In this episode of the Uploft Interior Design Podcast, I’m recording from my bathroom on a snow day, juggling three kids, a flu quarantine, and cabin fever while diving into part two of my 2026 interior design trends report, where I break down what’s in, what’s questionable, and what I’m personally excited about—from going all-in on tile and embracing textile wall hangings to cautiously approaching leopard print, rejecting hand stenciling, loving layered botanical prints, and fully endorsing the dramatic return of the “5th wall,” aka the ceiling. If you have questions for me, make sure to submit them here.
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Design inspiration, real life makeovers, and the latest in pop culture. This is the Uploft Interior Design podcast with Betsy Helmuth. >> It is officially a snow day here in the Northeast. We got 15 in. This is my second day locked inside. My husband’s
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been away on a work trip in California. Sunny Palm Springs for a week. Um, yeah, it’s been a lot. Three kids, job, all the things. So, this is coming to you from my bathroom if you’re watching on YouTube wondering what is Betsy doing in her pajamas. Well, I haven’t been out of
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my pajamas. Not in two and a half days. I have changed pajamas from, you know, the ones I was wearing yesterday to the ones I’m wearing now. And I changed my daughter’s pajamas. So, we’re twinning. We’re wearing the same onesie with the same pattern. But yes, my entire family
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has been in pajamas. My older daughter has the flu, so she’s sequestered in her room. We’re leaving her yummy goodies outside while the rest of us try and find things to do inside besides kill each other. No, no, no. Everything’s fine. But teenage son, toddler baby,
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lots of lots of feelings, lots of different things to cook and watch and do. Yeah. I hope you guys are weathering the storm where you’re at. I must say I have zero complaints because we have our electricity. In the past, our electricity has gone out and our generator just stopped
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working and I got an estimate over $10,000. we’re not replacing our generator anytime soon. I’d rather just check myself into a hotel. Uh so I was really crossing my fingers and my toes that we would not lose power. And thankfully the lights are still on. I
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mean this could change at any time, especially because it is still snowing. They have called a snow day for tomorrow for the neighboring town. So it’s just a matter of time before they do the same here. All I need is is just one more day of this. Now everything’s good. It’s fun
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to hibernate in some ways and I am going stir crazy in others. Okay, knocking on wood. Well, we are here today to discuss interior design trends for 2026, part two. Uh if you missed part one, go back and listen to last week. And if you want to learn about trends that are out for
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2026, go back and listen two weeks ago. Uh, of course we’ll have visuals on YouTube so you can see exactly what I’m talking about as I reference each trend. But if you want even more content, if you want to see what I’m thinking and talking about every single day, well,
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you don’t want to miss our Tik Tok channel. Yes, Uploft Interior Design is now on Tik Tok and I have a video posting every single day. We’ve got some spicy ones because not only today am I talking about trends, I’ll also be talking about in the second half of the
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episode Heated Rivalry. And I got into heated rivalry on my Tik Tok. I take you space by space and let you know what I think of Elia’s bedroom, let you know what I think of Shane’s kitchen, uh what I think could be improved if I was the set designer, and what I think is spoton
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at the cottage. So, you do not want to miss those videos if you’re a fan. And you’re probably a fan. And if you’re not a fan, listening to part two of today’s episode will hopefully make you one. All right, let’s dig into those trends. Kicking it off with tile, going the
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extra mile with tile, putting it everywhere, wrapping it, of course, on the walls of the kitchen, not just the backsplash, but taking it up past the cabinets. I love this trend. I did it in my last house where my kitchen was very small. It was a galley kitchen. And not
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only did I put it in between the cabinets and the countertops, of course, backsplash regular kind of vibe, but also on the wall opposite the cabinetry, I did the entire wall all around the windows with this beautiful French blue arabesque mosaic tile. It was stunning
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and I know it upped my resale value. So, while I’m totally agreeing that this is a beautiful thing to do in 2026, I don’t necessarily think it’s a trend. I have been advocating for extra tile for years. I love a tile floor in a kitchen or bathroom. Avoid the wood. I
