The Rise of Corduroy and Plaid Decor Proves Preppy Style Is Coming Back in 2024

These classic patterns are on the rise once again, and they’re the perfect interior design refresh.

Trends in interior design cycle in and out of popularity quickly, and it can be difficult to keep up. From neutrals to maximalism and back again, it seems like each season brings a new ideal home aesthetic. But luckily, some styles stick around for the long run, even if they don’t necessarily win the popularity contest every year. For 2024, preppy design is coming back in a big way, bringing corduroy and plaid along with it. Though this classic interior style never quite went out of style, it’s been waiting to shine—and it looks like now’s the time.

First made popular in the early 1900s by the upper crust of the northeast, preppy style was defined by Ivy League degrees, tweed jackets, richly appointed interiors, and weekends spent sailing, playing badminton, and eating lobster rolls. In the early 1980s, college students across the country co-opted the prepster vibe, as Ralph Lauren Polo shirts, corduroy pants, and penny loafers became the uniform of young people everywhere. While prep may not always be in magazines as a style to watch for, preppy homes maintain their appeal.

Related: 7 Furniture Trends Designers Say Will Be Hot in 2024

Now, prep is back in style again, especially in interiors, bringing brown leather, corduroy upholstery, deep, rich colors, and antique (or antique-feeling) furnishings to rooms. The trend towards prep aligns with the move towards darker paint colors and away from whites and monochromatic design. And while we may not be seeing a return of knee socks with walking shorts anytime soon, ribbons and bows are one of the hottest details both in interior and women’s (and some men’s) fashion, referencing the once-ubiquitous bow-tied ponytails of both the early and late 20th century.

You don’t need to go all out in your home to embrace prep design. If you already have a leather sofa, but it’s black instead of brown, accessorize it with brown leather throw pillows mixed in with primary-color plaids—the more patterns, the better. Checkerboard is already showing up in a big way on Pinterest boards and home store shelves and works beautifully with the prep look, especially when done with color instead of black and white. Bring a bar cart into your living space, complete with a martini shaker, shiny ice bucket, and plenty of bourbon to step up the prep look—old-school cocktails like Manhattans and Sidecars are the epitome of preppy, especially when served with mixed nuts or cheese and crackers.

Related: The 39 Best Throw Pillows of 2023 for Every Style

It’s important to treat preppy style with a bit of irreverence to keep it from feeling elitist or exclusionary. As Dream Awake founder Estelle Bailey-Babenzien told Architectural Digest, you don’t want it to “feel like a cliché or a gimmick of this lifestyle that feels very one-note and not necessarily inclusive.” Bring down the expensive feel of preppy by displaying flea-market find art that nods to the staid portraits of early preppy homes, or add an old-school turntable to play vinyl to bring a very 1980s mood to your home. More than anything, prep is warm and inviting, so emphasize that in your design choices to keep the look down-to-earth.

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