5 Seasonal Trends for Cozy, Healthy, Cruelty Free Living
During the holiday season, the focus shifts to spending time with family and friends, and the ways that our interiors can enhance our sense of togetherness. At Earth Science Design we support our clients to live more sustainably, and we believe your interior design can reflect seasonal changes that bring you into harmony, nature, natural cycles and your nearest and dearest. Each year, subtle shifts in trends mirror the way that we experience our world. Trending design accents in our homes can playfully highlight our relationship to our world and nature. If you want to have a sustainable, cruelty-free, non-toxic indoor space this season with a nod to trending design, we have put together a guide to some of this season’s biggest interior design trends. The good news is that some trends are timeless, and this year, bringing natural elements into your home is more popular than ever. It seems that 2024/2025 design trends reflect a growing desire to change our relationship with the natural world and develop a timeless style that is welcoming and cozy.
Vegan Design
Vegan design and sustainable design is trending. By opting for natural, vegan design using
sustainable plant-based materials you can bring the ambience of the natural world into your home in a more meaningful way than with aesthetics alone. Vegan design choices avoid harm to animals, humans, and the environment. Vegan, sustainable, ethical design relies on plant-based materials like jute, cotton and linen. Many traditional animal derived materials like silk and leather cause harm and suffering to animals, as well as toxic waste from industrial processing that has a disastrous affect on the environment and water systems.
Embracing Natural Shapes, Tones and Textures
Beautiful natural dyed fabrics automatically evoke the palette of nature and its seasons. If you’re feeling creative, you can dye your own fabrics with natural techniques like solar dyeing using seasonal plants. There are also many vegan, natural sustainable brands that use raw undyed plant based fibers or materials dyed naturally. It just so happens that natural shapes, tones and textures are trending this year. This can include natural stone countertops, driftwood tables, bowls and chopping boards and natural holiday foliage centerpieces using seasonal greenery. The idea is to let the flow of nature permeate the home, allowing natural shapes and textures to retain their own mystery and character.
Cozy Layering and Deep Plush Furniture and Pillows
Heavy throw blankets and deep plush pillows for couches and reading nooks align with the
Scandinavian concept of “hygge” which has gained a following in recent years. It means creating a sense of coziness and hibernation that works with and not against the season. During the holiday season when we spend more time with family and friends we may place a priority on having a welcoming home where everyone feels relaxed.
Vegan “cashmere” made from bamboo or soy, and vegan wool from materials like lyocell
rival the softness and warmth of non-vegan materials. Linen is a great and hardwearing
material for upholstery. Meanwhile there are many alternatives to synthetic or animal-based stuffing, such as kapok, which offer the added benefit of being more hypoallergenic than most animal products.
Lighting
Lighting is a big trend in cozy seasonal interior design, and it revolves around smart lighting that is also sustainable and less energy intensive. Lighting can be controlled easily via apps and can be dimmed to harmonize with natural cycles and help with sleep.
Earth Tones and Natural Tones
Many natural and vegan materials in cotton, linen and jute can help create these tones
effortlessly. Recently, paint trends have moved from more vibrant colors to zen-like earths, stones and darker colors. Pantone’s color of the year 2025 is “Mocha Mousse” a tone that evokes a grounded connection to the earth. There are more and more vegan, non-toxic paint options that come in a wide range of colors that suit all tastes and home color palettes. These are “low Voc or no Voc” (not releasing harmful fumes into the homes), and do not use animal materials like casein, nor are they tested on animals. Please check out our guide here.
Gem Toned Glassware and Ornaments
The trend for more muted interior backdrops has inspired a counterpoint in bright, beautiful gem toned glassware and ornaments. Glass or natural worn sea-glass are beautiful complements to darker hued interiors, and many of these materials involve recycling or are gentler on the environment. Choose glassware and ornaments from sustainable, responsible companies that source their materials ethically and treat their workers fairly.
Find Your Own Natural Style: Consult with our Experienced Green, Vegan Interior Design
Team
Our green interior design and vegan interior design team have your backs when it comes to
developing your own unique style that is also natural, compassionate, non-toxic and
harmonious. While it may seem like a challenge to harmonize your personal space and style
with environmental and vegan concerns, we make it easier by sharing our ten years of
research into the science of green interior design and vegan interior design. Access to
beautiful, sustainable, vegan, non-toxic and healthful materials is exploding. The best thing about participating in the latest design trends is that your choices can help to bring these trends to the mainstream. If you are curious about developing your own personal aesthetic in line with your ethics and vegan lifestyle, please contact our compassionate and knowledgeable interior designers for a free consultation. We have offices in San Diego, CA,Laguna Beach, CA, Bozeman, MT, Dillon, MT and Saint Paul, MN. Please contact us to learn more.
