Quiet luxury is the new home trend that is increasingly becoming louder and louder. Understated elegance can make a profound impact on interior design, creating a sophisticated environment. In this blog, we’ll be sharing our expert knowledge to tell you everything you need to know about this new trend, and how you can introduce it to your home.
Tolland Herringbone, Editions Collection
What is quiet luxury?
Sometimes, a whisper is all that is needed to be heard. This fact is especially true in relation to the quiet luxury trend. Timeless appeal, subtle beauty and high-quality materials come together to build this movement. Think warmth, calm and serenity – all the aspects we seek to bring into our homes.
Quiet luxury brands are keen to portray the message that you don’t have to be bold to make a statement. Focal points are not essential in every room, if furniture, flooring and furnishings can combine to make a lasting impression.
Cast your mind back to the minimalism trend – simple, monochrome and clean. This movement was and still is incredibly popular, but it was also widely critiqued for its lack of character and cold aesthetic. Quiet luxury builds on minimalism to inject personality into a space, whilst keeping it uncluttered. Each stylistic choice is carefully considered, bringing value deeper than just appearance. When introducing quiet luxury into your home, you must consider why each piece was made, how it was made and where.
Why is quiet luxury the latest interior trend?
Over the past year, Google searches for the term ‘quiet luxury’ have grown by 614%! This comes at a time when there has been a shift towards logo-free fashion and products; sustainability and personal significance are held at a higher value than explicit big-name brands. There are three main reasons for the quiet luxury trend:
1. A post-covid world
More emphasis and effort have been put into making our homes a tranquil, calm space since the Covid-19 outbreaks. In fact, a survey found that 38% of people in the UK now work from home at least partially. As we’re spending much more time in this environment, it’s unsurprising that we’re taking more time to consider its look and feel.
2. The ‘Succession effect’
The latest season of the HBO drama premiered in the summer of 2023. This fourth and final season gained an average of 8.7 million views per episode, making a profound impact on Western society. Quiet luxury is reflected throughout the show, whether through neutral costumes or sleek sets. Since the season aired, terms like ‘old-money aesthetic’ have soared in popularity on TikTok and beyond.
Franklin PDV, Antique Collection
3. Gwyneth Paltrow’s wardrobe
Gwyneth Paltrow’s recent high-profile case in Utah saw her step out in an outfit that oozed elegance. None of her clothes showed logos, but she was dressed in beige and brown Ralph Lauren, Prada and Celine clothes. Only herself, other people of similar social standing and experts would be able to identify that she was wearing these high-profile brands – the epitome of subtle elegance and quiet luxury.
How can I add quiet luxury to my home?
The timeless nature of quiet luxury means that, once you have introduced it into your home, you won’t need to update your interior design for the foreseeable future. Sian McFarlane, Woodworks Brand Manager listed some of the ways that you can introduce quiet luxury into your home:
Coast Plank, Editions Collection
1. Custom items
All your interior design choices should be personal to you. This means choosing items that mean something to you, instead of being influenced by mainstream products. You may even opt to personalise items, choosing to buy on sites such as Etsy.
2. Prioritise sustainability
When purchasing from quiet luxury brands, you should take a keen interest in how the product is made. If a product is sustainable, it has a much higher personal value, as it supports the world that we live in. Here at Woodworks, all our flooring is sustainably sourced or certified, with our Antique floors having already been used for 100 years or more. Find out more: Sustainability – Our Commitment
3. Simple decor
The quiet luxury interior design trend often links to simplistic decor. Soft lighting, abstract prints and plain knitted furnishings are some of the best options to choose from. These subtle touches can really help to transform your living space into a sea of tranquillity.
Coast Plank, Editions Collection
4. Vintage charm
Items that have been used before always have a story. This gives them an essence of character – a factor at the heart of the quiet luxury trend. Our Aged wood flooring collection uses organic, raw timber which has been hand-finished to embody the character of antique flooring. Learn more: Aged Collection
5. Neutral tones
Embrace colours like beige and brown, pairing them with white and light shades. If you are searching for a darker palette, navy, olive green, brown and black are colours that you may also wish to introduce. This palette can be found in our Editions collection, which is perfect for projects that require a natural elegance. Find out more: Editions Collection
6. Intriguing textures
Comfort is the epitome of luxury. Opt for furniture that uses soft fabrics like linen or velvet and dress your space with chunky knitted blankets. When it comes to flooring, wood should be your top choice. Whether you desire a floor with natural undulations, a rough-sawn texture to enhance its character or a more subtle and smooth appearance, we offer a variety of options for you to select from. Explore our range of textures: Feeling The Texture guide
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about the quiet luxury trend. Woodworks can help you to create the perfect living space, with a variety of British-made new, reclaimed and antique wood floors. Browse our extensive collection today: Collections