In Design Rewind, AD looks back at the people, places, and things that defined 2025, from our top furniture and decor products of the year to the best place to build a home. (Hint: It’s not on a lot.) Here’s what we saw in the year’s rearview mirror.
Every year, all kinds of home decor cross our collective desks at work while we’re doing what we love the most: shopping professionally. But each year, there are a few pieces that stand head and shoulders above the rest—ones that we turn to time and time again for our stories, photoshoots, and trend reports. Our inaugural Best In Show is about celebrating those designs and their impact.
From reporting on the rise of chrome to lauding the return of swan decor and the emergence of the Unexpected Lamp Theory, 2025 was a year of nostalgic comebacks.
When it came time to name the Best in Show winners, we pulled from new launches, our own testing catalogs, and data on clicks and purchases to find what resonated with our readers this year. Within each category, you’ll find three winners:
- The AD Darling: The AD Shopping team put our heads together to name an item in each category that we unanimously agreed had a certain irresistible quality—occupying our headspaces and even in some cases our homes if we were able to get our hands on one in person. Each winner represents a dominant trend or calls back to a major moment for us in 2025—we hope you’re feeling nostalgic.
- The Reader’s Choice: Dear reader, this one goes out to you! We got technical for this one, analyzing data to see which products had the most sway with our readers and inspired the most clicks and purchases in each category. Spoiler alert: It looks like you all prioritized coziness and comfort!
- The Newcomer: We also couldn’t forget the new drops that immediately made an impression when they emerged on the scene in the last couple of months. The newcomer is the fresh face we hope will stick around for years to come.
Below, you’ll find foundational furniture, bedding moments that made it harder to leave the house, lots of kitchen and tabletop wares for dinner soirees, and so much more. Think of this as a year in everything home, wrapped.
Furniture
This year was all about texture. With minimal ’70s-esque silhouettes dominating the landscape, we paid extra attention to the feel of our furniture. Comfort, versatility, and of course style factored into our criteria when it came to our top contenders. Those who celebrated Seat Week with us will spot the familiar names in this category as well as a Castlery curved sofa that many of you invited into your homes.
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The AD Darling: The Sunset daybed from Brigette Romanek’s collaboration with Crate & Barrel sparked joy for our team, particularly for its substantially cushioned top and scholarly yet discreet storage shelves. “I formed an emotional attachment to this daybed within moments of setting it down,” says commerce writer Julia Harrison. “The construction makes it so you can feel sheltered in conversation with someone else or you have a great place to rest your head and lift your feet—even at work.”
The Reader’s Choice: The intrigue around modular furniture reached its peak this year—and our readers proved it with a specific interest in Castlery’s Auburn Curve Sofa. Its dynamic shape draws the eye while the performance bouclé upholstery ensures there’s no crying over spilled red wine or leftover takeout.
The Newcomer: Another Seat Week standout, Willo Perron’s Bun chair was a crowdpleaser among everyone who encountered it during testing. With exaggerated lines and a cushy fill that had an almost Pillsbury-esque texture (in the best way), the dumpling-like chair evoked both envy and admiration from our fellow Condé Nast staffers. “The chair is, to put it lightly, wildly comfortable,” noted commerce director Lori Keong. “Everyone who came by to sit on it remarked on just how cushy and comfy it was, with some of our team spending hours working there.”
Bedding
The competition was stiff when it came to sleep. AD celebrated its fourth annual Sleep Week this year, with our team of esteemed snoozers testing their way through the top mattresses, sheets, and comforters on the market. This was the year quiet luxury reigned in the bedroom, with more muted and elegant bed accessories revitalizing the field. Whether it was a fabulously printed bolster pillow or a trusted brand’s venture into bedding, the best rest accessories felt especially mindful this year.
The AD Darling: Bolster pillows became one of the favorite ways to dress up your bed in 2025—not to mention they’re a staple backed by the likes of supermodel Paloma Elsesser. Lulu & Georgia’s Carmine floral velvet translates a dark romance that we felt was a refreshing detour from the serotonin-soaked bed linens that have crossed our web browsers in recent years.
The Reader’s Choice: Many of you gravitated towards classic comfort with duvet insert options this year. With a filling sourced from 100% Canadian down, this Brooklinen comforter is the best solution for those in search of ethically sourced, natural bedding. Lightweight, all-season, or ultrawarm thicknesses are available depending on your sleeping preferences, and it’s backed by 1,000-plus five-star reviews.
The Newcomer: We already knew the power of a Nordic Knots rug in tying a room together, but their bedding launch this year turned the brand into an unlikely bedroom hero. We love that the design does so much without exerting itself: Simple-yet-elegant piped edges accentuate high-quality 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton.