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know people like that continuous look, especially if it’s open concept. But, as somebody who has a wood floor in both my kitchen and my bathroom from the previous owner, it looks nice. But every time I spill water or something or my kids, you know, I don’t know, drip drip drip
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as they do, I’m like, clean it up because you can see on the wood where the um grain starts to warp almost right away. It’s exhausting. It’s exhausting tile. Um not necessarily a trend, but something I’m always advocating for, and you might as well lean in if you haven’t
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already in this year. Okay, the next thing are textile wall hangings. So, thinking tapestry, thinking hanging a bolt of fabric, maybe mounting a canvas painting that’s not framed or stretched, right? Just utilizing fabric, whether it’s a quilt or blanket that you’re
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displaying. There’s lots of different ways to hang textiles as artwork. I’m a fan. I’m a fan because you don’t have to frame it. Often times with artwork, the expense isn’t just with the piece, especially if it’s a large piece, but it’s with framing the piece. Getting the
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wood frame, of course, or metal, but then if it needs glass on the front, it just raises the cost exponentially. So, I love a tapestry and I’m really excited that this is a trend because it’s hard to find tapestries that are beautiful textiles that are ready to hang on the
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wall in the retail setting. I’m excited that perhaps retailers are going to be thinking about these trends because I’ve pulled all these from L Decor, House Beautiful, Vogue. I didn’t make these trends up. I basically called them from all the major media outlets
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that deal with interior design, architectural digest, and I picked and chose the ones that I think are newsworthy, podcastw worthy, and this one definitely is. And I hope manufacturers are listening because we need more options for textile wall hangings. Right now, it’s really
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something you have to find on your own or something that you’re using a piece that’s like a family heirloom. And I would like choices on the retail market. Pretty please. The next trend is leopard print. It’s not just for fur coats. It’s not just for leggings. It’s not just for
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your kooky aunt Wanda who wants to make a splash. No, leopard print is back. Now, I will say I think this is a hard trend to just randomly incorporate in a room that’s not necessarily eclectic or something like that. I think you do do need a judicious eye. I think it helps
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to be a professional when incorporating a trend that could go a little garish if you do too much. So, I would do one little pop, one small element. Thinking about my own home, which is mid-century modern with like an antique bent. I don’t think I could do this in an
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elegant way that is really that true leopard print tone with like the camel background and the black spots. This isn’t a trend I’m going to be incorporating. I’m open to sharing it with certain clients if say they have a
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2026 Design Trends, Part Two Begins
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very neutral space. I think it could fold in well. I’m not seeing this really take off. I definitely could see it more in fashion that I see it in home fashion, but more power to you. Just like black and white checks were really in a few years ago. I
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have the same feeling about this. Throw in a splash. It’s not going to be in forever. People might judge you or think you’re a little out there, but have some fun with it if it’s something that you feel fits your space organically. All right, next trend. Hand stenciling.
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Now, guys, I’m dating myself here when I do this reference, but back in the ‘9s, I was handstelling. Yes, I did make a sunflower pattern border at the top of my bedroom in high school. hand stenciling, even though, you know, it’s been around for centuries,
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I don’t think it’s chic. I don’t need it to come back. I’m a big fan of wallpaper, and I guess this could be seen as the poor man’s wallpaper, but you really have to do it in a way that feels professional and finished. I don’t like those ones that look a little too
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rustic, like when you put the stamp on and it didn’t fully cover, so there’s little spaces where maybe the stamp and the paint didn’t fully applied to the wall. I’m not loving this look. This for me is shabby chic. It’s a little country, too, unless you’re doing some kind of cabin.
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And even then, first of all, definitely no hand stencil borders. I’m really drawing a line there. Pun intended. I’m drawing a stencileled line there. But if you’re going to do a stencil, replicating wallpaper in terms of doing like a big swath, I guess I’m okay with.
