Farewell minimalism: Why floral prints, dark wood and handmade objects are back

Design for You is a column by journalist and interior decorator Eva Voinigescu that spotlights today's most popular decorating and design trends, plus inspired ways to bring them home. 

The inevitable next step in the sweeping takeover of English design brings nature-inspire patterns to a crescendo and centres unique handcrafted objects one again. What is it? A revival of the Arts and Crafts style that originated in the UK in the late 1800s and made its way across the pond around the turn of the century.

The pendulum of trending interior design has quietly swung away from fully minimalist, Scandi-inspired style, with neutral textured fabrics, curved couches, white walls and light-oak everything. Now, we're seeing dark, solid wood furniture; William Morris–style wallpaper; weathered tapestries; and rustic metals like wrought iron, bronze and hammered copper on social media and in design mags. Woven baskets, embroidered art and textiles, and studio ceramics are also popular again. 

"People want to bring that warmth back into their homes, and I find there are elements of the Arts and Crafts movement that really bring that into a space," Ashley Montgomery, principal designer at Barrie Ont.-based Ashley Montgomery Designs, told me. 

Her own designs reflect this sensibility, often incorporating rich patterns, woven textures and handcrafted details to create a layered, lived-in esthetic.

The renewed popularity of these elements isn't surprising — it feels like a reaction to the aesthetic sameness (and beigeness) of algorithm-driven inspiration and spaces filled with low-quality dupes from fast-design retailers. No wonder this character-filled style is making a comeback.

The Arts and Crafts movement was a response to similar conditions in the 1800s. "It's largely seen as a rebuff, or a revolt, against the industrialized age," said design historian Adrian Gamble. "To the industrialists that are saying, 'Well, we can crank out 100 of these in the time it takes your guy to make one' … they say, 'Well, that's not the point.'" 

Thinkers behind the movement — including its most famous proponent, William Morris — believed that the objects we used daily should be both beautiful and well-made. They championed traditional methods and resisted the rise of mechanized labour, which they felt was replacing quality craftsmanship and eroding the skills required to make things by hand. According to the Victoria and Albert Museum, they wanted products "that not only had integrity but were made in a less dehumanizing way" and looked back to the medieval period as a template for good design and living. 

The movement also celebrated functionality, authentic materials, simplicity in design and the local landscape. "Oak looks like oak, and stone looks like stone. There's no kind of artifice to it," said Gamble. He added that, for example, the design of an Arts and Crafts piece of furniture will reveal where the woodwork is joined, while the ideal floral wallpaper will depict flowers native to the area where it's being made. 

This idea of celebrating the local, in particular, helped to popularize and legitimize Arts and Crafts style at the time. Gamble notes that makers were able to lean into British consumers' appreciation of their regional heritage and even "a sort of patriotism" to package and sell their work. 

In Canada, it was also linked to the development of a unique national identity that celebrated our country's industry, natural resources and beauty, says Gamble. And it was just as desirable as it was in the U.K.: "If you're really fashionable…you get an Arts and Crafts house; you get a Group of Seven painting over your mantelpiece."

Today, buying local may be more relevant than ever. Tariff threats, the climate crisis and concerns about ethical labour are driving renewed interest in homegrown products and businesses. People are also gravitating toward the planet-friendly practices of small-scale makers — and toward vintage and antique pieces, which offer sustainability along with a sense of history and craftsmanship.

In this way, the renewed embrace of Arts and Crafts design is more than a style shift — it's a values shift. As Gamble put it, "There's always been kind of an alternative, a bit granola aspect … let's get handmade local wood stuff, let's not get particleboard." And in a world of fast everything, this slower, more intentional approach increasingly feels like the more modern one. 

So how are today's design minds interpreting this storied style to bring character back into our spaces?

One simple way to embrace this esthetic is to bring in some bold, nature-inspired pattern. Montgomery incorporates a lot of wallpaper into her designs, and loves the accessibility and affordability of vendors selling on platforms like Etsy. You can even source some of William Morris's original patterns.

The key to working with these prints, whether they appear on walls or textiles, is balance. "If you have a floral, add something masculine to balance — so add a stripe or a plaid to go with it," Montgomery advised. "Then throw a solid in there to settle everything."

Montgomery also brings this style into her designs through gallery walls, often made up of pieces sourced from thrift stores. Lately, she's been hanging arrangements of vintage ceramic dishware, which nods to the Arts and Crafts movement's appreciation for handmade pieces. Thrifted woven baskets, hung en masse, are another example of beauty rooted in construction and function.

The same idea applies when sourcing Arts and Crafts-inspired furniture, whether new or vintage. "It's a shame to see [pieces] go to the landfill," said Montgomery, adding that old furniture can be given new life with a bit of creativity. "Use a vintage chest of drawers as a nightstand," she suggests. 

Look for pieces with simple lines that highlight the natural qualities of materials like wood and iron, and don't disguise how they're constructed. Visible joinery, like in the chair and cabinet below, is key to the style.

Read on for more examples from designers and creators who are incorporating aspects of Arts and Crafts design.

This contemporary bedside table by Beata Heuman is crafted from local London plane tree wood, with its distinctive look defined by the material's natural grain and functional details like the handle cut-outs.

Design content creator Drew Michael Scott's recent renovation is perhaps one of the most comprehensive examples of how to incorporate Arts and Crafts elements into your home today, from the use of tapestries and floral wallpaper to the medieval-inspired iron light fixtures, stencilled beams and heavy wood furniture with dark stains, clean lines and visible construction.

This space by Tiffany Piotrowski of Tiffany Leigh Design incorporates a muted tapestry, wicker basket and hand-carved stool in her living room.

In the Tiffany Leigh Design studio, a solid wood chair with exposed joinery features a floral patterned seat. 

This space designed by Heidi Caillier features dark wood cabinetry, copper countertops and vintage tile.