Designing with Intention over Trends in 2026
Ten years ago, Mister Style started with a pretty simple idea: good interiors should feel intentional, not intimidating. What we didn’t know then was how much that idea would evolve, or how relevant it would still feel a decade later.
As we step into 2026, our 10th anniversary year, the design world feels different. Not louder. Not trendier. Just… smarter. More self-aware. More emotionally tuned in. And honestly? I say it’s about time.
Before we get into where we think design is going, let’s pause for a second and reflect.
2025 was an incredible year.
We started dozens of new residential and commercial projects, completed dozens more, staged hundreds of homes across Windsor–Essex, and officially expanded the Mister Style brand with the opening of our Birmingham showroom at 288 E Maple Rd. Back home in Windsor, our flagship showroom at 1055 Ottawa Street continues to evolve. With a constant rotation of high-end furniture, décor, homewares, artwork, rugs, and pieces that tend to stop people mid-sentence when they walk in, we couldn’t be happier to continue bringing more beautiful goods to you this new year.
It was a busy one, it was creative, it was sometimes draining, but ultimately energizing.
And somewhere between the site visits, install days, staging marathons, and showroom resets, one thing became very clear: design has shifted.
Not in the “new trend every six months” way, but in how people want their spaces to feel. That emotional undercurrent is what defines 2026.
Colour Capping & Colour Drenching
I’ve lost count of how many times someone has said, “Let’s just do one wall and see how it feels.”
Totally fair. But here’s the thing, great design doesn’t hedge its bets, and a few years ago, an accent wall of a different colour may have felt like the vibe, but it’s not timeless. Today, I’m telling you it’s time to truly embrace the colour.
In 2026, colour is no longer an accessory; it’s a structural decision.
Colour capping and colour drenching take a single tonal family and wrap it through walls, trim, doors, and ceilings. Instead of asking where the colour stops, the room simply exists inside it. The result is immersive, calming, and quietly powerful.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve embraced colour drenching in several of our projects. Diving in head-first, going the extra mile and painting from the trim to the ceiling. Every time it’s worked out perfectly, and even some client hesitation results in over-the-moon excitement when it’s all said and done.
Rather than layering in more furniture or visual noise, we commit fully to a deep, grounded hue and carry it through the entire room. Suddenly, the ceilings feel higher, the edges soften, and the space exhales.
This isn’t about being dramatic for drama’s sake, no matter how much we love being dramatic. It’s about confidence. When colour is treated architecturally rather than decoratively, rooms stop feeling segmented and start feeling whole.
The best part of all of this is that paint remains one of the most accessible tools in design. No renovation required, just conviction. Though if you want to go the extra mile, a little colour-drenched wainscotting really goes the extra mile.
Warm Minimalism: Editing With Emotion
Minimalism had a bit of an identity crisis over the last few years.
Somewhere along the way, it became cold, performative, and oddly uncomfortable, even a little clinical. It may seem beautiful in real estate photos, but after a while, it feels boring, bland, and awkward in real life. What we’re seeing now is a much healthier evolution: Warm Minimalism.
This version understands that restraint doesn’t mean boring or bland; it means editing with intention. Fewer pieces, richer materials. Negative space that allows rooms to breathe, not echo.
One of my favourite moments as a designer is watching a client realize they don’t actually need more. They just need better. A sofa that invites you to sit, not admire from afar. A dining table that can handle a long dinner without feeling precious. Materials that soften over time instead of wearing out.
Warm minimalism works because it respects people. It acknowledges that homes are meant to be lived in, even though, yes, we stage hundreds of them every year.
This is not to turn off any maximalists, whom we know and love. It’s just something different and a little more accessible to the people just dipping their toes in.
Letting Materials Speak
There’s something deeply reassuring about a material that doesn’t try to hide what it is.
In 2026, we’re embracing natural surface expression, stone with movement, wood with visible grain, plaster with subtle imperfections, letting the patina, you know, PATINA!
These surfaces don’t sit on their knees begging for attention, but they do always reward it.
We see it all the time. Clients instinctively respond to honesty in materials. A countertop that isn’t perfectly uniform suddenly feels alive. A wood surface with variation feels warmer, richer, and more grounded. A bronze tap or plug cover that shows its history.
These choices age beautifully. Highly processed finishes tend to peak quickly and fade fast, while natural materials evolve, and that evolution becomes part of the story of the space.
