Pantone 2025 Color of the Year - Interior Design Trends

PANTONE recently announced Mocha Mousse as the 2025 Color of the Year, and this rich, warm hue simultaneously brings to mind both luxury and comfort. Along with giving us a craving for real mocha mousse, the PANTONE announcement offers us a chance to reflect on how we incorporate this color scheme into our designs as well as how this shade fits into what we are forecasting trends for 2025.

We love bursts of color at SHID, yet we often find ourselves anchoring rooms with neutral tones. There is something classic and soothing about creating a neutral palette by blending elements such as wood floors, paneling, and furniture. In order to create rooms that are intriguing visually and texturally, we juxtapose these grounding (and natural) components with crisp whites or patterns incorporating an array of shades.

Neutral tones allow for versatility in interior design, as you can easily incorporate them in a variety of unique designs. We use neutrals often in our designs, such as this powder room, and the open concept kitchen, and study below. While they differ quite a bit in purpose and aesthetics, all use neutrals as a strong and timeless base. Adding detail, texture, and color allows us to craft distinct spaces that reflect the personalities and sensibilities of the room’s inhabitants.

Warm neutrals like the Mocha Mousse palette imbue spaces with a cozy yet indulgent vibe. Pairing them with cooler neutrals (such as tans and creams) make spaces feel elegant and calm. However, incorporating these hues within a palette that includes floral shades creates a contrast that feels vibrant and playful without being oversaturated or distracting.

The popularity of a color like Mocha Mousse confirms our forecast that more natural and earthy colors and textures will be in favor in the near future.

As we witnessed at High Point Market and trade shows as well as we have seen from our own clients’ wishes, designs that help create a warmer and more grounded feel are trending. People want to gather and connect with friends and loved ones in spaces that give off comfortable and comforting vibes, and incorporating warm, cozy neutrals like Mocha Mousse is just one versatile way to create a welcoming atmosphere.

As we head into 2025, we’re excited to see what other trends emerge (we’re placing our bets on a rediscovered love of sunshine-y yellow and re-imagined retro chic style from the 80s). In the meantime, we wish you and yours a warm and festive holiday season!

6 Cozy Spaces Perfect for Fall Gatherings

Each fall, we find ourselves looking forward to spending intentional time with friends and loved ones. After summer months spent traveling and embracing different (dare we say, less frenetic) schedules, there’s something about the cool weather that encourages us to gather together again, and our homes are a favorite spot for this type of entertaining.

At Sara Hillery Interior Design, we focus on making spaces that are usable and functional year round, and taking into consideration the social habits of the homeowners with whom we work is a critical part of the planning process. As a result, these spaces are naturally ready to host parties, small get-togethers, and family nights in.

With the holidays on the horizon, we are sharing 6 spaces and the design details that encourage gatherings and get-togethers with your favorite people. 

1.

fireside glow

This room radiates coziness, and has a tech-free touch we love: there’s no television to be found! The entertainment is sitting across from one another and catching up with rich wood paneling, plush couches with oversized pillows, and a vintage rug all inviting conversation. Get a fire blazing and everyone will naturally tuck in for an afternoon or evening together.

2. take it outside

Outdoor spaces can be cozy too, and, as green-minded designers, we encourage being outside for as long as the weather allows it. Surrounded by nature yet protected from the elements, this screened-in porch offers the best of both worlds. Diffused lighting sources and outdoor entertainment keep gatherings going for hours so bring out some extra blankets and warm beverages and settle in.

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4. A simple design trick

Not everyone loves a big get-together, but a simple design trick can help create more intimate spaces within any size setting. A small table with an activity such as cards or a mini chess board (or perhaps some coloring supplies for little ones) give smaller groups the opportunity to settle in and feel comfortable.

3. Create a cozy nook

Breakfast nooks are a great way to make the kitchen, already the landing spot for most people, into a real hotspot since they maximize available space. No matter what age people are, there’s something joyful about squeezing in around a big table with a variety of snacks to offer.

5. queue music

Need to take a social occasion to the next level? Simply add music. Nothing brings together a group quicker than playing the first few bars of a beloved classic tune–who can resist “Sweet Caroline”? If you’ve got a musician in your house, have him or her take a seat at the piano or ask for volunteers to turn your get together into a sing-a-long.

6. elbow room

This room’s open floor plan is perfect for get-togethers: hosts can prepare and offer food, serve drinks, and mingle all while their guests are within eyesight. We designed this space with unique architectural details such as the coffered ceiling, which adds a central point of interest. The living room design and layout allows for guests to easily flow from the kitchen with ample space to move around. The rooms neutral tones coupled with colorful soft furnishings creates a sense of warmth, encouraging guests to relax.

