When developing and deploying new furniture and furnishings, it pays to look ahead. With consumer tastes taking several new directions in 2026-27, Furniture News has again quizzed the industry’s top buyers and trend forecasters on the colours, materials and shapes seeing rising demand, and the lifestyle changes behind them. Here, Laura Jolly-Yan, head of consultancy at TrendBible, shares her predictions …
Homeowners will make more deliberate choices in 2026 – reassessing how they use their time, space and budget. This shift towards purposeful living is already influencing the direction of furniture and interiors, with a growing preference for environments that support wellbeing rather than those that compete for attention.
What this means for furniture design
With lifestyles becoming increasingly fluid, consumers want their homes to feel restorative and uncomplicated. Furniture design is reflecting this mindset, with balanced proportions, quieter aesthetics and materials that invite touch and encourage slower living.
We will see pieces that are visually refined but still expressive come to the fore in 2026. When it comes to the furniture sector, we will see a heightened focus on craftsmanship, thoughtful material selection and multifunctional design.
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Texture will play a larger role too. Smooth matt finishes, soft grains and restrained detailing are gaining favour, supporting a quieter form of luxury that relies on subtlety rather than statement. These choices allow furniture to sit comfortably within a space, contributing to an overall sense of ease.
Restorative aesthetic – Mountain Breeze
One of the key trends for 2026 that we identified at TrendBible is Mountain Breeze. This trend captures the appetite for fresh, pared-back comfort. Drawing inspiration from cooler climates and alpine simplicity, Mountain Breeze creates interiors that feel grounded, and practicality sits at the core of this direction.
Modular construction, adaptable layouts and space-efficient forms all support the needs of modern homes, making Mountain Breeze a useful reference point for manufacturers and retailers responding to changing consumer expectations. It offers a nature-led interpretation of the broader move towards clarity and comfort.
Discover more predictions from industry experts in January's issue.
