By Arabella Peterson Interiors 23.11.2025

The Opulent Décor Trend That's Suddenly Back In Style

Inside the movement bringing tradition, character, and permanence back into the home.

Have you noticed that “old-world” visuals are everywhere right now? From tapestries, to medieval fonts, dark wood, and carved details – the heritage revival is here. It seems that designers are responding to our desire to reconnect with a more tangible, handmade quality among the onslaught of micro-trends and fleeting aesthetics.

But the heritage interiors trend isn’t actually a fad at all. In fact, it could be considered an anti-trend, rooted in the longevity of traditional craftsmanship and timeless patterns and materials. After a decade of Apple Store-esque design, people want homes that feel less like interfaces and more like… well, homes.

Once upon a time, we didn’t have to worry about wading through AI slop or downloading an app to order at a restaurant. Now, cultural fatigue caused by hyper-digital lives has sparked an emotional turn toward solidity and character. A 2024 study on heritage-inspired interior design found that designers are increasingly turning to historical references – through strategies like Historical Revival – as a way to counter the homogenising effects of overly digital design.

If you feel yourself yearning for the décor of the past (sans chamber pots and terrible insulation), here’s why you might be tapping into this shift, and how you can bring it into your home.

What’s behind the resurgence?

Digital fatigue has instilled in many of us a desire for tactile, grounded environments. "Fast interiors" burnout is leading to the rejection of cheap, trend-driven homewares, and instead people are craving permanence. In a time of flux, rife with AI, and fast content cycles, we’re all comforted by a little substance. A solid oak table just hits different when you’ve spent the last decade assembling flat-pack furniture with an Allen key.

Alongside this moment is the return of analogue hobbies – reading, sewing, woodworking, calligraphy – which has spilled into décor, fashion, and beauty. We want to feel connected to place, and for our homes to comfort us in ways our screens can’t.

What do heritage interiors look like in 2025?

This movement may lean towards the ornate, but it’s not Bridgerton-level palatial opulence by any stretch. Rather, medieval motifs; textured materials like stone, tapestries, raw woods, and carved edges; vintage-inspired typography and patterning; warm and moody colour palettes are the hallmarks of the revival. Heirloom-style craftsmanship, combined with real, natural materials like marble, brass, timber, linen, and cotton add an authentic quality that fast décor can’t replicate. Meanwhile, 'imperfect' layering and mismatched patterns push back against the disposable aesthetics that continue to permeate the 2020s.

How designers are interpreting the movement

Not to be confused with some sort of maximalism 2.0 or baroque cosplay, heritage interiors are more intentional. It’s less about wealth signalling, and more about meaningful anti-disposability.

In recent years, we’ve seen a wave of wood panelling, carvings, stone, and plaster finishes, as well as the rise of heritage-inspired wallpaper. Antique and vintage furniture markets are booming, and more and more creatives are leaning into warm, nostalgic aesthetic cues – take Tanya Burr, India Cardona, Romilly Newman, and Chloé Crane-Leroux, for example.

How to bring the look into your own home

Don’t worry, you don’t have to frequent estate sales in search of the rarest antiques to lean into the heritage aesthetic. Start by thinking about where you could apply textures like wood, stone, and other natural fibres.

Add traditional details, but don’t overdo it. Framed oil paintings (or prints) in gilded frames, library-style lighting, and tapestries, when positioned thoughtfully, can create a focal point with purpose and history. “Visual weight” refers to how much a piece draws the eye or feels substantial within a space – items like a solid timber coffee table, a heavy ceramic lamp, or an upholstered chair with presence provide grounding and balance in an otherwise modern room.

The key to capturing the essence of heritage style with colour and light is through warmer, deeper tones. Wherever you can, choose handmade and thoughtfully produced items over ultra-cheap knock-offs. Hyper-mass produced pieces in an heirloom style can end up looking a little costume-y and contrived.

As much as we might fantasise about escaping to an off-grid castle in the countryside, the reality is, technology will likely still be present in your home. You might not be able to eradicate it, but you can soften it. Hide routers, cables, and balance out screens with physical media like a record player or bookcase.

And remember, age is part of the charm. Let brass mellow, wood scuff gracefully, and linens soften over time.