11 Moody Design Trends That Took Over Homes This Year (And One We're Ready To Ditch)

As personality-filled interiors come back into style, moody decor is a trending antithesis of the bright and minimalist rooms that have been reigning supreme. However, the term doesn't encapsulate a single aesthetic. Rather, it can include some of the most popular decorating styles, but with certain elements chosen to create a moody atmosphere. If you're a little dark and dramatic at heart, you might be drawn to this vibe.

Key aspects of creating a moody room include a dark color palette along with rich and warm tones (for example, deep wood stains and jewel- or berry-tone palettes). There tends to be an emphasis on layered textural elements like curtains, rugs, throw pillows, and upholstered furniture. Incorporating rich, natural materials like wood, leather, wool, and velvet also adds a cozy feel and low and warm lighting is the perfect finishing touch.

If you're sold on moody interiors, you might still be looking for direction on how to narrow your design style down. You also might be wondering how to integrate it with your current decor. For inspiration, we've rounded up some moody design trends that took over homes this year — and one that we're ready to move on from.

With the rise of maximalism (you can learn more in our ultimate guide to maximalist decor), many people are taking inspiration from more extravagant, traditional decorating styles of the past. Traditional styles often draw from historic European home interiors (mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries). Deep color palettes like dark reds, browns, greens, blues, and warm golds are typical of this aesthetic, and they all contribute to moodiness and coziness. Intricate details are also common in traditional decor, the opposite of simplicity, but it's not over the top. Think understated and elegant, and when done in a dark color palette, it's beautifully moody. 

Real wood furniture and paneling are common, especially in darker hues. Traditional decor also incorporates lots of softness, texture, and patterns. Classic florals, damask, and other vintage motifs work well with the cozy aspect of moody decor.

To create a moody traditional room, you can include a classic wool rug, dark wood carved furniture, and traditional light fixtures. The Corla Hand Tufted Wool Rug from Birch Lane has a traditional Turkish-style pattern that is deep and dramatically hued. For an eye-catching and multi-purpose piece, look for an option like Butler's Bihar Hand-Painted Chest from Perigold that can serve as art, an end table, and storage. As for lighting, a traditional take like the Regency Hill Traditional Style Table Lamp from Amazon is fairly affordable but can add character and ambiance to a room. 

Traditional decor can veer a little intricate and even suffocating to some people. If moody traditional living spaces feel stuffy to you, consider the similar but less intense transitional style instead. Transitional style blends traditional and modern elements and has been gaining popularity for some time. Classic touches bring warmth but are pared down and combined with contemporary elements for a balanced look. Largely light and bright palettes have been a hallmark of transitional spaces but as design took a more daring, personality-filled turn this last year, darker twists on this style started flowing in. 

If you want to take a transitional space from plain vanilla to something a little more bold, lean into antiques, lush textures, and dark accents. You can start with a neutral background and layer traditional elements in deep tones. Or, vice versa, you could start with a traditional room (like one with wood paneling, crown molding, or antique lighting), then add contemporary furniture and decor.

Either way, when choosing pieces, lean toward darker colors and cozy designs if you'd like a moody look. Some great examples include the Muirfield Sculptural Metal Accent Chair by Jake Arnold, which has traditional-looking finishes but is toned down with clean lines. Or, something like these HIG Decorative Round Pleated Throw Pillows can add a vintage-inspired air to a sofa. And, it's hard to go wrong with a traditional rug paired with modern furniture. Something like Syalife's Washable Area Rug from Amazon (which comes in a deep red hue) can ground rooms with a neutral, lightly-hued sofa or loveseat.

Sparked by a sudden appearance of historical dramas in pop culture, we have a new moody design style in the house: royalcore. The royalcore aesthetic goes beyond just traditional and sumptuous. This decor style is the next step up that creates spaces fit for royalty. It draws from traditional European designs and is lavish, opulent, and not afraid to be over the top. If you're wanting to decorate your home like Bridgerton, this is the style to follow. Key aspects of the trendy royalcore look include intricate, expensive-feeling detailing, rich fabrics, and decorations and trinkets that make your space appear palatial and extravagant.

The traditional detailing of royalcore can already give it a sense of moodiness. Old money-style decorations often have a historic drama to them. For example, rooms can be dominated by lighter colors, but details like patterned walls, dark classical paintings, and wood furniture pieces still create a moody tone. You can lean into the feel even more with a deep and dark color palette, incorporating regal tones like burgundy, emerald, and deep purple. This can help make a royalcore room feel more grown-up and elegant rather than princess-y and child-like, which can occur if the color palette is too powdery.
 
Decor with classical art motifs will fit right in, like the Simon's Shop Baroque Style Wall Mirror. Look for more ornate furniture pieces that are also functional, like this Miri Hand Carved Credenza. Velvet is a material associated with regal interiors, so a piece like Jennifer Taylor's Oval Fringe Storage Bench can add a bit of this stately material. You can also scour thrift shops, estate sales, and online marketplaces for baroque-style settees and chairs. Thick, heavy drapes can help complete the look as well as opulent-looking light fixtures, such as chandeliers and ornate candelabras. 

