That stunning, “old money” room you just saved to your Pinterest board? The one with the perfect moody lighting and intricate wall paneling that makes your current home feel a bit… empty?
It probably doesn’t actually exist.
As we head into 2026, a new, sneaky new player has entered the design world. And it’s making the trend shift that’s happening right now the most unrealistic and expensive-to-achieve look ever.
Trying to follow the new look of interiors you’re seeing on Pinterest and Instagram right now? It will lead you to spend money you might not have on features you definitely don’t need.
The New Reality of “Inspiration”
We are currently being flooded with aspirational images of “traditional” interiors that are full of layered charm, rich colour and bespoke architectural detail. They are mostly completely AI-generated. Creating a dangerous gap between digital delusion and real-world construction and constraints.
So before you call a contractor or buy a single piece of picture molding, you need to understand the three reasons why 2026 trends might be setting you up for a “renovation trap”:
- The absurd unreality of AI : Why those “perfect” details rarely come with a realistic price tag or a feasible plan.
- The real cost of architectural detail: Why moving away from modern farmhouse minimalism toward dreamy traditional architectural details costs way more than you might think.
- The REAL WAY to create room you love has nothing to do with elaborate moldings: What if the look you’re chasing doesn’t actually require a sledgehammer at all?
In my latest Decorate or Renovate video, I’m pulling back the curtain on why this interior trend season is unlike any we’ve seen before—and sharing the real life way to create home you love.
Let me know in the comments if you’re loving the new look of layered, traditional decorating heading into 2026!
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My SIL just installed an arch to break up a space that my daughter wanted to separate… he also installed crown and picture molding… it looks beautiful and classy. He is out of work right now, I am sending him this video so he can see what “some” are paying for his type of services!! They live in a very affluent area so this could end up being a great business for him! Even getting paid half of what you said ppl are paying would be awesome! As always, great advice, Maria : )
Great post Maria! You make a great point about the interior design images found online being predominantly AI. The effects of social media has resulted in a lot of unhappy homeowners. That’s why your mission to help homeowners sidestep unnecessary costly renovations, buying into the latest trend whether it is appropriate for their home or not, and teaching cost effective means to decorate and ultimately love their homes is so needed. Thank you 🙏🏽
Hi Maria – just something I had to share about your lighting comments. When you suggest people turn off the overheads and just use low lamplight … my husband has almost no vision (he has retinitis pigmentosa and only has 3-5% of his vision). People like him can’t function well in low-light conditions. While I recognize he’s not your target market, older people in general need MORE light as they age, not less. So suggesting that low-level lamps are the answer to a beautiful home just doesn’t feel inclusive or thoughtful. But thanks for the 2026 trends comments.
Thank you for writing and for sharing your husband’s experience. I appreciate you taking the time to explain that context.
You’re absolutely right that many people—whether due to vision loss, aging, or specific medical conditions—require higher light levels to function comfortably. In those cases, overhead lighting and stronger task lighting are essential, and that is non-negotiable.
When I talk about turning off overheads and relying on lamps, I’m speaking to a general decorating principle for creating warmth and atmosphere in homes where functional vision is not compromised. It’s not meant as a universal prescription, and it’s certainly not intended to apply to every household or every circumstance.
Good lighting design always balances function first, then aesthetics. For anyone who needs brighter light to move safely and comfortably through their home, that need comes before any decorative consideration. Thanks for your comment. Maria
Thank you, Maria! My ‘boring’ kitchen envelope is almost done! I’m putting up a simple, white backsplash and wondering what color grout is the most timeless? My quartz is Calacatta Abezzo (soft/muted veins) and my cabinets are BM white dove. Thank you!!!
The thing I have said FOR YEARS!!!! Decorate and do what YOU enjoy. Trends come and go. Curate your style, what you love to be surrounded by….then it will really feel like it would only need a few tweaks in time, NOT a major overhaul in a year. You do YOU!!!!
I couldn’t agree more, Addie. It has never occurred to me to follow a trend. Our living room color scheme is based on a large photo we have of Antelope Canyon in Arizona, with beautiful reds, orange and purple colors. It sounds gaudy but it’s not. It makes us happy to be reminded of that amazing place.
Hello Liz,
I know those exact kind of pictures you are talking about. I live in Prescott, AZ. They are gorgeous!!! Sold all over town in the finest galleries. Enjoy what you love!!!
“Digital Delusion” – key design phrase of the year. Decade. And in some ways, before.
Way back before AI, so many of my color clients were besotted by bright, shiny on-line photos , not realizing that the look of backlit, professionally photographed photos were not what it would look like in their home. It was a frequently conversation.
I have a PhD in typos, apologies, no editing button.
Good one!!! Love it….did we get our degree together ?
Great advice. Most people let analysis paralysis stop them from buying what they love and decorating their homes. I find online pictures very misleading for the mass market. They show homes with large rooms, 10’+ ceilings and fabulous antiques and designer furniture that are outside of most people’s budgets. Those looks really cannot be duplicated for your average home.
Spot on! Thank you for sharing. I have a wonderful repeat client who was ready to remodel her primary bath. Every inspiration she showed me was AI generated. I was honest with her about what we could realistically do within her budget and created mood boards that fit her aesthetic with real products. She loved my design and is thrilled with her new bath. AI is a great “jumping off point” but has to be dealt with honestly. Thank you SO much for this post!
This new trend is very much in the style of Bunny Williams and also channels the old money Sister Parish style from earlier times.
Great points. I wish people would spend a moment thinking about the architectural style of their home — midcentury, English, fake Tudor, farmhouse, Scandi, 1950s ranch — and stop adding on details that just do not go. The architectural bones of your house cannot be changed with decor. They need to be accommodated, not ignored.
As someone who has moldings in my living room and dining room (40+ years old), I have another reason you might want to avoid them – they lock you in somewhat when you’re adding artwork.
Mine have worked OK with my old furniture. But I’m updating and will use a slightly wider, lower sofa. I’d prefer to move it slightly off center, but then my artwork will also need to move and would look unbalanced in its rectangle of molding. Same with the height – I should drop it down, but don’t want it sitting on the bottom molding.
The moldings are great in many ways, but they can also be limiting. And when they go “out” they can tend to look dated – I haven’t been loving them as much the last ten years.
Another reason is because they are one more thing to clean! Every vertical and horizontal surface added to your walls is one more thing that needs to be dusted. No problem in the grand old homes of olden times with a large staff of housekeepers…most homeowners today ARE the housekeeper and will now need to clean the moldings they added.