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I just don’t see this as a trend. I can’t imagine how many designers are going to be embracing this and getting on board and hiring a stencelor. I don’t see it happening. But I’ll keep my eye out and I’ll eat crow if I am seeing some amazing stenciling that I want to
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share with you over the course of this year. And of course, if you’re feeling like Betsy, get hip to the times. Handstenciling is back. All you have to do is email me. Go to uploft.com/mpodcast. Once again, that’s uplift.com/mpodcast. There you can write me a question. You
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can show me what you’re hand stenciling and you can say, “Betsy, isn’t it gorgeous? Don’t you regret all that dissing you did of the stenciling?” And maybe I’ll say yes and maybe I’ll say no. But I’d love to hear from you. And I always love to hear what you’re working
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on. What trends are resonating with you? Let’s talk about this next trend. Is this one resonating with you? Botanical prints. I love a botanical print. I mean, a floral can be considered a botanical print. Of course, a leafy kind of pattern can be considered a botanical
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print. There’s so many ways to do botanicals that I’m definitely not saying no to this one. And I do think it is a trend rather than something that’s just timeless because of how many botanicals they’re recommending being layered in one space. So, for instance,
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if I was mixing patterns, which is one of my favorite things to do as a designer, I like mixing in a floral or a leafy pattern, but I’d only really do one. And then if I was going to do artwork or imagery in the space, I’d probably avoid doing a botanical or a
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flower or something like that. Well, now that it’s on trend, I would layer a few botanical moments in a room. And I’m really excited about that. And bringing the outdoors in is something that I am craving, especially these past few days when I have been literally stuck inside.
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We cannot open our door cuz the wind has been blowing. So, while there’s 15 in everywhere, there’s like 24 in outside my entry door. I don’t even want to try. I had my son go out because I was like, maybe we’ll take the baby. maybe we’ll do some sledding. He’s like, “Mom, if
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you bring the baby and you put her in the snow, like more than half of her is going to disappear. She’s going to be traumatized for life. We’re not going outside with the baby.” I was like, “Thank you. Drawing the line and we’re staying inside.” All right, last trend
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for 2026 is the fifth wall. Betsy, what are you talking about fifth wall? What I am talking about, what Vogue and L Decor
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Going All In on Tile & Textile Wall Hangings
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are talking about is the ceiling. In 99% of the spaces I design, I do a white ceiling. A ceiling that is a starker version of white than the trim, which is tr traditionally a creamier version of white than the ceiling. And then the walls are a different
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color. Again, typically not a white, especially if I’m your designer. I do not like white walls cuz it’s just too much white on white on white. But what they are referencing with this fifth wall trend is that you would treat the ceiling in a really unique way that
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draws your eye there. So maybe you’re wallpapering the ceiling. Maybe you’re painting it in a totally different color that’s different from the walls, but is indeed a Roy G. Bib eye-catching color. Maybe you are gold leafing the ceiling and really giving it some wow factor.
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There’s so many different ways that you could draw somebody’s eye up, but they’re not just talking about chandeliers, light fixtures. They are talking about actually applying it on the ceiling’s texture. I love this. I love this. I do think it doesn’t work in every room. I do
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think that you need sort of a professional to bounce things off of and to check this choice because it is a really bold choice. But I’m a fan. I love making bold choices. But you will find as opposed to the other four walls, painting the fifth wall is no joke.
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Painting the ceiling is a little bit like Michelangelo Sistine’s chapel, it’s not going to be the easiest lift. So, you definitely want to make a choice you’re excited about because you will not want to redo it for a very long time. All right, that ends my trend
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report for 2026. I hope you enjoyed learning all about what’s next. Speaking of what’s next, I am waiting impatiently for Heated Rivalries season 2. Now guys, you’ve been hearing about Craves Heated Rivalry. You’ve maybe seen it yourself on HBO. If you haven’t, this
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is a call to action. Go to HBO and get started today. I was on TikTok, you know, as I am now. I never was on Tik Tok before. Now that I’m actually on Tik Tok, I’m on Tik Tok. And somebody was saying that they are so into heated rivalry that they feel like they’re
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working at an MLM. They feel like they’re just procilitizing. And the more people they get on board to watch this show, the more they’re sort of winning at life. And I could not agree more. I was listening to Kristen Davis’s podcast about Sex in the City and she was
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talking about how obsessed she was with heated rivalry and I was like, “What is your problem?” I had seen one or two episodes initially and I just wasn’t captivated. I was like, “Okay, all right. I I’ll play along. Let me see what this is about.” By episode 3, I
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could not stop. I was in the world. I was thoroughly committed to these characters. And I’ve been analyzing what I think has made this show so compelling for me. I mean, the first thing I think is sort of this unrequited love. They have been sort of dancing around the idea of being
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together for a long time. There are t timestamps in the episodes that kind of show you how much time passes between one hockey game that they’re playing against each other versus another game versus another text chain versus another time they’re encountering each other.