Design that improves with time is and has always been the goal.
Sculptural Anchors
Design fatigue is real, and nothing causes it faster than too many “statement” pieces fighting for attention.
In 2026, the most confident rooms are grounded by a single sculptural anchor. A sofa that defines the living room, a dining table that quietly commands the space, and a coffee table or island that everything else orbits around.
We often tell clients to invest in their main pieces, then let everything else support it.
This approach brings clarity. It allows the rest of the room to breathe. And it creates spaces that feel intentional without feeling overdesigned.
It’s also a smarter investment strategy. One great piece that lasts beats five impulse upgrades every time.
Designing With Heritage
When designing, there’s always so much NEW involved, that’s just how it goes when you’re elevating a space. However, some of the most memorable spaces we’ve worked on include something old.
Not old for nostalgia’s sake, but old with a purpose. A vintage mirror grounding a modern bathroom or a family heirloom repurposed to be a design feature. These things are a subtle nod to history that gives the space depth. It’s things like these that bring your personality, your history into your space. Not only does it give it meaning, but it also helps tell your story and spark conversation.
These moments work because they create tension, and tension is interesting. It reminds us that homes aren’t meant to look like a modern time capsule. They’re meant to feel collected, layered, and personal with things that vary from different times in your life.
In a world of overnight shipping and instant gratification, heritage elements slow things down, and that’s definitely a good thing.
A Few Things We’re Glad to See Go
Design evolving also means knowing when to let things exit gracefully. These aren’t hard rules; they’re signals that people are craving more intention and less autopilot design.
Accent Walls
Once bold, now hesitant. We touched on this briefly in our colour-drenching segment, but accent walls often feel like a half-decision. A design uncertainty rather than a statement. In 2026, colour works best when it’s treated architecturally. If colour matters, let it live throughout the room.
Literal Theme Rooms
Farmhouse, coastal, industrial, the issue isn’t the inspiration; it’s the lack of interpretation. We have utilized plenty of these “themes” when creating new interiors, and we always say it’s not about fully taking on the theme, but rather taking elements and blending them with your personality. When a room can be named instantly, it’s probably leaning too hard on surface-level cues. Do away with the formula and create your own equation.
Untouched Minimalism
Pristine but uninviting spaces don’t support real life. Minimalism without warmth gives a clinical and emotionally distant feel. If you don’t want to look like you have no substance, then the stark white minimalism has got to go. Rooms should feel calm, but also grounding, tactile, and personal.
Furniture Chosen Only for Looks
If it presents itself beautifully but feels terrible to use, it’s failing its most basic job. Comfort isn’t optional anymore, it’s foundational. While at times it can be hard to find something that is the perfect middle ground, we suggest going the extra mile to ensure it works for you. But don’t be fooled, sometimes things just need to be broken in a little before reaching that desired comfort level. We’ve seen that time and time again.
High-Gloss, Synthetic Finishes
There was a time when shine signalled luxury. Girl, let me tell you that time has long passed. Matte, textured, natural finishes feel calmer, richer, and far more timeless, especially as they age. That’s why investing in the right pieces will save you money and headaches in the future.
Designing With Emotional Intelligence
Here’s the real takeaway for the new year, and it isn’t a trend list.
Design is about emotional intelligence.
Homes and commercial spaces are no longer being designed solely to impress guests or maximize resale value. They’re being designed to support daily life, morning routines, late nights, quiet moments, big gatherings, and everything in between.
This philosophy has seeped into the philosophy of Mister Style throughout our ten years, and it’s shaping everything we take on next.
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate a decade of Mister Style, we’re also stepping into our most exciting chapter yet.
Our Windsor showroom at 1055 Ottawa Street continues to evolve as a creative hub with fresh arrivals, rotating collections, and pieces chosen to inspire both clients and designers. Our Birmingham showroom has opened the door to new collaborations and new markets, and we’re just getting started.
We have incredible projects already underway for 2026, from luxury restaurants and cafes to new builds and renovations. We are excited to say that for the first time in a while, we’re officially opening our books to take on new clients, residential and commercial, across North America. So, if that’s you looking to start your renovation, new build, or commercial project, don’t hesitate to claim your spot and reach out.
Ten years in, we’re not interested in chasing trends.
We’re interested in creating timeless spaces defined by your personality.
Here’s to the next decade designed forward, with intention.
— David