Shoulder pads, neon colours and acid-wash jeans might be staying firmly in the '80s (phew), but several of the decade's quirky interior design trends are back in good books.
While lace may slump to the bottom of the list for contemporary designers, when it comes to country house decoration, we're chomping at the bit for cues from Granny's stylebook – and lace is a whimsically vintage must.
Unapologetically feminine and light-optimising, lace is an innovative way to add texture, character and whimsy to overlooked corners of the home, whether elevating a ground-floor window, or gussying up a tired farmhouse table for best.
Is lace trending?
Unequivocally, yes. Sprawled across the Spring/Summer '26 runways, lace is ready for its renaissance in the interiors world this year. Pinterest Predicts – the annual trend report that covers everything from fashion to home design – already called it with their 'Laced Up' trend, spotlighting lace accents on clothing and the return of an old favourite: the doily. Having recently purchased a vintage French tablecloth transformed into an ethereal, lace-trimmed skirt myself, I've definitely fallen prey to their spot.
“The doily makes its big debut in 2026, bringing an unexpected elegance to absolutely everything,” Pinterest writes. Indeed, it’s not just Granny who’s loving lace these days, according to them: “Gen Z and Millennials are driving this trend, gently reminding us that more is more – especially when it’s this pretty.”
How can lace be incorporated into the home?
Window treatments
Let’s start with the easiest trick in the book: café curtains. Lace inherently has a cottagecore-adjacent whimsy, making it a natural addition to classic details like café curtains.
Above, in a joyfully wallpapered attic nursery, Isabella Worsley chose simple, block-colour fabrics to balance the busy walls and eaves. Texture and depth comes in with the airy lace café curtain she's chosen, which also adds a folkish twist to the scheme.
Alternatively, below, Tori Murphy has put their own spin on the tradition, using their Natural Market Lace made up into a café curtain that works as a room divider in a doorway. The company also makes iron café rods in a variety of finishes for curtain-rigging ease.
We would encourage any keen crafters to make it vintage, and DIY a curtain with salvaged fabrics to reduce carbon footprint. Lace offcuts can be found in charity shops, at antiques fairs and online.
Valances
Traditional, joyful, FRILLY: valances, like café curtains, have enjoyed a total renaissance. Long-loved by traditionalists, more and more designers are embracing the extra flounce, rendering lace-trimmed beds more daring than dated. As well as their endearing fussiness, also something inherently comforting about the softness valances bring: a sense of warmth that feels especially right in bedrooms where we want to hunker down.
Eyelet lace valances are a more practical choice for farmhouse and children’s bedrooms, offering durability without sacrificing charm. Opt for these over more delicate styles if you want the look without the hassle – they strike that sweet spot between pretty and purposeful.
Pillows
Frothy, flirtatious ruffled trims have dominated the pillow conversation for the past few years but it’s time to make way for its wiser (perhaps more demure) predecessor: lace.
There’s nothing quite like crisp, white bed linen to turn a bedroom into a sleep sanctuary – the kind that rivals a freshly-made hotel bed. Lace-trimmed bedding slots in seamlessly, softening the edges without disturbing the relaxing palette or smooth cotton texture, offering just enough detail to catch the light (and the eye).
It also taps into something more folkish and nostalgic, without tipping into pastiche. Lace has history, but right now it feels newly relevant: cleaner, sharper, less sugary than the ruffles it’s replacing.
And it’s not stopping at trims. Lace is beginning to take on a more playful role, too. Expect to see it paired with needlepoint-style detailing: cheeky sayings stitched in unexpected colours, or simple, tasteful initials that feel personal rather than prim. A monogram, a wink of colour and just enough personality to break the uniformity of white, without losing that hotel-bed serenity.
Doilies
Last – but certainly not least! – are doilies. Once a mainstay in the '70s and '80s, doilies are as practical as they are pretty. After all, who needs utilitarian coasters when darling doilies can do the job? They look especially chic when teamed with consciously modern details – like the cool, stainless steel dessert coupes above.
Vintage doilies usually run from £5 to £15, with framed, oversized crochet doilies as artwork starting around £75.
The lace home edit
Linen Lace Quilted Cushion Cover
MANGO Lace-edged Linen Towel, Set of 2
Pure Cotton Vintage Lace Embroidered Bedding
Adorn Ceramics Stoneware Clay Jug in Lace Design
Maddy is the Homes Writer at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she can be found writing about the latest interiors news and collating inspiring trend edits. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Manchester and a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.
Anna Logan is the Deputy Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When she’s not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.
