2016 Nostalgia Is Taking Over: These Were The Top Design Trends Back Then

It's hard to believe that a whole decade has passed since we were living our best lives in 2016. It was the year of the "Stranger Things" premiere and The Chainsmokers' song, "Closer," and we could browse the internet without worrying about being bombarded by AI videos. But nostalgia has a funny way of popping up when you least expect it. One day, you're mapping out your life and your home decor plan, and the next, you're craving the comfort you get with familiarity. Nostalgic home decor is certainly about an era's look, but it's really about the warm and fuzzy feelings it evokes. 2016 was also a whirlwind of a year for home design, where color was dominant and the cowgirl summer aesthetic was totally attainable. 

We want our homes to reflect our personality, so it makes sense that we want to turn back the clock. In 2016, designs were like a roadmap to escape a showroom-perfect home, where metal finishes matched and mixing patterns was a faux pas. It was a year of being confident, creative, and ready to try new styles. So, is 2026 the new 2016? Perhaps. And maybe our 10-year-older self will bring you a sentimental nod to the design trends that defined 2026, like the color-capping paint trend. Until then, whether you're ready for a full-blown 2016 design revival or prefer to keep it subtle, we're revisiting the year when gallery walls and millennial pink reigned supreme in home decor.

Mixing it up with different colors and patterns was an intentional move away from minimalist looks and plain, neutral rooms in 2016. Homes began to show off designs with bold colors, shapes, and unusual pattern combos you might not have dared put together the year before. Homeowners were expressing their personalities through intentional design picks. The result? Oodles of fun and personality infused into your home.

Bohemian-inspired decor was a big design trend in 2016, bringing a laid-back aesthetic to home interiors. It featured an eclectic mix of layered fabrics, woven textures, and earthy tones. Boho interiors were meant to feel comfortable and inviting without being overstyled. The style embraced imperfections. Think macrame wall hangings, wood tones, organic shapes, and rattan accent chairs that celebrated patterns, textures, and stories.

Leopard-print decor was a big win in 2016. The pattern was used as a neutral, bringing with it lots of personality and character. Adding a leopard-print area rug made a statement in ordinary rooms, while draping a leopard-print throw blanket across a bed or sofa brought a splash of timeless style. For those who wanted to be more daring, there was leopard-print wallpaper for adding ambiance to a small room. It was a time to experiment with your decor.

In 2016, statement-making wallpaper was taking up residency on walls everywhere with its paneled murals, natural surfaces, geometric prints, and other patterns that made you smile. These standout wallpaper designs usually covered smaller spaces, like powder rooms or accent walls. Like today's wallpaper texture trends, it was a year of touchable wallpaper designs that commanded attention without being overwhelming.

Scandinavian-inspired interiors solidified their dominance in 2016, offering an uncluttered antithesis to maximalism. The look featured clean lines, light-colored wood, and neutral shades. The Danish design featured warmer tones, found in materials like rattan and wood furniture. People were also bringing the outdoors inside with plants that gave rooms a more inviting aesthetic. The look was still simple, and the focus was on comfort and balance that created a timeless space.

Home decor in 2016 was a medley of modern designs and hints of vintage and heirloom pieces. Back then, the look was simple, mixing elements like contemporary furniture with just a few carefully curated antiques, while never going overboard in any one decor category. The look had a more collected approach that felt balanced. People incorporated thrift store finds, layered textures, and preferred a lived-in look rather than showroom perfection.

Gold bathroom fixtures and hardware were a defining design feature in 2016. It was a warmer option, symbolizing a shift away from the cooler chromes of the past. People were turning to rose golds and brushed and satin golds that gave spaces an instantly luxe look. Fixtures, including faucets, showers, and cabinet handles, were standouts that were often paired with white tiles, marble, or other soft colors to bring balance to homes.

When you were a little bit country and a little rock-n-roll in 2016, you didn't have to pick between the two, thanks to one decor trend — western-inspired decor. With ranch-y elements, like leather furniture, cowhide rugs, and faux longhorn horns, there were endless possibilities for sprinkling the vibe into your modern decor. Today, that look is still going strong if you want to add a warm southwest look to your bedroom or other parts of your home.

Back in 2016, millennial pink was the dominant hue of the year that was elevated to neutral-shade status, thanks to its dusty beige undertones. You could find this distinct hue on sofas, chairs, tiles, walls, and decor. It was a flexible color that looked modern, but versatile and fun without being too much. Millennial pink softened rooms, allowing you to explore other pastel colors that brought a sense of cohesion. 

Taking a popular page from the 2016 playbook, mixing metals is a way to keep your space from looking too staged. While some may scoff at the mere idea of having different finishes in the same room, it can actually bring depth and richness to your home decor without creating a chaotic look. To keep the look perfectly balanced, consider only adding 70% of the dominant metal to 30% of the second tone. 

Designers leaned into floral prints and patterns in 2016. Rather than adding a small floral print here and one there, they were covering everything — walls, ceilings, and furniture — in the same bold patterns. They were pattern-drenching, and we were obsessed. Big flowers, botanical themes, and color added drama to a room without making it look messy. It was like raiding your grandma's house to score the biggest decor trend a decade ago.

Designs in 2016 were looking back in time to the 1970s – only this time, they had a contemporary aesthetic. Color palettes reflected the era, like orange, minty green, and baby blue, even though furniture had a modern silhouette. Whether you used '70s-style art to create a feature wall or combined rich jewel tones with unapologetic patterns, 2016 was an era that brought that warmth and character into homes.