Bath
Where routines become rituals, bathrooms tend to bring out the self-care aficionado in all of us. The calming silhouettes of soft goods in this category feel like a quiet moment of refuge from daily turmoil. Stripes and checks in earthy color palettes brought us unexpected delight, and ending showers or baths wrapped in sumptuously plush terry cloth was one way you brought some style to your washroom regimen.
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The AD Darling: Recreating the feel of a luxurious spa in your own home is always en vogue. “It’s rare that a towel robe might encapsulate such a luxurious vibe, but Autumn Sonata knows how to take the everyday essentials and make them enviably elegant,” says Harrison. Made in Portugal from 100% organic cotton, we think its warming hood and fashionable print blow other terry cloth competition out of the water.
The Reader’s Choice: Once again, it was all about staying organic when it came to the most ubiquitous bath purchase. Brooklinen’s plush Turkish cotton towels feel like being wrapped in a warm embrace, and the subtle stripe embodies coastal cool in a way that doesn’t scream generic.
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The Newcomer: QuietTown’s new linen shower curtain abandons the vinyl stereotypes to turn an often overlooked part of your bathroom into an unexpected design moment. This pick comes approved by commerce editor Audrey Lee, who was over the checkerboard trend until this peekaboo moment pulled her back in. “QuietTown nailed this rug-like design, which feels equal parts playful and casually elegant,” she says.
Scent
We also looked for ways to upgrade your space in more discreet ways this year. AD’s inaugural Scent Week explored all things home fragrance—from room sprays that evoked familiar interiors to candles designed to set the mood. The scent notes that came out on top feel multisensory (pun intended), not only smelling great but doubling as decor to bring dimension to your space.
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The AD Darling: Kelly Wearstler’s buzzy room spray is a love letter to Los Angeles, particularly the 1934 James Dolena Pool House, which sits on the grounds of an iconic Beverly Hills Residence. Our editors were impressed by the sleek-looking bottle and refreshing scent: a blend of orange flower, Indian jasmine, and Japanese quince pleasantly pungent enough that we smelled it before even opening the packaging.
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The Reader’s Choice: Our readers appreciate the classics, and so do we; which is why Byredo’s most scholarly scent, Bibliothèque, dominated this year. Warm vanilla and leather, cut by undertones of peach and plum, round out its dynamic scent profile—one that’s not too heavy, nor too floral, whether in your own space or bestowed upon someone else as a gift.
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The Newcomer: Ceramicist Henry Holland may be known for his zebra-esque glazes and swirling handblown pitchers, but this year he made his first foray into scent. Studio 50, one of four new scents, embodies the comfort that comes with exercising your creativity. With notes of fig leaf, leather, cedar wood, and vetiver, the candle was inspired by Holland’s own workshop—one filled with dry clay scraps, wooden benches, and leather-wrapped tools.
Tabletop
It was quite the year for tableware as well. This summer, our first-ever week dedicated to tabletop explored the history of French silver, stylish serveware, and why every It girl seems to gravitate toward colorful Sabre cutlery. The best tabletop pieces and accessories offer a place for the meal’s conversation to start. These are more than plates and platters—they elevate any meal, even when you’re dining alone.
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The AD Darling: It’s no secret that we’re fond of Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s whimsical glassware, but it’s her new Continentals collection that’s been occupying much of our brain space as of late. Especially The Porter, her swirling silver toast rack. Inspired by hotel breakfasts and the perceived glamour of room service, The Porter is an elegant way to display your morning carbs—although we’d love it used as a napkin holder too.
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The Reader’s Choice: Despite the ubiquity of Sabre’s flatware, one other set stood out from its gleaming silver peers this year: the Jean Dubost Laguiole Mid-Gauge set with its stainless-steel construction and triple-rivet handles, which our readers loved in our silver-themed iteration of Decor Under $300. The reflective mirror-polish leans into 2025’s chrome craze, plus it throws in offbeat details like visible joints.
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The Newcomer: A dinner plate is a dinner plate, but Tortuga Forma’s collaboration with design studio Office of Tangible Space transcends the traditional rounded clay silhouette with something more tactile and multifunctional. Boasting a playful curved lip that fits neatly in your palm and elegantly nestles one after the other in a stack, these wavy plates are an exceptionally sculptural way to set the table.
Kitchen
Typically the domain of dated stone and metal cookware and appliances, the kitchen is a place that rarely sees the kinds of material updates you’d be excited to look at—with some notable exceptions in this category. From centerpiece-worthy cookware to small appliances you’d be proud to leave on display, the best kitchen tools amplify the joy and care that comes with cooking for our friends and family. This year, we found ourselves drawn to texture—the grit of an unglazed terra-cotta pot, the wood of a butcher block, the sheen of stainless steel. These material-first wares embody a forward-thinking design ethos that caters to multiple senses: better flavors and, of course, easier on the eyes.
