By Kirsty Barton, Marketing Manager at Alternative Flooring
As we approach the new year, now feels like the perfect time to look forward and start dreaming of ideas for 2026 interiors. Whether you’re hoping to introduce vibrant colours or leaning towards a full transformation, we’re here to help. With inspiration and easy ways to weave in the trends that are set to shine in 2026.
Pantone Colour of The Year
You may have seen the announcement earlier this year, but if not, Pantone has revealed its colour of the year for 2026: Cloud Dancer. This gentle, dreamy tone invites a return to simplicity, encouraging spaces that feel considered, balanced and beautifully serene. It’s just right for this time of year, with Christmas just a few sleeps away and a lovely way to welcome in the new year.
The soft off-white palette brings calm and soothing qualities to our homes, creating a timeless, elegant backdrop. It’s a wonderful base for adding new textures, such as a soft woollen carpet, a chunky rug you can sink your toes into, or a cosy throw to snuggle under on those wintery evenings.
Lived In Interiors
There’s always a playful sway between minimalism and maximalism, and 2026 is already hinting at a more relaxed approach. Homes that feel genuinely lived-in and loved, embracing gentle clutter and natural imperfections, feel especially inviting for the year ahead.
For some, this comes naturally, but if you’re someone who always strives for perfection, stepping back can be surprisingly difficult. We recommend warming things up with a blend of layered textures. A woven, chunky carpet, rug, or runner in a golden sisal or a faux lookalike adds depth and comfort to any space. Choose furniture that adds personality through expressive pops of colour, or by mixing old, vintage finds with new high-quality pieces.
Decorative Details
Think beautifully patterned rug borders, woven carpets, fringed pillows, charming throw cushions, and playful scalloped edges. It’s all in the details! Often overlooked, decorative touches are an effortless way to bring character and individuality to your space, especially if you enjoy thinking outside the box.
Our Make Me A Rug tool is here to help you design your dream bespoke rug right from the comfort of your own home. With a wide variety of patterned and colourful borders to choose from, adding those special finishing touches has never been easier.
Circular Materials
A conscious choice we’re proudly continuing in 2026 is our commitment to support the planet and its ecosystems. After the success of Ca-rPET’s launch in 2024, this year we introduced a new weave to the mix, Diamond. A beautiful carpet, with a delicate weave, its fibre made from recycled post consumer plastic bottles, creates an extremely hard wearing and durable carpet.
To take it one step further, very recently we launched Echo-CoRE, the carpet industry’s first fully recyclable carpet, a breakthrough in sustainable design and a major step towards a future where flooring never has to become waste again. Available in 10 versatile colours, as a fully fitted carpet or crafted into bespoke rugs and runners, Echo-CoRE helps make circular design accessible for every home. Ideal for those who, like us, are seeking a more sustainable way of living, highlighting interior design that’s kinder to our planet.
Return of the reading nook
As we saw throughout 2025, even the smallest of spaces can become a cosy reading nook, one that feels warm, relaxing and wonderfully personal. Fortunately, many are staying through 2026.
Whether it’s a perfectly styled window seat, a clever multi-purpose corner or an outdoor retreat, a dedicated spot to unwind can make all the difference. If you love to read or simply need some me time, create a corner where you can sit and relax throughout the year.
Statement Flooring
We recently talked about colour capping and the joy of giving ceilings and walls a new lease of life, but flooring deserves just as much attention. One of the easiest ways to transform your home, without changing the layout, is by rethinking what’s beneath your feet.
Patterned and colourful carpets, rugs and runners will continue to bring drama and charm to our interiors in 2026. We’re a little biased (we do love a stripe), but a bold colour or nostalgic 70s-inspired pattern will work wonders too.
Wool Candy Pinwheel Apple carpet, Wool Candy Cane Floss bespoke rug with a Tramlines Prague border.
If this has left you feeling inspired, be sure to head over to our Instagram page to see how these trends could work in a home just like yours.