The 2025 ELLE DECOR Design Awards: Celebrating Visionary Design
The 2025 ELLE DECOR Design Awards honor those creators pushing boundaries in the world of design. With a commitment to beauty and purpose, the awards spotlight exceptional furniture, innovative lighting, and influential accessories that are setting the tone for future design trends. Selected by seasoned editors and industry experts, these winners reflect a profound understanding of style and function, inspiring us to rethink how we interact with our environments.
For those eager to dive into the world of inspiring new designs, you can explore all the winners here.
A Shift in Design Aesthetic
Design chatter in 2025 has been defined by a collective move towards warmth, personality, and emotional resonance. After years marked by minimalist restraint, interiors are now embracing softer silhouettes and richer materials, along with a renewed appreciation for craftsmanship. Curves are reigning supreme, with enveloping sofas and sculptural lighting dominating the landscape. Tactile finishes, including plaster, patinated metals, and artisanal ceramics, are making a significant comeback, emphasizing depth and the beauty of imperfection.
Color has also returned with confidence; earthy reds, inky blues, mossy greens, and buttery neutrals dominate the palette, evoking a sense of comfort and warmth. In this new era of design, pieces are being celebrated for their narratives and personal stories, highlighting personality over a polished facade.
Responding to Modern Living
Today’s design is not just about aesthetics but also about how spaces respond to our evolving lifestyles. The rise of modular furniture and relaxed layouts epitomizes a desire for flexibility and ease in the home. The blurring lines between indoor and outdoor spaces cater to our contemporary needs for comfort and utility.
As sustainability transitions from mere trend to essential principle, designers are embedding longevity, repairability, and eco-friendly materials into their creations. Contrary to flashy excess, effective design in 2025 emphasizes intention and creating environments that resonate with our humanity.
The Return of Stainless Steel Kitchens
Stainless steel kitchens are making a bold return, carried by their durability and an architectural elegance that fosters a sophisticated ambiance. Once relegated to professional culinary spaces, stainless steel is being reimagined for residential comfort. Brushed finishes soften its industrial edge, while sliding steel doors allow for practical concealment of appliances.
When paired with art and timeless design pieces, stainless steel becomes less utilitarian and more curated, fostering a kitchen atmosphere that reflects both precision and personality. In these dynamic spaces, the material serves as a canvas for layering styles, affirming that enduring kitchens balance both performance and soul.
Second Acts: Heritage Reimagined
The reissue of classic designs, like the Monk Chair by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, highlights a growing trend of celebrating heritage while revitalizing it for contemporary tastes. Originally designed in 1973, the chair combines minimalism with a robust wooden frame, now updated to resonate with modern aesthetics. This revival speaks volumes about the importance of history in design—pieces that once epitomized simplicity are now infused with fresh relevance through careful modifications.
Brands are increasingly mining their archives, illustrating authenticity and meaning in a marketplace clamoring for genuine narratives. These reintroduced designs aren’t mere copies; they’re thoughtful iterations that respect the past while embracing the present.
Deco Gets Its Groove Back
A noteworthy trend in 2025 is the revival of Art Deco-inspired design, particularly in lighting and decorative pieces. Brands like Jamb are leading this resurgence, reinterpreting the elegance and geometric appeal of the Roaring Twenties. With hand-planished metals, alabaster elements, and brass accents, the new Deco range balances historical motifs with contemporary flair.
This trend reflects a broader movement in design where brands are thoughtfully revisiting early 20th-century aesthetics, crafting objects that convey sophistication without falling into nostalgia. From sculptural lighting to striking accents, these designs blend time-honored elegance with modern sensibilities, showcasing that Art Deco’s rich legacy can be both relevant and expressively beautiful today.
In this evolving landscape, the 2025 ELLE DECOR Design Awards exemplify the harmonious interplay of tradition and innovation, all while capturing the essence of what it means to create spaces that resonate with life.