Interior design styles: 8 common styles and how to choose yours

What are the main interior design styles

A style is not a rulebook but a shared language for materials, colours and shapes. Once you have chosen one, hundreds of small decisions, from tiles to cabinet handles, become easier.

The eight styles worth knowing:

• Scandinavian: simple, functional, nothing superfluous
• Japandi: Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian practicality
• minimalism: little furniture, plenty of free space and daylight
• modern classic or neoclassical: symmetry, mouldings, parquet
• loft or industrial: brick, concrete, metal, exposed pipes
• wabi-sabi: beauty in imperfection, rough wood, clay, stone
• mid-century modern: clean lines and mid-20th-century furniture
• quiet luxury: restrained colours, natural materials, no logos

Scandinavian style and minimalism: simplicity that works

Scandinavian design is built on simplicity, minimalism and functionality. It flourished in the 1950s; the Design in Scandinavia exhibition (1954) dates from that period. Every object earns its place, and decoration never gets in the way.

Minimalism goes further: simple natural materials, neutral colours, a minimum of furniture, empty space and natural light. Free space is part of the design, not a gap.

Who it suits: both styles work well in panel blocks, where rooms are small, corridors narrow and ceilings low. Less furniture and floor-to-ceiling storage give a room air. The most common mistake is a cold, empty room: without wood, textiles and warm light, minimalism looks unfinished.

Japandi and wabi-sabi: the calm of Japan and the North

Japandi blends Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian functionality. Its materials are wood, bamboo, rattan, stone, ceramics and linen. The palette is white, grey, beige and brown with black accents, the furniture is low and simple, and the principle is less but better. Dezeen's designers also list the blend of Eastern restraint and Western modernism among the 2026 trends.

Wabi-sabi is the Japanese idea of beauty in imperfection: rough wood, clay and stone, muted earthy colours and asymmetry. Where Japandi is ordered and clean, wabi-sabi happily accepts a crack in a ceramic bowl or uneven plaster.

Who it suits: Japandi fits both a panel-block flat and a historic building, because it needs little furniture and plenty of natural materials. Wabi-sabi needs good daylight to show its texture.

Modern classic and neoclassical: symmetry and mouldings

Modern classic, or neoclassical, style is defined by symmetry, wall mouldings and panelling, light neutral colours, parquet, marble and classic silhouettes in simplified lines. It is not a palace set but a calm, elegant backdrop for everyday life.

Who it suits: the style sits naturally in Riga's historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Classic style shows off surviving cornices, parquet and timber windows rather than hiding them. In a panel block, keep mouldings slim and restrained, or a low ceiling will feel even lower.

In Valerija's project in central Riga, the hallway has wall mouldings.

Loft, mid-century modern and quiet luxury

Loft or industrial style was born in converted factories: brick, concrete, exposed pipes, metal and large windows. A panel block has no factory bones, so borrow a few elements, such as metal lights or one concrete-textured wall, rather than imitating a workshop throughout.

Mid-century modern covers roughly 1945 to the 1970s: clean lines without ornament, honest materials and ergonomic furniture such as the Tulip chair and the Eames Lounge Chair. One piece from that era suits both a panel-block flat and a historic interior.

Quiet luxury is restrained and logo-free. The materials are wood, linen, wool and stone, the colours beige, cream and taupe, with plenty of texture. Dezeen's designers also talk about calm over showy luxury for 2026.

Interior design styles compared

How to choose a style for a panel-block flat or the historic centre

Riga's panel blocks typically have narrow corridors, small bathrooms, kitchens too tight to dine in and low ceilings. Many series, such as 602 and 467, allow minimal replanning, so the style must come from colour, materials and furniture, not moved walls.

The historic centre is different. The law on preserving and protecting Riga's historic centre does not allow historic residential buildings to be altered so that they can no longer be lived in. If a building is a listed monument of national importance, work is agreed with the National Heritage Board. Before any major change, check with the Riga City Construction Board (būvvalde).

In one of Valerija's projects a wall-hung TV unit leaves the living room floor clear, a trick that helps a small room in almost any style.

A few questions that help you decide:

• How much do you own, and how much can be hidden? If a lot, minimalism needs floor-to-ceiling cupboards.
• What is already good: parquet, cornices, timber windows? The style can show them off.
• How much daylight do the rooms get? Dark textures and wabi-sabi need good natural light.
• Is it a panel series with limited replanning? Then style comes from finishes and furniture.
• Should the interior last? Calm styles like Japandi and quiet luxury are likely to date more slowly than loud fashions.

How Valerija Gelfere helps you choose a style

With more than 10 design projects completed, Valerija Gelfere does not push her own taste: she thinks about how you will live in the flat. From your Pinterest examples she builds a material collage, and you approve the style from it before the 3D begins. The 3D then shows from all angles how Japandi or a classic scheme looks in your own room.

A design project in your chosen style costs from 5 €/m². Tradespeople bring the style to life: Valerija does not carry out renovation, but she recommends those she has worked with.