Does your home feel prepared for entertaining this holiday season? Considering a space refresh or complete design overhaul? We are here to help, contact us today!

Pantone Color of The Year 2022

PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, Pantone’s color of the year (and a brand-new color creation), was selected to reflect our changed and changing world. It’s a bold and brand-new color creation that, according to the Pantone Color Institute, “ displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions”.

We are all about courageous creativity and bringing a more joyous attitude into our lives and our homes, and colors in the periwinkle family are surprisingly versatile. Veri Peri, which brings together beloved, calming blue with an energizing violet red undertone, can be used throughout the home to give small doses of color therapy.

Between zoom fatigue, the uncertainty of the next few months, and the fact that most of us feel like we’ve been in our own personal Groundhog Day movie since March 2020, injecting a little zest and vibrancy into our lives sounds pretty appealing right now. Cheers to the new year and to new energy in our homes and in our lives!Between zoom fatigue, the uncertainty of the next few months, and the fact that most of us feel like we’ve been in our own personal Groundhog Day movie since March 2020, injecting a little zest and vibrancy into our lives sounds pretty appealing right now. Cheers to the new year and to new energy in our homes and in our lives!

Here are a few ideas for how to incorporate this hue:

This floral periwinkle pillow will add a modern touch and a color boost to a sofa or couch in a more neutral shade.

A periwinkle carpet, particularly with a soft, shag texture, is a feast for the eyes…and feels amazingly cozy on feet too.

In Sara Hillery Interior Design’s County Lines textile, the color of the year gets complimented and contrasted with other saturated shades for a playful pattern that subtly salutes Virginia geography.

Entryway periwinkle flowers

Not sure you want to commit long-term to periwinkle in your home? No problem: in this light-filled entryway, a vase of periwinkle flowers brings a natural, lively pop of color.

Happy Earth Day

With many people spending most of their days indoors in front of a screen, it’s no wonder there’s

a pervasive sense of feeling disconnected from nature. It also isn’t a surprise that spending even

a little time regularly in nature does wonders for our health, outlook, and well-being. In honor of

Earth Day we wanted to explore and learn more about Biophillic Design.

“The Green Grid” Courtesy of Kulenturato Carpets

The term “biophilia” was developed by Eric Fromm in the 1960s to describe the human affinity

for the nature-based world. In design, this principle helps guide design decisions to include

elements of nature or pieces that evoke the shapes, textures, and feelings of the natural world.

In layperson’s terms this translates into using rugs made from materials such as sisal or jute,

integrating pieces of art that transport us to dense forests or peaceful beaches, creating spaces

that allow for the most natural light possible, even choosing antique furniture that display the effect of time.

Design Courtesy of Massive Design

Photo Courtesy of Interior Design

We can’t wait to continue exploring biophilic design and it’s power to enhance our connection with the spaces we live in, and creating chic, personal, and practical homes and offices that respond to our natural need for repeated engagement with nature.

Happy Earth Day!

We’ve Got a Whole New Look!

We have been hard at work over the past few months totally overhauling our website, adding more to the services we offer, introducing our online store, and even launching a brand new design platform.

The new and imporoved sarahillery.com

We are so excited to officially debut our new and improved website. We have been working hard upgrading not only the look of our website, but the services we offer. Now you can fill out a design request online, allowing us to get right to work making your house the home you always dreamed of. We have expanded our portfolio with some of our most recent projects. And you can pick from three design services that will suit your unique needs!

Sara Hillery Curated Collection

The Curated Collection is a carefully selected grouping of furniture, case goods, art, accessories, and lighting for sale online as well as the full line of Sara Hillery Home textiles. Our working relationships with vendors across the US and abroad ensures our customers have access to an extensive variety of new, antique and one-of-a-kind products. 

Design Delivered by SH

We have launched an innovative design platform called Design Delivered by SH which brings the design process directly to homeowners who want to work at their own speed. The launch of this platform represents a new approach to home design projects and comes during a shift in the design industry as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Completely contactless, Design Delivered is a web-based platform that gathers an individual’s home project information and design needs and produces a new design all within six weeks.  Whether it’s a complete room re-design or a simple space refresh, Design Delivered produces a comprehensive package put together by Sara Hillery and her team of designers. The package comes with various pricing options, based on the size and scope of the project, and includes a floor plan, a color storyboard and proposals for window treatments, art work, lighting, fabrics, upholstery and paint plans. After a Zoom consultation and accessing a private design portal to upload inspiration images, a questionnaire and how-to measuring guides, the client then receives in the mail a final design box with a plan of paint colors, fabrics, wallpaper, draperies, furniture, accessories and of course a floorplan - all within six weeks.

