Goodbye Millennial Gray, Hello Boomer Brown: The Color Comeback

After two decades of dominating color schemes, gray is no longer the sole favorite as earth tones, stained-wood cabinets, and natural wood antiques make a strong comeback in interior design. Homeowners and designers alike are rediscovering the charm of wood, signaling a shift from the cool, minimalist grays that once ruled.

In the past, oak wood and American antiques were all the rage. However, the rise of more contemporary, especially French country, styles made certain American antiques fall out of favor. This shift led to closures of well-known Houston antique stores like Harrison’s Fine Antiques and Art, Carl Moore Antiques, and Stardust Antiques.

For years, cool grays, whites, and blacks dominated, with many people opting to paint their antiques, kitchen cabinets, and even family heirlooms. However, this trend is now fading as an older, more traditional aesthetic takes center stage. A noticeable transformation is underway, especially on interior design websites and Instagram, where brown wood furniture is making a strong return.

Houston interior designer Beth Lindsey, who has always appreciated wood furniture and antiques, notes, "For me, it didn’t go out of style, but for the last 10 years, it wasn’t what most people wanted. People were getting rid of wood pieces or choosing painted or washed-out gray finishes. I’m excited that it’s back."

Just as wood flooring adds warmth to a room, wood furniture and stained-wood antiques do the same. Lindsey explains, “Antique pieces are unique, so you won’t see them in every house. They give a home an individual look. That’s what I love about darker tones and antique furniture."

At present, Lindsey is working with clients who are opting for wood-tone cabinets after years of requesting painted ones. She also mentions that warm brass and gold accents are returning, further complementing the shift towards traditional elements. Her clients are still aiming for a transitional style, blending the old with the new.

Interior designers like Victoria Sheffield and Julie Dodson Webster also find that incorporating wood furnishings and accents brings a unique and comfortable warmth to a home. Dodson Webster, known for organizing events for antique shows in Round Top, Texas, is part of a designer showhouse project that is open to the public. For the primary bedroom, she incorporated a wood table she discovered at last fall’s antique shows.

"I definitely think people are ready for that warmth in their houses again, and people are shifting more back to traditional style," Dodson Webster observes, favoring darker walnut, chestnut, and oak pieces. "Lighter and painted antique pieces are easy, breezy Southern, but now people are mixing them with dark tones."

For Dodson Webster, interior design trends are cyclical, with materials and colors constantly coming in and out of style. "I love, love, love the darker, rich stained wood. I’m not going to say that bleached wood is going to be out, but it’s had its day," she says. She often encourages clients to incorporate wood pieces like hutches, consoles, nightstands, and side tables into their homes.

Sheffield’s designs also incorporate wood in creative ways. In one project, she added fluted wood paneling with acoustic properties to a primary bedroom, not only enhancing the space’s aesthetic but also helping to reduce noise from a nearby street. She notes that homes with larger windows that allow more natural light provide the perfect setting for darker wood furniture, preventing the room from feeling overwhelmed by the tones.

"People understand now that if you have a nice piece of furniture or beautiful carpentry work, seeing the wood grain tells a story about the home’s construction and quality," Sheffield explains. "If you’re going to have cabinets in beautiful or exotic wood, let’s show it off. Otherwise, it would be like wearing a fur coat and covering it in duct tape."

Sheffield has seen a noticeable shift in preference from painted cabinets to stained ones. “I didn’t rely on wood until a year and a half ago. Now, almost 75 percent of the time when we’re pulling together cabinet samples, our favorite option is stain,” she reveals.

Having lived in a midcentury-era neighborhood herself, Sheffield has developed a love for the history behind older pieces. When an elderly neighbor passed away, Sheffield picked up a pair of midcentury six-drawer chests at an estate sale, refinished and waxed them, and now treasures their story, even though they weren’t originally part of her family’s history.

As wood finishes and natural tones make a big comeback, it’s clear that the trend toward a more traditional, earthy aesthetic is here to stay, bringing warmth, individuality, and a sense of nostalgia to modern homes.