Michigan Home Trends: Personality Is Back

Color, Wallpaper & Character Return to Southeast Michigan Homes

For years, the safe decorating formula was pretty simple: gray walls, white cabinets, neutral furniture and maybe a little black hardware for contrast.

It looked clean. It photographed well. And after seeing essentially the same room a few thousand times...maybe we've had enough.

Personality is coming back into our homes.

Across Southeast Michigan, from Canton, Plymouth and Northville to Livonia, Ann Arbor, Brighton and communities throughout Metro Detroit, homeowners are looking for ways to make their spaces feel warmer, more interesting and—most importantly—more like their home.

And one of the biggest surprises?

Yes...Wallpaper Is Back

Before you start having flashbacks about wallpaper steamers, scrapers and that border somebody installed around the ceiling in 1993, today's wallpaper is very different.

The 2026 wallpaper trend is less about covering every wall with a tiny repeating floral pattern and more about using wallpaper intentionally.

We're seeing:

• Textured and grasscloth-inspired wallcoverings

• Sophisticated botanical patterns

• Modern stripes

• Earthy greens and natural colors

• Large-scale murals

• Heritage-inspired patterns

• Wallpaper used on ceilings or as a feature wall

Wallpaper has become another way to add texture, depth and personality to a room rather than simply covering the walls.

Color Is Getting Richer, Too

The return of personality isn't limited to wallpaper.

The cool grays and stark whites that dominated home interiors for years are being joined—or replaced—by colors with considerably more depth.

Think olive and earthy greens, chocolate and walnut browns, warm clay, burgundy, muted jewel tones and creamy neutrals.

Even when homeowners aren't ready for a dramatic room, we're seeing these colors appear in smaller doses through cabinetry, furniture, rugs, pillows, accent walls and accessories.

The result is a home that feels layered rather than sterile.

The New Goal: Collected, Not Perfect

One of my favorite changes in home design is the move away from rooms that look like everything was purchased from the same showroom on the same Saturday afternoon.

Today's interiors can mix old and new.

A modern sofa might sit next to an antique table. Natural wood can work alongside painted cabinetry. A traditional rug can live in a contemporary room.

Your home doesn't have to perfectly match.

It should tell your story.

But How Much Personality Is Too Much?

Here's where my real estate side kicks in.

If you're planning to live in your home for another ten years, decorate it however you want. It's your home—enjoy it.

But if you're considering selling within the next few years, there's a difference between adding character and creating something so personal that the next owner immediately starts calculating what it will cost to change it.

That's why I like using stronger design choices strategically.

Try wallpaper in a powder room, dining room, office, bedroom accent wall or even on a ceiling. Bring richer colors into cabinetry, furniture or accessories before committing an entire house to them.

You can create personality without overwhelming the space.

Bart's Take

Trends come and go, but homes with warmth and character rarely feel completely out of style.

The smartest updates aren't necessarily the ones everyone on social media is doing this month. They're the improvements that make your home more enjoyable while still giving you flexibility when your tastes—or your plans—change.

Paint is easy to change.

Furniture moves.

Accessories evolve.

Wallpaper takes a little more commitment...although thankfully today's wallpaper removal shouldn't require three friends, a steamer, and several words we can't print here.

Now I Want Your Opinion

This is where Michigan Home Trends gets interesting.

Would you put wallpaper in your home again?

And if you would, where?

A. Powder room
B. Bedroom
C. Dining room
D. Accent wall
E. Absolutely not—I've removed enough wallpaper for one lifetime!

Tell me what you think.

I'm especially interested in hearing what homeowners throughout Southeast Michigan are actually choosing for their own homes. Your answers may help shape a future edition of Michigan Home Trends.

About Michigan Home Trends

Michigan Home Trends with Bartley Patterson explores the colors, upgrades, technology, decorating ideas, and lifestyle trends influencing how people live in their homes throughout Southeast Michigan.

I'm Bartley Patterson, REALTOR® and Associate Broker with RE/MAX Classic, with more than 30 years of real estate experience throughout Metro Detroit and Southeast Michigan.

My goal isn't simply to talk about houses.

It's to talk about all the things that turn a house into your home.

Inspired Homes • Local Ideas • Southeast Michigan

bartleypatterson.com

Let me put my PHD — Professional Housing Degree — to work for you!