scandinavian design is for happy people who crave having a home that is warm and minimal, simple and purpose driven, cozy and never crowded.
As for me, I cannot live without wood tones, neutral textiles and just enough decor to make the place feel inviting, not like I overdid it. And let’s talk about hygiene.
If my couch doesn’t have an oversized throw blanket and my coffee table isn’t accessorized with a ceramic mug and a book (that I may or may not have read), I am living.
T – Traditional
Image source: acucraft.com
A traditional house has this richness about it. And like me, if you have ornate furniture, a fireplace that’s perfectly styled then this will make you feel like you’re at your grandmother’s place.
I used to think that this was for some fancy people who ‘do tea’, (as they say, instead of coffee or something like Starbucks tumbler everyone else drinks), but as it turns out, I was wrong.
This look can be pulled off with total ease without plastering your entire savings against antique furniture. The trick? One or two statement pieces.
Throw in a vintage style rug, a beautiful wood dining table, a huge gilded mirror, and your place could be deemed a fashionable frontier by suddenly scoring inherent taste.
U – Urban Jungle
Image source: sfd-craft.com
My house? 50% furniture, 50% plants and zero regrets. There’s no point unless I wake up feeling as though I’m living inside a tropical rainforest.
Organising around greenery, natural textures, and creating this urban jungle is a little escape from reality for me. This is what urban jungle is all about. Vines covering your bookshelves, hanging plants, big leafy monsters (of course Monstera), and finally, plants.
And I know plants die, listen. I’ve had some fair success in murdering my fair share of ferns. But that’s part of the fun! That means you simply keep buying more and then just pretend that it never happened.
My secret weapon? A chic woven basket, this plant is a definite statement plant. It gives a room immediately a designed feel rather than just thrown together.
Bonus point if you can pull off those aesthetic speed misting bottles to mist your plant babies.
V – Victorian
Image source: foyr.com
I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t secretly want to live in a gothic mansion with velvet curtains and chandeliers. If you like ornate decoration, deep wood tones, and furniture with an ancient lineage, Victorian decor is for you.
I want my space to be romantic, gothic, and extravagant enough to make people wonder if I host fancy candlelit dinners. My go-to move?
An old trick, as if this had been stolen from a period drama set. Even if your bookshelves haven’t made at least one dramatic bust or have gold-rimmed antique books, just don’t care.
W – Wabi-Sabi
Image source: decorilla
I have always loved a space that is lived in, slightly imperfect but also really beautiful. Wabi-sabi is the best choice as it has aggressive textures, raw materials, and decor with heart. And my biggest flex?
A handmade ceramic bowl that I have with a crack in it, but it just adds to the appeal of it. That’s the vibe. Not a single thing is too polished, nothing looks project manufactured, there’s a validity of existence.
My favourite trick? Mixing old and new. Maybe a slight beat Chef’s kiss. It belongs if it looks like it has a story. If it’s too perfect, it’s probably boring.
X – Xtreme Contrast
Image source: johndickandson.co.uk
Sometimes, I need drama in my home. If it is not bold like what it says then what is the point? The black and white theme, sharp lines and furniture that commands attention, makes up Xtreme contrast.
I won’t fill in the blank space; instead, I refuse to live in a space that fades into the background. I’m also likely to have one ‘insane’ crazy, high contrast spot whether that’s a huge black and white piece of art or an all-blackout room with a bright white trim that looks monumentally chic.
Some say this style is ‘too harsh’ or ‘too modern ‘but they just have no vision. The key? Balance. If you go all in with the high contrast then make sure you add some warm texture (wood or cozy textiles) to prevent it from feeling like you live in a futuristic villain’s lair.
Y – Youthful Pop
Image source: sadesign.ai
I am not interested in my decor that doesn’t spark joy. The goal of youthful pop is to just have fun, to break rules, and to cover as much colour (necessarily) as you can into your project.
When I lived in my apartment all the neutrals used to be, until one day I decided to fuck it up and bought a neon pink chair that has brought me an endless amount of happiness.
Playful energy if you are into it, it’s the fun version. Go for the quirky couch, add bold prints, and do not be afraid of the clashing of colours in such a beautiful way.
I also take a fancy to a quirky, unexpected statement piece. A bright yellow lamp? Yes. A giant coffee table shaped like a dice? Hell yes. The second someone walks in your place; you should make them smile.
Z – Zen Retreat
Image source: designcafe.com
Sometimes our life faces so much pressure that we need some place to relax. People who just want peace, calm and the absence of all the unnecessary clutter that soak their energy.
Then Zen retreat style is the best choice. I can swear, when I will change my puzzling sofa gallery of furniture for soft neutrals and cosy minimalism, I will make the pattern to start sleeping better. It’s all scientifically proven. The goal? Make a place where you feel relaxed at once.
My must-haves? A low-profile bed with crisp white linen, a plush rug, and spa-scented candles and that’s my dream. Get rid of all the space that isn’t making you pause to catch your breath the second you walk in.
Final Thoughts
The best interior style is the one that brings you happiness. The trends will come and go but Your home should feel like yours not a staged showroom. Gothic Revival, Scandinavian, Eclectic Chaos, whatever you’re choosing, it is all about making it yours and if you require help in putting it all together? There is nothing wrong with conveying your visualisations to Dubai’s top interior design companies and let’s admit it, sometimes, it’s best to leave things to the pros.
