Every year, the internet churns out viral moments that lead to widespread design trends and heated debates. So, as we push forward into the second half of 2024, we’re taking a look at some of the buzziest cultural phenomena in the design world. There have been laughable disasters (the Willy Wonka experience), water tumbler debates (are you team Stanley or Yeti?), and currently burgeoning trends (hello, demure decor!). Ahead, dissect the most viral design moments we’ve seen so far this year.
Martini Olive Green Is the It Color, Then “Brat Green” Takes Over
Earlier this year, martini olive green was all over fashion runways and cool-girl manicures on social media, putting the color on the fast track to take over interiors. It aligned nicely with other design trends, including the use of more natural materials and a focus on sustainable design. But when singer Charli XCX released her album Brat, the neon green splashed on the album cover sparked a shift. While no one’s painting their walls in the loud color quite yet, people do love the marketing campaign, as evidenced by the brat wall in San Francisco and vibrant Brat vinyls. Both fun and disorienting, the hue is an excellent one to end the summer on as we transition into what will likely become demure autumn.
Demure Decor Rises Up
Speaking of demure, we’re calling it now: Demure decor will become a fresh rebrand for minimalist interiors. The trend is inspired by TikToker Jools Lebron’s viral video (with 33.7 million views and counting) on “how to be demure and modest and respectful” at work. When applied to the home, it’s defined by a neutral or muted color palette, simple furnishings, mindful choices that balance function and form, and quiet decor with cutesy details. Content creator Marco Zamora gave an excellent example, saying demure interiors do not have big overhead lights or recessed lighting. “This is not a hospital,” he said in a TikTok video. “I’m very considerate, very mindful for my guests.”
High-End Designers Swear by Dirty Kitchens
Two kitchens are better than one, and high-end designers are embracing that reality in nearly every home they renovate. Along with the primary kitchen for entertaining and simple everyday cooking, they’re adding what they refer to as “dirty kitchen.” Essentially, it’s a working kitchen hidden behind the main space that functions as another cooking, prep, and cleanup area. Here’s why there’s been a major uptick in them this year—and how having a dirty kitchen could add $50,000 to your home’s value.
Slow Decorating Focuses on Intentionality
Similarly, we’ve seen a push for another mindful process: slow decorating. The method centers on choosing pieces to bring into your home with purpose and intention—meaning you’ll likely love them now and in a decade’s time—and accumulating them gradually. Find out what the experts have to say about the trend.
Stanley Cups Lead the Great Tumbler Debate
Stanley cups went viral in 2023 for withstanding literal house and car fires, and the brand’s popularity still hasn’t died down. In 2024, we’ve seen multiple collabs—namely, with Joanna Gaines and LoveShackFancy. Among the many content creators fawning over the brand’s tumblers in their videos, there are an equal number of viral ones joking about the size of the product and our widespread obsession with it. Saturday Night Live, for one, got in on the action with its Big Dumb Cups skit starring Dakota Johnson that aired in January 2024. Having amassed more than 13 million views on TikTok and another 4 million on YouTube, the skit was a hit.
Whether you love them or hate them, Stanley cups are part of the great water bottle debate with loyal parties on all sides. We put Stanley and Yeti, two of the internet’s favorite insulated tumbler brands, to the test—and one clearly came out on top.
A Willy Wonka Experience Tops the List of Design Disasters
File this viral moment under criminal design faux pas. In a Fyre Festival–like spirit, a Willy Wonka–themed “immersive experience” in the United Kingdom literally left children in tears after it promised to transport them to a “magical realm.” Some customers, who paid $44 for tickets, compared the failed event’s atmosphere to that of a meth lab. The “sets” at the venue looked as if they were not even half complete, with blank white walls and exposed pipes for the main visuals. The few big pieces of fake candy and poorly hung backdrops definitely didn’t make up for what was lacking. But, hey, at least the creator of the fiasco took responsibility for it in the end.
Home Decor Icks Make People Rethink Their Interior Choices
Getting “the ick” rose to slang stardom in the dating realm, but it didn’t take long for the viral phenomenon to reach the design world. Content creators Ethan Gaskill and Robert Gigliotti started a viral series on TikTok in which they shared their “home decor icks,” and the internet couldn’t get enough. Some of their mentions include color-coded bookshelves, TVs masquerading as art, retro appliances, accent walls, quirky art prints, and grommet curtains. Inspired by their somewhat hot takes, we asked our network of interior designers to reveal their design icks—and they didn’t hold back.
Costco Releases a Shed That Doubles as a Spacious Backyard Retreat
Costco products often go viral, and the company’s shed that’s basically the size of a tiny home is no expectation. At 12 feet by 24 feet, the Yardline Upton Wood Shed can be transformed into a she shed, fitness studio, playroom, garage, or pretty much anything else you desire. It features five windows (three of which are working windows), 96-inch extra-wide doors, and a four-foot-high storage loft. It was once on major sale at up to $3,000 off. So if you’re not thrilled about the $6,000 price tag, keep an eye out for any potential future sales—or take the plunge and make the investment.
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