Dark academia is a popular moody aesthetic, both in home decor and in fashion. This style is preppy and dark, influenced by rich and gloomy old-fashioned English boarding school vibes. Spaces with dark academia style often incorporate literary-related furniture and decor, like old-fashioned library and reading room-inspired decorations. You can take this idea and make it elegant and proper, or a bit more eclectic and less curated (as would befit a bookish scholar).

Dark academia has many similarities to traditional decor styles, but more literary-influenced elements. Bookshelves are a must for this decor style. A shelf like the Burke Set of Traditional Bookcases has an old-style wood construction, a ladder, and a dark stain that fits right in with this theme. You can also use stacks of books to decorate surfaces, like tables, consoles, and mantels. The Frenchi Home Furnishing Tall Pedestal End Table can hold a small stack and a warm accent lamp to set a moody tone. Worn leather armchairs or soft velvet couches in dark hues can create cozy places to read while adding to the dramatic look.

Last year didn't just see dark academia reigning strong, a softer sibling style also entered the mix — proving that moody aesthetics don't always have to be dark and dim. For those who still want a moody feeling but with a less intense color scheme, consider light academia. It has all the aspects of dark academia, but in a paler palette. This decor style leans heavily on traditional and academia-inspired pieces to contribute to its moody feel. Light doesn't mean stark and bright though. If you go too white with the wall color, it will take things out of the moody territory. So, think along the lines of the creamy hue of old book pages with a paint color like Paper Mache by Benjamin Moore.

A large and dark bookcase full of vintage books goes far in creating an academia decor style. But for light academia, you can incorporate softer-colored furniture pieces. For example, the Carlisle Tightback Chair from Pottery Barn. It's available in a variety of upholstery colors and patterns (soft cream or a vintage pattern will look lovely), and it has a traditional English silhouette that suits dark or light academia rooms. The Caroline Small White Mahogany Chest is an example of a lighter piece of furniture that is weathered, toned down, and reads as moody. And with a pretty design that blends dramatic metal and pastel glass, the Eloise Glass Table Lamp from Anthropologie will look beautiful on a side table as a cozy reading light.

If you're wondering how to do maximalist decor as a beginner, just remember one phrase: "More is more." Maximalist decor involves decorating with pieces you love, but it's less systematic than eclectic decor. Instead of choosing a few decor styles and mixing them together (which often sums up the eclectic style) it's about choosing bold items you love (and lots of them), which also look nice together. And if they don't? Don't worry, that's just another trending style that's slightly different from maximalism called cluttercore (the key difference between maximalist and cluttercore is that the latter can lean more cute and chaotic). But to get back to the business at hand — a dark palette and rich materials can give maximalism an immersive, moody feel. 

Essentially, this means choosing thoughtfully-curated stuff you love, and as much as you want of it, but sticking with a darker color scheme to make it moodier. Don't be afraid to be kitschy or use an excess of color and pattern. While we can suggest some products, it's really about choosing items you like, and you don't need to stick to certain decor styles. The MacKenzie-Childs Moonlight Garden Rumor Has It Ottoman is both maximalist and moody. And, you can't go wrong with a dark tapestry, like the Green Acanthus Tapestry, which can add detail to a wall.

Beautifully rugged, earthy, and a little rough around the edges, rustic home design is well-loved by those who like to feel cozy. Dating back more than a hundred years to the mid-1800s, over the last couple of decades the term rustic became a bit of a buzz word, and the aesthetic happily co-existed in the zeitgeist alongside more contemporary trends. It uses lots of natural and aged materials, especially wood, matte metals, and soft fur textures. Over the last few years, rustic styles tended to combine these types of elements with light paint colors and textiles (think rough wood beams and reclaimed wood, set against white walls and cream sofas). But as designers and DIY decorators alike started dabbling in darker palettes, this standard combination is making room for moodier takes. 

When it's done in dark colors, like deep wood tones and black accent decor, rustic rooms can already have a welcoming vibe. To accentuate the soothing feeling, take inspiration from remote and old-fashioned wintery countryside cabins. Using vintage elements can give rustic decor a sense of history that also contributes to its moodiness. 

Sticking with the dark theme, the Lavish Hand-Knotted Black Floral Wool Area Rug from CB2 is extremely cozy and has an enviable deep color. The vintage-style floral design is perfect for a rustic living space since it's nature-inspired. Forest- and animal-related elements are popular in rustic homes, particularly those related to hunting, so something like this resin Antler Taper Centerpiece can add to the ambiance of your dining room table. A sheepskin rug also works well with the style. You can opt for one like the Torin Sheepskin Rug from Pottery Barn, which comes in a few dark shades (dark brown, gray, or black) to suit the moody color palette.

