Every year, the internet churns out viral moments that lead to widespread design trends and heated debates. So, as we push forward into the second half of 2024, we’re taking a look at some of the buzziest cultural phenomena in the design world. There have been laughable disasters (the Willy Wonka experience), water tumbler debates (are you team Stanley or Yeti?), and currently burgeoning trends (hello, demure decor!). Ahead, dissect the most viral design moments we’ve seen so far this year.
Martini Olive Green Is the It Color, Then “Brat Green” Takes Over
Earlier this year, martini olive green was all over fashion runways and cool-girl manicures on social media, putting the color on the fast track to take over interiors. It aligned nicely with other design trends, including the use of more natural materials and a focus on sustainable design. But when singer Charli XCX released her album Brat, the neon green splashed on the album cover sparked a shift. While no one’s painting their walls in the loud color quite yet, people do love the marketing campaign, as evidenced by the brat wall in San Francisco and vibrant Brat vinyls. Both fun and disorienting, the hue is an excellent one to end the summer on as we transition into what will likely become demure autumn.
Demure Decor Rises Up
Speaking of demure, we’re calling it now: Demure decor will become a fresh rebrand for minimalist interiors. The trend is inspired by TikToker Jools Lebron’s viral video (with 33.7 million views and counting) on “how to be demure and modest and respectful” at work. When applied to the home, it’s defined by a neutral or muted color palette, simple furnishings, mindful choices that balance function and form, and quiet decor with cutesy details. Content creator Marco Zamora gave an excellent example, saying demure interiors do not have big overhead lights or recessed lighting. “This is not a hospital,” he said in a TikTok video. “I’m very considerate, very mindful for my guests.”
High-End Designers Swear by Dirty Kitchens
Two kitchens are better than one, and high-end designers are embracing that reality in nearly every home they renovate. Along with the primary kitchen for entertaining and simple everyday cooking, they’re adding what they refer to as “dirty kitchen.” Essentially, it’s a working kitchen hidden behind the main space that functions as another cooking, prep, and cleanup area. Here’s why there’s been a major uptick in them this year—and how having a dirty kitchen could add $50,000 to your home’s value.
Slow Decorating Focuses on Intentionality
Similarly, we’ve seen a push for another mindful process: slow decorating. The method centers on choosing pieces to bring into your home with purpose and intention—meaning you’ll likely love them now and in a decade’s time—and accumulating them gradually. Find out what the experts have to say about the trend.
Stanley Cups Lead the Great Tumbler Debate
Stanley cups went viral in 2023 for withstanding literal house and car fires, and the brand’s popularity still hasn’t died down. In 2024, we’ve seen multiple collabs—namely, with Joanna Gaines and LoveShackFancy. Among the many content creators fawning over the brand’s tumblers in their videos, there are an equal number of viral ones joking about the size of the product and our widespread obsession with it. Saturday Night Live, for one, got in on the action with its Big Dumb Cups skit starring Dakota Johnson that aired in January 2024. Having amassed more than 13 million views on TikTok and another 4 million on YouTube, the skit was a hit.
Whether you love them or hate them, Stanley cups are part of the great water bottle debate with loyal parties on all sides. We put Stanley and Yeti, two of the internet’s favorite insulated tumbler brands, to the test—and one clearly came out on top.
