7 Interior Styles That Inspire Us
Many interior styles stem from the same foundation: natural materials and calm, well-thought-out forms, with their differences lying in the details. Other styles work in reverse, built around a single, overarching distinguishing feature, like biophilic design, where the most important thing is bringing nature indoors, not a specific furniture form. In this guide, we've gathered seven such directions, centered around authentic materials and understated forms, where Un'common furniture feels most at home. The criterion was simple: each style must have a distinct character and be implementable in a real interior, not just on a mood board. Below you'll find seven styles, from the most austere to the most natural, along with how to recognize them and where they draw inspiration.
Brutalist Interior Style – What Characterizes It?
Brutalism is an interior style where raw concrete, sharp angles, and a complete lack of decorative embellishments become the primary form of expression for the interior, not just its background. In practice, this means concrete countertops, metal finishes, and forms inspired by post-war architecture, scaled down for an apartment. The key is contrast; brutalism works best when paired with a soft element, such as textured fabric or wood, which softens the austerity of the rest of the room. A good example of this approach is our CONE Shelf, a shelf with a raw, angular form that demonstrates how to introduce brutalism without over-aestheticizing the interior.
Dark Academia Interiors – Dark Aesthetic, Wood, and Library Vibe
Dark academia interiors draw from the aesthetics of old libraries and university studies, where dark shades of green and brown, heavy wood, and brass details create a mood of intimacy and focus. This style works perfectly in studies and bedrooms, where coziness rather than brightness is desired. Important elements include textures like velvet, leather, and paper, as well as a dense arrangement of objects, books, and framed prints that build a sense of collected history. The strong, dramatic veining of CAMO Marble in the Calacatta Viola version fits perfectly with the tenets of this style; the dark, burgundy veins on a light background add exactly the theatricality sought in dark academia.
Japandi Interiors – A Blend of Japanese Minimalism and Scandinavian Warmth
Japandi is an interior style that combines Japanese formal discipline with Scandinavian functionality, where simple, geometric furniture and a maximally reduced number of objects create tranquility through order. Unlike modern organic, which we discuss in the next section, Japandi relies on clean lines and right angles, not soft, wavy shapes—this is a subtle but crucial difference between the two styles. The result is a minimalist interior, but never cold; natural wood and a muted palette replace excessive decorations, and every element has its place and function, nothing is accidental. Our ORIA console demonstrates this principle in practice: a simple, oak form without unnecessary details.
Modern Organic – Interior Style with Natural Materials and Organic Forms
Modern organic is an interior style where natural materials—wood, linen, stone—take on soft, wavy, often asymmetrical forms, and tranquility is built not through order, as in Japandi, but through naturalness and slight imperfection. This style is for those who want warmth without sacrificing a minimalist aesthetic, but in a more sculptural and less geometric version than Japandi. Muted, earthy colors and matte finishes create an interior that looks natural but is fully designed. Our PERA S side table illustrates this philosophy well: dark wood in a simple but warm form, close to nature. Modern organic also pairs well with biophilic design, which we discuss in the next section; both styles stem from the same desire for closeness to nature.
Biophilic Design – Nature-Inspired Interiors
Biophilic design is an approach where plants, natural light, and organic materials are no longer mere additions but become the main elements of interior design. It is increasingly appearing in industry publications and various interior design magazines as a response to the need for contact with nature in urban interiors. In practice, this means large potted plants, natural textures, living green walls, and maximum utilization of daylight in the room's layout. This style genuinely impacts well-being, which is why it should be treated not as a trend but as a long-term investment in the quality of space. Our BLOCK Sideboard, placed near a window amidst plants, demonstrates how biophilic design looks in practice: wood and natural light in a single frame.
Modern Mid-Century – Timeless Style Inspired by 1950s and 60s Design
Modern mid-century is an interior style that refreshes the aesthetics of the fifties and sixties, where organic furniture shapes, warm teak wood, and geometric patterns return today in a more modern, less literal form. This is one of the most versatile styles on this list; it ages well and easily combines with other directions, such as modern organic. Characteristic features include slender furniture legs, muted but bold color schemes, and functional, refined details. Our BARI coffee table combines this aesthetic with travertine, a material that has accompanied Italian modern mid-century for decades and perfectly fits the assumptions of this style: warm, natural, yet still slightly luxurious.
Transitional Style – A Blend of Classic and Modern
Transitional is an interior style that combines classic proportions and forms with modern simplicity, created for those who don't want to choose between tradition and contemporary design. It is characterized by a subdued, neutral palette, a mix of textures, and furniture from different eras that together create a cohesive but not obvious whole. Our TURI Pillar made of travertine demonstrates why this material so easily fits into transitional style; its natural, calm texture harmonizes equally well with classical architecture and modern, simple forms. Transitional is also the safest starting point if you're just beginning to experiment with more distinctive styles from this list, allowing you to introduce individual, stronger accents without redoing the entire interior.
This overview of seven styles is primarily a curiosity and a source of inspiration, not a rigid instruction. When designing your own interior, you can freely combine elements from different styles; the final result will still be a reflection of your taste, not a textbook definition of one specific direction.
About the author
Gosia Korycka, co-founder and designer at Un'common, an architect by profession, has been designing furniture and tracking global design trends for 10 years. Un'common furniture is not designed for a specific style. Rather, it's the brand's intrinsic attachment to natural materials, minimalist forms, and, above all, unique details. That's why it transitions so easily between the styles in this guide - not because it's universal, but because it springs from the same values that underpin each of these directions.
