This Is the Most Surprising 2025 Home Decor Trend, According to a Survey

Take a second to imagine your childhood home. I bet there were at least one to two dark cherry red or mahogany furniture pieces sprinkled throughout it. Or maybe you even had a matching bedroom set (raises hand!) in a darker mid-tone? 

Dark wood has always ebbed and flowed in popularity, making its mark throughout history — from the Victorian era and the arts and crafts movement to the mid-century modern era and, yes, the ’80s and ’90s. But for the last decade or so, as lighter-toned blonde woods have dominated, their dark wood counterparts have since been considered pretty dated.

What if I told you, though, that dark wood is making its way back into the design conversation? With the resurgence of moodier, character-rich spaces, dark wood is headed for a comeback. According to Apartment Therapy’s big designer survey for 2025, in which we polled over 154 designers on their favorite trends and design predictions, many of the top pros are in favor of dark wood’s return.

Though wood pieces can always be stained to look darker or have more of a red, orange, or true brown finish, cherry, walnut, and mahogany are generally considered to be dark woods. They often get a bad rap for being “dated,” but it’s all in the pieces you choose and how you style them. For a modern meets curated look, choose more streamline silhouettes, similar to the plain front side table shown in the space above by designer Ashley Fiocco. 

Designer Alicia Hassen of Brooklinteriors, for one, is always on the lookout for wood furniture in great condition when shopping, especially at flea markets or estate sales. She suggests honing in on a few key pieces. “[Think] nightstands, coffee tables, dressers, and commodes,” Hassan says. “The craftsmanship and quality of wood lasts for a lifetime!” Just above, you can see how designer Meghan Lewis of Lewis Vaughn Interiors built this living room around a darker wood coffee table, accenting it with an oversized black tray and stacks of white spined books. 

Designer Becca Meyer of BB Meyer Design agrees and says dark wood furniture is one to watch on the secondhand marketplace, where quality pieces are abundant. 

Designer Fiona Leonard never passes up a dark wood chest of drawers. Leonard predicts these storage pieces will be on the rise this year. You could try one in a bedroom or even in a larger entry for storage. 

Styling dark wood furniture is easier than you think — it’s all about mixing darker pieces with other contrasting materials like marble or travertine, as examples, and keeping the wood pieces around it similar in undertone. 

As far as color schemes go, blues play well with darker wood furniture, as seen in this pretty dining room by designer Lauren McKay. You get an almost complementary colors effect with this pairing, especially if your darker wood has somewhat of an orange or red undertone. Neutrals are another safe bet — think tans, whites, and creams. These shades all provide nice visual opposition to the dark wood’s deeper finishes. Dark wood also plays surprisingly well with dark colors, too. The lack of contrast can create a cocoon-like effect. 

Darker wood isn’t something you want to go overboard with, since it has considerable visual weight and presence in a room. To keep dark furniture from feeling heavy or outdated, opt for one or two statement pieces rather than a matching set. And be sure to select items that are less imposing and have sleeker silhouettes, mixed materials, or surprising details. With the right selection and styling, dark wood can feel surprisingly sophisticated — and hardly stuck in the past.