By Katie Farthing
Latte: espresso with steamed, frothy milk. Best enjoyed in a bustling Florentine café. But that’s so 2020.
Then latte makeup emerged as a TikTok beauty trend to create that year-round St. Tropez glow. And last year latte fashion showed up on runways, as designers raced to create wardrobes that imbued that warm, toasted, milky look.
This year, latte décor made its official debut, focusing on warm and varying shades of brown, beige, and cream—all for the home. It’s made a splash at home décor markets worldwide, and homeowners and designers alike have taken note, coating walls and furniture, upholstering sofas, hanging draperies, and buying décor—all in colors reminiscent of your daily latte.
Alexandria-based interior designer Asha Maxey notes latte decorating is taking off specifically because of the versatility that warm neutrals inspire when it comes to layering and expressing personal style. “Whether you’re going for a traditional, cozy vibe or a more modern, minimalist look, these shades can provide the perfect backdrop,” she says.
Maxey’s firm, Asha Maia Design, incorporates the trend that starts, naturally, with a neutral palette. The next step is to add texture and depth through fabrics, wood tones, and patterns that enhance a “cozy feel.” Latte dressing can include paint, but it can also veer into textiles, art, and furniture, all depending on the homeowners’ appetite for coloring outside the lines. Flavor Paper’s “City Park” wallpaper in tone-on-tone lattes is a 10 on the adventure scale. It flips a traditional damask upside down by adding fire hydrants, pigeons, parking meters, and rats, for a decidedly urban feel. Heavily textured upholstered sofas in rich neutrals are a way to achieve the look. And, Fine Paints of Europe’s high gloss, lacquered-like paint might set you back a few dollars, but in the right place, it’s worth it. Splurge on walls, or use it as an accent on a front door for a dramatic pop. “The result is an environment that feels effortlessly chic and welcoming,” Maxey says. FPE offers more than 50,000 colors, plus custom tints.
Sumptuous drapery can also enhance the look. On the more modest end are burlap drapery panels from Ballard Designs. They may be a few steps down the ladder of status, but they’re textured, lined, and ready-made—a trifecta that’s hard to beat.
For the skeptic, Maxey suggests starting small by introducing a few accent pieces—pillows, throws, decorative objects— before adding larger components to a room-like furniture and draperies or painting or papering walls. “The key is to create a harmonious blend that feels both warm and sophisticated,” she says. AshaMaiaDesign.com
This article originally appeared in the December 2024 issue.
