Defining Design in Austin: The Interior Trends of 2026
Hear from four local leading designers on what’s next and what they're leaving behind in the new year
Designers are pinpointing the interior trends set to shape the year — from emerging color narratives and richly tactile materials to a renewed emphasis on sustainability. Four of Austin’s leading design studios reveal what they’re embracing, what they’re leaving behind and what they’re most excited to usher in as a new era of interiors begins to unfold.
Kasey McCarty Interior Design Studio
Kasey McCarty is an award-winning interior designer with more than 20 years of experience in design, management and construction. She is known for creating detail-driven residential and commercial interiors that inspire the people who inhabit them.
What’s a design trend from 2025 you’re ready to say goodbye to, and why?
Authenticity should be the theme of 2026. Let’s agree to say goodbye to dupes, low maintenance shortcuts and the rush toward fast everything. Having custom pieces integrated into your home is expressive, special and adds so much character — and they’re worth the wait.
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What’s one small change anyone could make at home to feel on-trend this year?
Update your cabinet and door hardware — the jewelry of the home. Timeless, rich metal and wood tones can replace the matte black that defined past trends.
What color palette do you think people will be drawn to in 2026?
2026 needs to be light and airy with a pop of carnelian to ground us.
What’s one of your favorite sources for decor in Austin?
As designers, we are hunters and gatherers, but my favorite spot to shop is my own warehoused collection.
What’s a favorite source for art in Austin?
Wally Workman Gallery, Commerce Gallery, Austin Studio Tour and the Greater Austin Clay Studio Tour.
Blair Burton Interiors
Blair Burton Interiors combines comprehensive construction guidance with full-scale furniture design and acquisition to create sophisticated, interesting homes where elegance and comfort converge.
What role do you think sustainability will play in 2026?
Sustainability in 2026 looks like prioritizing sourcing antiques, refinishing existing pieces and utilizing natural surfaces.
What’s one small change anyone could make at home to feel on-trend this year?
Add patterned pillows, colored lampshades and upholstered footstools.
If 2026 had a signature texture, what would it be?
Think chiseled stone, burnished metals and hand-painted wallpaper.
What’s one of your favorite sources for furniture and art in Austin?
The Shoppe by Blair Burton.
What color palette do you think people will be drawn to in 2026?
Deep greens, mauve, toasty caramel brown, chocolate brown and aubergine.
Alicia Roche Interiors
Alicia Roche is the founder and principal of Alicia Roche Interiors, an award-winning Austin design studio recognized on the AD Pro Directory 2025. She specializes in refined, intentional spaces that feel personal, functional and beautifully crafted.
What’s a design trend from 2025 that you’re ready to say goodbye to, and why?
I’m seeing people gravitate toward more authentic design and choosing materials that have history, feel more sustainable and don’t come across as mass-produced. I think we’ll see people move away from quartz applications throughout kitchens and bathrooms and start sourcing more natural stones, like quartzite and marble.
If your dream client gave you total creative freedom, what would you design?
I would love to work on a modern ranch project in the Hill Country or out east just past Bastrop, where the landscape creates an ideal setting for a ranch house quietly nestled in nature. The style I imagine blends organic and modern elements with a refined rustic sensibility.
What color palette do you think people will be drawn to in 2026?
Expect saturated earth tones — clay, terracotta, aubergine, warm browns, deep reds and even dusty blues.
What’s one of your favorite sources for furniture in Austin?
Caffrey & Co, Yucca Stuff and Joint Detail
What’s a favorite source for art in Austin?
Urbanspace Design Studio
Led by Merrill Alley, Urbanspace Design Studio is a full-service interior design firm that brings warmth and refinement to the single-family homes, multifamily communities, restaurants and workspaces they create.
What’s a design trend from 2025 you’re ready to say goodbye to, and why?
We foresee a renewed interest in originality, self expression and design that tells a story.
What role do you think sustainability will play in 2026?
Sustainability in 2026 is less about checking a box and more about embracing longevity, quality and intention. It’s about designing spaces and selecting furnishings that endure both aesthetically and physically.
What’s one small change anyone could make at home to feel on-trend this year?
Instead of adding more, take a moment to remove the pieces that feel generic. When you clear out the visual noise, it creates room for one or two meaningful additions.
What’s one of your favorite sources for decor in Austin?
What’s a favorite source for art in Austin?