7 Style Trends Our Editors Are Loving from BHG’s September Design Issue

A new wave of standout decorating ingenuity has been flooding our inspiration boards lately—just in time for the design issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Our September issue includes new takes on favorite styles, along with the latest editor-loved trends you won’t want to miss. From tile patterns to wallpaper borders (yes, they’re back!), we’re sharing the design ideas we can’t get enough of. 

Two-Tone Tile

The biggest bathroom trend of the year: two colors of tile in two different sizes laid in a dynamic pattern. In this powder room by architectural designer Erdem Hamza, squares and rectangles in pink and white create an elongated checkered effect that looks at once graphic and organic. 

We’ll Take the Booth

We’re pretty sure Baby would be happy to be put in this corner. Dining banquettes are as stylish as they are practical, which is probably why they’ve become so popular. They’re not only an impressive way to pack in personality, but they’re a big space-saver too. Unlike with chairs, you don’t need to allow space to pull seats out—instead, the benches snuggle right up to the wall. The best part: If you can’t go custom, there are tons of buyable options that don’t need to be built-in. This space by Bunsa Studio is both smart and stylish with its abstract floral cushions, deep benches, and Kelly green armchairs.

Patterned Wood Floors

Wood floors painted and stained in geometric patterns are popping up everywhere. The treatment can transform an ordinary space, refresh a worn-out floor, or pay homage to the history of a home—sometimes all at the same time. In the breakfast room of this 1820s Charleston home, interior designer Betsy Berry used a patterned treatment to marry the new floors in this space with the original pine floors elsewhere in the house. To get this worn-in look, the floors were first lightly distressed, then an octagonal pattern was stenciled and stained on top. The finished effect looks like it could be original, bridging old and new.

Picture Rails: The New Gallery Wall

Picture rails are hardly a new idea (they’ve been common in Europe for centuries), but they’re having a significant renaissance, especially in the form of a brass rail and chains. We love how Wendy Lau uses her rail to display mirrors, sculptures, and even plants. Plus, hanging one rail is so much easier on your walls than a splatter of nail holes.

Wallpaper Borders Are Back (Yes, Really) 

If you have not-so-fond memories of the last time wallpaper borders were “in,” hear us out. The new versions are chicer and more understated while still packing a style punch— especially the way designers are wielding them to outline and amplify architectural details like baseboards and trim. Used in this more subtle and modern way, borders add a touch of pattern to painted walls and help a space feel thoughtful and finished, like the exclamation point at the end of a sentence. Here, Cole & Son’s Zellige Olive border underlines the chunky moldings in this dining room by interior designer Caitlin Kah.

Statement Seating

Look-at-me dining chairs in interesting forms and materials are really setting the scene. Think of them like a sculpture with a practical side; pulling a unique chair up to the dining table will create instant interest and give a room a point of view. With their pedestal base and swivel design, these high-back chairs from CHITA add a modern touch to any dining room while adding texture and comfort. 

Accessible Mood Lighting

The mood is sophisticated, scene-stealing, and easy to install when it comes to the latest trend in light fixtures. We’re all in on artful plug-in wall sconces in eye-catching silhouettes and mixed materials that go anywhere and everywhere (without calling the electrician). The gentle wave-like shade of this West Elm plug-in wall sconce adds light and personality without the need for hardwiring.