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And it really keeps the suspense alive. Also, it reminded me of my dating days. You know, where you start a text that you want to say to the person you’re dating or you want to tell them how you’re feeling, but you second guess yourself or feel like maybe you shouldn’t say that. I
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love that we see Shane kind of typing out these texts to Elia and then immediately taking them back. Now, I forgot to tell you sort of what the premise of the show is about, and it’s these two hockey players playing on different teams from different countries who
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have this sort of infatuation with each other that slowly grows over the course of over a decade. And we’re seeing this in terms of their connections at hotel rooms, different things like this, whenever they sort of get a chance via their sport to be in the same orbit. Do
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they take it? What does it look like? And this is not a show you’re going to want to watch with kids. This is a show you may not even want to watch with your partner. I mean, I really enjoyed just having my own experience with this show and not taking in anybody else’s
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opinions or ideas. I just wanted to immerse myself and it is very um it goes there. Let’s put it that like that. It goes there. Um but I just could not look away. I think I do love the unrequited love. I like the back and forth. I really loved the beautiful sets. I mean,
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these Airbnbs that they were using as sets, as Shane’s cottage on the lake, as Shane’s apartment, as Elia’s apartment, and then of course the stunning hotel rooms. There was so much eye candy, and I’m not just talking about the naked boys. So men, men, men, men. But anyway,
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there was so much eye candy that I could not look away. I had so many opinions regarding the sets, which you’ll hear on TikTok, and that was a really fun element. Um, I’m just trying to think if there was anything I didn’t like about the the show. I think the timestamps made it feel a
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little disjointed. Sometimes I couldn’t really understand what the time lapse meant in terms of their lifestyle. Also, with the sets, everything was so beautiful and pristine and minimal that I really couldn’t get a sense of who was living there. And maybe that was
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intentional. Like, I’m sure these guys hired designers or bought fully furnished spaces. So, maybe they didn’t translate their personality to their decor, but for me, that was a miss. Uh, I just highly recommend checking it out. I was captivated. And
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the best part of the show for me was the post show. After you’ve watched all the episodes, then what you must do is go to Instagram, go to Tik Tok, and check out the press tours that these guys have been doing. I love how off-the-cuff they are. I love how quote unquote real they
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are. I love how silly and connected and interesting and relatable these guys in real life are. You know, sometimes celebrities try and seem like so above the lay person or they’re so buttoned up or you feel like their personal experience is not relatable to yours as an actual
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human who maybe had to work at a restaurant job and maybe struggled in finding your own career path and success. And I just love how they put it all out there. How they were like, “Six months ago, we were working restaurant jobs and nobody knew our name and now
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we’re the biggest thing and now we are like Olympic torchbearers.” They are just so fun to watch. Whether it’s on the Today Show or Canadian media channels, I have gone down the biggest rabbit hole. And I’m sure I’ve spent more time watching them on these press
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tours than the six episodes I spent watching Heated Rivalry. I’m not only obsessed with the show, I’m obsessed with Connor story, Connor Story, and with um Hudson Williams. Oh my gosh. So guys, you don’t want to miss this. You don’t want to miss the cultural moment. Everybody is
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talking about this and you don’t want to be left out. Go to HBO and check out Heated Rivalry and tell me what you thought. Everyone, I’m going back to make some brownies for my teen son, to check on my daughter with the flu, and probably get her some tea and some
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pseudafed, and to enjoy the remaining hour of my toddler’s nap. I hope you’re doing something equally exciting. And until next week, bye. A big thanks to our producer Jeremy Young and to Eton and the Embassy for our theme music. And shout out to our
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parent company, Uploft Interior Design, your trusted source for expert interior design. Visit uploft.com to explore our services and book a consultation with one of our talented designers. If you’re enjoying the Uplift Interior Design podcast, please support us by sharing
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the show with friends and leaving a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’s the best way to help new listeners find us. Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you next week with more pro tips and pop culture
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