It’s true that in the world of interiors, we’re regularly bombarded with must-have colours or pattern. But it’s also true that most of us don’t update our interiors in response to every passing trend. In fact, with decorating projects often involving many months of multiple decisions and much expense, it’s essential that the results stand the test of time. That’s why, beyond those distinctive ‘it’ colours and patterns, interior trends tend to change at a slower pace than those in other industries such as fashion. It’s also why, when it comes to home interiors, it’s essential to look for the slow-change trends to keep your home feeling as current as possible.

Brand McKenzie co-founder Kerry McKenzie reveals six trends for homes in 2023 and the years to come.

ONE: Customised design

Interior design is a means of self-expression, enabling you to create a home that tells the story of who you are, where you’ve been and what you love. It makes sense, therefore, to be able to personalise a design – to make it truly your own – especially as you’ll be looking at it for some time.

All Brand McKenzie wallpapers are available to customise. We use digital printing, which allows us to produce our wallpapers on demand. This means we can customise your design, changing a leopard to a lion, for instance, or a charcoal backdrop to sky blue. It also has the added ecological advantage of no waste; every roll produced has a home to go to!

TWO: Bold design

We are seeing a new-found confidence when it comes to choosing wallpaper. People are now opting for a maximalist look with quirky, adventurous patterns in bold colours that transform bland blank walls into head-turning works of art.

Cue Tropical Daze, Brand McKenzie’s daring debut collection comprising 17 eye-catching designs. The antidote to humdrum wallpaper, Tropical Daze travels to far-flung islands and magical jungles where exotic birds, wild animals and colourful characters come together to create a captivating collection that can’t fail to elevate a space.

Tropical Daze lays the foundations for our second and most recent collection, Heart Deco. An ode to the opulent art deco era when extravagance was very much the order of the day, Heart Deco draws inspiration from buildings, people, plants and animals that evoke the glamour of the 1920s and 1930s. The collection comes in a contemporary colour palette that gives the collection a 21st century spin.

Our third collection is a work in progress. Right now, we are keeping the finer details under wraps, but we can reveal that it will push the boundaries of wallpaper design even further.

THREE: Animal magic

Exotic Birds Midnight Blue, Tropical Daze Collection

Ever since the maximalist trend took hold, we’ve seen more tropical prints on walls – and this is a look that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Where we will see a twist on nature-inspired designs is with the addition of animals. They may not be entirely naturalistic animals however – for example, at Brand McKenzie we like to add an element of fantasy. In the Sea Life design from the Heart Deco collection [image 01], playful sea creatures are seen wearing hats, smoking pipes and riding bikes. After all, when the outside world is a bit dreary, we need something on our walls to make us smile.

FOUR: Flights of fancy

Is it any wonder that bird motifs are enduringly popular? Symbolising hope and freedom, birds bring a feeling of comfort to these very uncertain times. Birds in flight are particularly sought after as they evoke a sense of escape – and who doesn’t need that right now?   

As its name suggests, our Exotic Birds wallpaper (from the Tropical Daze Collection) was inspired by birds that hail from sunnier climates [image 02]. And as the trend for jungle prints continues to be part of the design conversation (see trend five below), so Exotic Birds kills two birds with one stone!

FIVE: Outside inside

The trend for bringing the outside inside shows no signs of going away, and why should it? Adding a touch of nature instantly brings serenity to busy living spaces. At Brand McKenzie we have given this trend an exotic spin with tropical-style foliage in shades of lush green. Look no further than Banana Leaves [image 03] or Tropical Forest [image 04], which are hand drawn with such incredible attention to detail that the foliage looks almost life-like.

SIX: Hand-drawn designs

The secret to Brand McKenzie’s eye-catching wallpapers is the talented artists who hand-draw every design, making sure our wallpapers to stand out and, in turn, helping people to choose something more daring for their walls [image 05]. After all, nothing beats human imagination or the care an artist brings to a hand-drawn or painted image. And that’s why we’re working with a whole host of different artists who each bring something different into the mix. Hailing from all over the UK and with a range of experiences, our design team is what gives our wallpapers their wonder and energy.

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