The Classic, Preppy Or Punk Textile That's About To Be A Major Trend For 2026

You don't have to be Scottish royalty to enjoy the beauty that is tartan plaid; this traditional pattern is actually making a big comeback in home decor in the form of plaid furniture, throw blankets, and pillows. "Tartan has officially made a comeback, but it's not the classic green-and-red version you remember from your grandma's house," designer Kristina Khersonsky told Homes & Gardens. She explained that textile makers were playing around with new colors and patterns and added that "Tartan today feels less heritage, more statement."

Ralph Lauren made tartan a preppy fave by featuring the pattern over the course of several decades and interior designer Stephanie Hunt told Vogue that its "inevitable crossover from fashion to interiors is not surprising." Punk music legends like The Clash and Sex Pistols wore ragged tartan garments on stage, and iconic punk era designer Vivienne Westwood made tartan the star of her 'Time Machine' and 'Anglophile' collections. In 1995, the movie"Clueless" showed it as a favorite among students at an exclusive private school and re-established tartan as a preppy identifier. We included tartan as part of our 2022 ultimate guide to farmhouse decor, but it fits in well with a range of styles.

While the terms "plaid" and "tartan" are often used interchangeably, they are not synonomous. Plaid is any checkered or striped pattern, while tartan is an interlaced multicolored pattern typically used to represent specific clans in Scotland. Plaid has recently made a comeback after cycling in and out of style, but if you're ready to add some tartan to your home decor in 2026 you'll want to give it some forethought. Tartan fashion is given context by what is worn with it, so you should give similar attention to how it's used in your home. 

You can distinguish a tartan from other kinds of plaid patterns by making sure it has the same sequence of colored stripes running horizontally and vertically. If you have Scottish heritage you might want to seek out a tartan that represents your clan, but anyone can just lean into colors that match your home's aesthetic. The Royal Stewart tartan as seen on the blanket above is one of the most popular, and it served as the royal family's official tartan until Prince Albert designed the Balmoral pattern in the mid-19th century. You can also pick the items that offer the most utility for your home, whether that's the warmth of wool for cold nights or linen blends that are appropriate for warmer months. In fact, you can even use tartan wallpaper to fill a room with this preppy, punk pattern.

One nice thing about tartan is that it plays well with other patterns, so you can experiment a little. In fashion, tartan is often mixed with solid colors, checks and stripes, or other classic patterns like houndstooth. There are plenty of ways to perfectly mix patterns in your home decor and express your style, so find one that suits you best. For a bold look, mix different tartan plaids in the same room with an assortment of throw pillows. If you're keeping to just one tartan pattern in a room, pair it with a floral or polka-dot pattern in a similar colorway — this can really make certain pieces stand out. Bold choices like this will give your home a busy, purposeful feel, while adding a tartan piece or two to solid-colored spaces creates a timeless minimalist vibe that is suitable for all tastes.