While you’re here, you might be interested in Five Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer

Pantone Color of The Year

After a year like 2020, most of us could use some uplifting and some grounding. Pantone is ushering in the New Year with two colors that emanate emotions both calm and bright. While Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are not shades we frequently utilize, we’ve gathered some visual ways to make these colors (or similar hues) livable from our past projects. 

Incorporating a shiny golden-hued ceiling is a little like living just a bit closer to the sun. We used warm shades of yellow throughout this room along with gold accents and creams (and even a honey-hued seagrass rug) to keep it light and bright.

Just a pop of this yellow is enough to transform a room. The bone-colored busts of composers, earned from participating in piano recitals and a nod to the family’s avid interest in music) pop, especially when situated within a contrasting black frame.

Sunny yellow and gold unite the furniture, artwork, and accessories in this sitting area, while the subtle differences in shades add texture and vibrancy. The two-toned sofa is a modern, refreshing choice.

Incorporating calming “greige” roman shades might seem like a minor style decision, but they offer just enough contrast to the white carpet and walls to help create a soothing transition for the eye. 

We love all the earth and jewel tones in our client’s beautiful collection of pottery and vases. Selecting sunny yet subtle yellow chairs with matching chevron pillows helps to lift the space while also drawing attention to the variety of pieces on display.

Pantone describes the color duo as a “marriage conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting”, and we hope you begin 2021 harnessing that fortifying, uplifting energy in your homes and in your lives.

My Top Five Trends From High Point Market Fall 2020

We’re officially back from High Point Market (the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world), and we’ve put together a list of the top trends we spotted in home décor for the rest of 2020 and 2021!

1. Extra Deep Sofas

   One of the most interesting trends we saw all over market was extra deep sofas. With so many of us spending more time at home, working from home, binge watching television, and lounging about it makes sense that sofas are getting even more comfortable.

Imagine taking movie night to the nesx level of coziness with this chaise lounge!

2. Global and Travel Inspired Accessories and Materials

We saw a huge amount of global and travel inspired decorative accessories and materials this market. From rattan wrapped light fixtures to painted pottery, to worldly looking figurines and sculptures.

Our favorites were definitely the textural rattan lighting, each fixture is totally unique a will add interest to any space. Check out this chandelier from the Laura Kirar Collection

These rustic figures, masks, and pottery pieces are a perfect option to round out a space. They are great for accessorizing, filling in holes in bookcases, or standing alone as striking art.

Woven wall hangings have been popular for the past few years and the trend is still going strong. Often times, more affordable than paintings, wall hangings are a great alternative!

We are obsessed with these antique plaster molds repurposed as art pieces! Their well-worn wood has so much character and would add interest to any wall or bookshelf.

If you want to create an escape within your own home, look no further than this jungle themed wall mural. The colors and fine detail will definitely make you feel like you are on safari or in the tropics (without all those pesky mosquitoes)

3. Blonde aND wHITE wASHED fINISHES

Blonde and light wood finished are back in a big way! With the rise of boho chic and coastal cool aesthetic on the rise over the past several years, lighter wood finished have been in high demand. We love the way their tones can be easily mixed in with other materials, colors, and textures without overwhelming a space.

Blonde and lighter finishes are so versatile and buildable! Consider swapping out your dark dining table with a lighter option, the depth that can be created by layering textures and tones allows investment pieces, like a dining table to grow and change with your style for years to come!

Coffee tables and dining chairs are also absolutely stunning in light wood, allowing for the finer details of each piece to be highlighted in a way that feels fresh and new!

4. Rich Earth tones

We saw burnt orange, deep greens, and vibrant ochres everywhere!

We were so inspired by this burnt orange velvet sofa! It would look amazing in a room with light, airy walls or it could be right at home in a traditional study with rich, darker materials.

We swooned over these sienna colored leather pillows and poufs. The color is so versatile and could be used as a more dynamic neutral.

Shades of Persimmon offered a softer take on the burnt orange trend.

We found another swoon-worthy velvet sofa in this deep olive green hue. The classic silhouette pairs perfectly the the statement velvet for a cool, classic look. Green has been very popular the past few years, and we are so happy to see that it will continue to show up in home décor!

5. The Marble and Alabaster “Look”

We saw faux and genuine alabaster and marble all over market this season and couldn’t be more excited! With all the difficulties the world is facing during the pandemic, supply chains too have been impacted driving the price of materials through the roof. Faux alabaster and marble products hit market hard and we are so impressed with their quality!

This faux alabaster statement pendant is a show stopper for sure! These curves would cost a small fortune to create out of genuine alabaster, so this faux piece is a stunning alternative.

We found this natural marble occasional table and loved the idea of each piece being totally unique. This simple design is elevated by the use of natural marble and would look amazing in any space.

This planter has son much subtle dimension, it won’t take away from the beautiful plant it holds, but offers so much visual interest.