Design Ideas That Still Shape How We Live Today

Interior design doesn’t move forward by discarding the past. In fact, many of the spaces that feel most contemporary today are deeply rooted in ideas that were formed decades ago, sometimes longer. While trends accelerate and aesthetics shift, the most enduring interiors are shaped by principles that remain remarkably consistent: comfort, proportion, materiality, and a deep understanding of how people actually live.

At its best, interior design is not about visual novelty. It is about creating environments that feel intuitive and supportive, spaces that respond quietly to daily life rather than competing with it. These ideas have long been central to thoughtful design, and they continue to guide how interiors evolve today.

Ilsa Crawford

Designers who have had a lasting influence on the field understood this well. Figures such as Ilse Crawford helped shift the conversation away from purely aesthetic concerns and toward human experience. The focus moved to how a room feels at different times of day, how materials age, how light changes a space, and how interiors can support both energy and rest. These weren’t radical ideas, but they were enduring ones.

Alex Vervoordt

What’s interesting is how strongly these principles resonate now. As homes take on more roles than ever before, places to work, gather, retreat, and recharge, the need for interiors that feel balanced and grounded has never been greater. Spaces that prioritise comfort, human scale, and thoughtful restraint are no longer considered understated; they are increasingly seen as luxurious.

This is where historical design thinking becomes especially relevant. Proportion, circulation, and material honesty aren’t nostalgic concepts, they are practical tools. They allow interiors to evolve gracefully over time, rather than feeling fixed to a specific moment. When these foundations are in place, a space can adapt to changing lifestyles, technologies, and tastes without losing its sense of identity.

Patricia Urquiola

At Aya Design In Style, this way of thinking underpins every project. Rather than chasing trends, we look to understand the ideas behind them, what cultural shifts they reflect, what needs they respond to, and whether they genuinely improve how a space functions. This approach allows us to create interiors that feel current, but not temporary; refined, but not rigid.

Good design is rarely loud. It reveals itself slowly, through use and experience. A well-proportioned room that feels calm even when life is busy. Materials that wear beautifully rather than needing constant replacement. Spaces that feel welcoming not because they impress, but because they support.

As interior design continues to evolve, these principles remain constant. They remind us that while styles may change, the essence of good design, thoughtful, human-centred, and enduring, does not.