Spring 2023 Upholstery Fabric Design Trends: Experts Weigh In On Your Home’s Spring Refresh

Spring is tantalizingly close (and yet still painfully far away). Let the fun of preparing to refresh your home for spring 2023 upholstery fabric design trends begin! And in 2023, there’s a twist. As our deep dive into the wisdom of experts across the internet revealed, springing forward looks an awful lot like falling back.

Refreshing and refurbishing – no matter the setting – is really about reinvigorating a space and bringing a new energy and visual tone. Making it feel different and better somehow. That doesn’t always mean out with the old and in with the new. It can mean in with the old, and WOW, this feels new! 

So come along as we walk you through a curated collection of some of our favorite expert advice to help you get that old… err, new feeling in your home this spring — vintage style.

Spring For Vintage

Spring 2023 is looking a bit vintage but with fresh eyes – and fresh vibes. We love the Business Of Home’s (BOH) perspective about the reasons behind the trend. 

They turn to experts like Athena Calderone, designer and founder of EyeSwoon. She raises the practical benefits of “crafty and clever solutions” in challenging economic times:

“…We’ve seen an increase in people becoming empowered to take on design themselves with some professional guidance, purchasing vintage and reupholstering rather than buying new, refraining from a large-scale renovation, and instead inserting personality and soul into our homes through treasured objects and decor.”

Focussing on personality and soul — namely yours — is a good rule of thumb. BOH talks to Gwen Hefner, founder of Thrift Club, about what to consider, foundationally, for your refurbish refresh:

“I’d love to see people consider their home’s style and location, as well as their own personal style, instead of falling into trends that will need to be updated in a handful of years. It’s less money and time, and it’s being a good steward of what we have!” 

Spring For Value

The practical benefits don’t stop there. Finding new furniture can be a daunting and frustrating process. But in a piece in Southern Living by Kelsey Mulvey and Betsy Cribb, experts remind us of the joy and time-saving side of refurbishing.

Raleigh, North Carolina-based designer, Maggie Dillon, points to some post-pandemic perks of the trends, “With lead times as outrageous as they are right now, the best quick fix is to find a vintage sofa or pair of chairs and give them a new life by reupholstering. That’s something I recommend regardless of the supply chain shortage.”

And it’s not just the quick turnaround time. Southern Living talks about the value of furniture built to last with Charleston, South Carolina, designer Taylor Hill, “…we’ve put a serious emphasis on purchasing quality goods.

Fast furniture is cool and helpful if you need to fill a space on a tight budget, but we believe focusing on craftsmanship is important. I’d rather a client have several empty rooms and a killer sofa they can keep for 30 years!”

Spring For Fun

There’s a style upside, too. In Monique Valaris’ piece for Good Housekeeping magazine, we learned it’s not about dated design notions. It’s using nostalgia to create something fresh and new.

“Design with nostalgia in mind will continue,” says Mendelson Group founder, Gideon Mendelson, “I don’t mean mid-century or retro. I think this idea of granny-chic is evolving to a less kitschy/more sophisticated style, which I really appreciate.”

The shift is about having fun. Turning rooms into places you actually want to be in. Good Housekeeping spoke with Molly Torres Portnof, founder of DATE Interiors, who offered an idea we love, 

“Listening rooms, or music rooms, have always been coveted by audiophiles, but they’re gaining popularity with the masses as vinyl record sales continue to climb. Essentially, a listening room is a dedicated space for music, whether it’s creating your own or playing your favorite tunes to unwind and enjoy, solo or with a group of people. Even… a dedicated corner or nook of any room can be transformed into space to enjoy music.”

Spring For Simple

How about a spring refresh without a big commitment? Jenny with the Refresh Living blog shows the big difference small shifts make. Like shifts in color and your mantle decor. 

“When I think of Spring, the color that comes to my mind first is green. It’s also my favorite color, so I made sure to work in some greens to this otherwise neutral mantel.”

She uses old objects like antique window frames, books, and yarn spools, combined with some botanicals, “Although I never want to get started… I always enjoy it when I’m done. And since it’s snowing right now, I know I still have quite a bit of time before this springtime mantel needs to come down.”

Lora Bloomquist’s Create & Ponder blog shows how to upcycle unusual things into eye-catching and tone-setting design elements. Vintage suitcases, for instance, “Warm weather is a wonderful time to refresh and rejuvenate old suitcases and trunks. Not necessarily to take any more trips, but to enjoy and use for vintage style decor and handsome extra storage.”

Think side tables, ottomans, or simply art pieces. Lora takes them from trash to treasure, “…don’t let its not-quite-perfect condition hinder you. Vintage suitcases have classic architectural character… With a little TLC, these classic beauties can be enjoyed for another generation.”   

Spring For Comfy

As you look to spring, one trend from the last few years will continue. Your home should be comfy. Like, super comfy. For sure, your bedroom deserves the full-on comfort treatment. Jane at the Jane At Home blog explains, 

“As we continue to rethink how we use our spaces, designing them around maximum comfort and functionality, our bedrooms are becoming calming, resort-like spaces where we can relax, recharge, and restore. You can easily create restorative spaces in your home by incorporating cozy furniture, soft throw blankets, ambient lighting, and color palettes to create the mood you’re going for.

…In spring 2023 and beyond, we’ll see bedrooms feature luxurious bedding (soft linen bedding is hugely popular right now), comfy mattresses, elegant upholstered headboards, and dedicated spaces for relaxing, yoga, or meditation.” 

Spring For Hipstoric

Let’s color in some final bits. In House Beautiful, Rachel Edwards turns to Ben White, a design and trade expert at Swyft, for insight on some of the colors that reflect the vintage vibe trend. 

“…the 1970s is prevailing as a key influence in 2023 interior design. You can tap into this key trend by using warm brown, gold, and red tones such as clay, honey, or paprika as the base for your interior and layer with fun colors and shapes to add interest to your home.”

Yes, poetically, the trend is to make it new by leaning on old and vintage. And in keeping with that spirit, Pinterest has coined a name for it all: Hipstoric —  “people are combining vintage—often inherited—pieces with their modern styles. Thanks to the Boomers and Gen X driving these trends, antiques have never looked so chic.”

We hope inspiration is blossoming from our little curated tour of the experts’ take on design trends. Here’s wishing you a warm and wonderful spring refresh and a hipstoric year ahead. 

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