The industrial decor style is inspired by settings like warehouses and factories. This style favors high ceilings, exposed elements like bricks, pipes, and beams, and a slightly unfinished look that's a bit grungy but also polished. It's relaxed but has a somber edge that can make it feel moody. Like rustic styles, industrial design hasn't seen an explosive rise to popularity like maximalism — but instead has been an enduringly favorite aesthetic that's experienced various degrees of popularity for decades. To channel the stormy, sexily sombre side of this style, lean into deep hues like red bricks, intense wood stains, and dark metals like wrought iron. This is in contrast to an airier industrial aesthetic, which might use copper or white painted metals, light stained wood, and whitewashed brick to make the design feel brighter.

Along with raw materials, industrial design style is often simple and utilitarian. For example, the metal and wood Best Choice Products Round Industrial Coffee Table is void of ornate detailing. Warehouse and manufacturing-inspired decor can help channel the industrial theme, so see if you can thrift items from old factories. It's also possible to incorporate color into industrial rooms, for example, the olive green Gioia Metal Accent Cabinet from Wayfair is entirely metal to fit the style but comes in a moody muted green.

Maybe it's the reputation for rainy weather or just the general coziness of historic interiors, but the English country home style is easy to make delightfully melancholy and moody. This style takes inspiration from cottages in the region's countryside. It includes similar elements as traditionally styled spaces but is more quaint, cozy, and lived-in, rather than sumptuous. Think skirted sofas and settees in floral upholstery, gingham prints, blue and white china, or charming chintz curtains. It's casual and relaxed, while gaining character from vintage and intricately-decorated pieces. After comfortably existing as a decidedly non-trendy decorating style, segments of social media have become enamored with the English country home aesthetic. Cottagecore has become a trending hashtag on places like TikTok, and upscale designers are showcasing how English country cottage elements can create gorgeous spaces that manage to feel fresh and nostalgic all at the same time. 

As we mentioned above, this style already has a moody undercurrent. Depending on the tones and textiles you use, you can amplify this further. Layering is important, so don't be afraid to use lots of textiles (upholstered furniture, blankets, cushions, and curtains, particularly in antique patterns) as well as displaying trinkets. A cozy armchair, like this English Roll Arm Chair in a deeply hued velvet is so incredibly charming. A melancholy English country home needs curtains, and something like the Laney Floral Curtains from West Elm are appropriately moody.

Biophilic decor focuses on the relationship between people and nature, often taking outdoor natural elements like plants and bringing them indoors to create a home jungle. Lush, plant-filled homes have been trending for years, usually against a light and airy backdrop. But if you're a plant lover who's over the Scandinavian home style, you'll be excited at the moody turn this aesthetic has taken, and all it requires is a shift in color palette. Place your assortment of plants against a darker and nature-inspired backdrop for a stormier, more brooding take on the trend.

You can do so with patterned elements like floral wallpaper and nature-inspired upholstery in deep colors. For example, Wayfair's Tropical Leaves curtains have a shady jungle pattern. Dark-colored floral patterns also work for this style if you want it to look more feminine. The Hale Floral Ottoman is a lovely choice for this kind of look. Also, if you want to add even more foliage to a moody biophilic room, consider houseplants with leaves that are a deep black, green, or purple such as an Alocasia Black Velvet or a Black ZZ Plant.

Mid-century modern interiors have been trending hard since the late 2000s and won't go out of style anytime soon — they're functional and at this point, pretty iconic. The style's modern furniture and decor are simplistic, geometric, and minimalistic yet stylish. It has elements of warmth that make it feel cozier than stark minimalism, which includes using polished wood and curved lines. Accent colors inject personality and provide the perfect opportunity to add moodiness. The darker palettes the design world is dabbling with have flowed into mid-century modern resulting in some stunning spaces. Dark teal, burgundy, sage green, and mustard are particular favorites for this style. 

Pieces in deep hues like Wrofly's Emerald Green Loveseat create an ideal juxtaposition between moodiness and the sleek lines the style is known for. Keep in mind, the warmth and brightness of your lighting can make or break the moodiness of a space. So, look for options that allow you to customize the feel of your room like Karjoefar's Floor Lamp with multiple temperature settings. 

Interiors are leaning cozier as people are veering away from ultra-minimalist decorating styles. And, moody interiors can scratch that itch for a more welcoming home. A dark color palette is one step towards this, but it's not the only factor. If you try to make your modern home moodier by just painting some surfaces black, it might not quite achieve a homey feel and could even feel stark and sterile. Furniture with jarring lines and elements with dramatic finishes can read moody, of course. However, they can also create a space that's more morgue-feeling than comforting.

There's nothing wrong with this style if it suits you, but if you want your home to lean snug and personable, you'll want to take a purposeful approach. More curves and softness (both in terms of shapes and textiles) can balance modern touches and intense hues. Cozier furniture and vintage touches can help moody spaces avoid a dark and cold aura, making them feel homey and welcoming instead.