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The AD Darling: Whether your cup of choice is a rich Americano, a lively English breakfast tea, or an ice-cold matcha, you’ll be reaching for a kettle no matter what. For those as dedicated to their caffeine intake as they are to aesthetics, Aarke has long been the brand of choice for sleek and shiny small appliances that can carbonate your water to a refreshing crispness. The same lacquered stainless steel material applied to the typically staid kettle is what initially attracted us to this beauty, but we stayed for its multiple temperature settings and drip-free spout.
The Reader’s Choice: It’s a well-known fact that seasonings can transform a meal, but so can your salt and pepper purveyors. Harrison bought these in order to emulate that kind of layered Nickey Kehoe aesthetic—“sunlit, sparse counters, and big ceramic bowls brimming with fruit,” she says. “I have spotted this set on the granite counters of a third of our celebrity home tours’ kitchens. Peugeot is, to my mind, the true and classic staple of a chef’s (and celebrity’s) kitchen.” And many of you agreed, opting for the heritage classic over and over again in lieu of newer, more vibrant colorways or shimmering metals.
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The Newcomer: Few casserole dishes have the same gravitas as this splatter-glazed, pig-shaped one from Il Buco Vita. Sure, it’s humorous and certain to inspire chatter from gawking guests, but it’s also remarkably practical with an oven-safe body for special-occasion dinners and potlucks alike. The snout serves as a steam release, and the terra-cotta form ensures whatever is inside heats evenly. It’s a welcome kitchen companion for someone who tries to find whimsy in even the most cobbled-together of recipes.
Decor Object
A home without decor will always feel a little naked; you need the trinkets and catchalls, the vases and trays to layer in more personality. This year, we were seduced by silver trays and a new take on the TV-dinner table. You, however, couldn’t get enough of an area rug inspired by Walton Goggins’s upstate cabin.
The AD Darling: This isn’t the TV tray popularized in the midcentury era; the 5–9 table from table accessories brand Lazy Jamie is a sculptural reinvention. With a swirling chrome base and cobalt blue surface (plus removable tray, of course), this table combines two of the biggest trends of the year. Plus, it captures our current draw towards comfort in our homes. Eating on the sofa is its own kind of luxury, one that late weeknight meals and weekends spent indoors are filled with. We love that high design might finally be taking convenience into account.
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The Reader’s Choice: Walton Goggins’s upstate New York home enthralled readers this year with its high-pile textures and warm-wood tones, but the rugs were the biggest hit. While Goggins’s are vintage, we suggested a hand-knotted option from CB2 as a shoppable alternative (and many of you took to it to emulate the same elevated cabin aesthetic at home). Boasting luxe red and blue tones that mimic an antique found in the Middle Eastern street markets, the wool construction lays a strong foundation for a myriad of design styles to take shape above.
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The Newcomer: Silver has been a recurring theme this year, whether in vintage Christofle form or contemporary iterations featured on our print magazine’s pages. But no one is crafting modern silver heirlooms quite like Natalia Criado. The Colombian artist has been making distinctively polished serveware and drinkware for the modern table, with a more recent expansion into silver-plated office goods. This paper holder, with an adjustable bar to keep all your mail or documents safe, has captured our hearts. At least there are beautiful desk accessories to help ease the return-to-office transition.
Lighting
Good lighting can transform a space, creating ambiance where there was previously none or illuminating your tasks with clarity and depth. It’s a design element we take for granted when it’s good, and something we can’t help but notice when it’s bad—have you ever had to peer at a dinner menu through your phone’s flashlight? This year, a few table lamps shone brighter than the rest. Allow us to illuminate our favorites, from Jeremiah Brent’s ode to the 1940s to Turkish designer Merve Kahraman’s collaboration with Anthropologie.
The AD Darling: This 2/1 table lamp from iconic midcentury brand Louis Poulsen first came onto our radar when we were in search of portable lamps that could make a statement on a dining table. We highlighted it in our inaugural Tabletop Week, and it hasn’t left our minds since. Available in a number of sizes, metal finishes, and in either corded or portable options, this lamp takes the 1925-designed three-shade system and modernizes it with an integrated light bulb.
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The Reader’s Choice: Known for her vibrant bohemian design style, designer Merve Kahraman was a no-brainer for Anthropologie to tap for a new lighting collection. Istanbul-based Kahraman is no stranger to product design, having dabbled in heart-shaped furniture and planet-like lamps in the past. This collection also saw her embracing the checkerboard trend, and our readers couldn’t get enough. Painterly boxes and woven rattans combine to create a statement lamp that lends a retro air to the timely pattern.
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The Newcomer: Inspired by the architecture of the 1940s, AD100 designer Jeremiah Brent designed this lamp as an ode to the glass block. The geometric form is completely transparent, showcasing all of the internal wiring and the lightbulb. Brent’s Crate & Barrel collection was a chance for him to combine eras and historical details without feeling constrained to a particular design style or material. “This collection was my effort to give people access to things that you would typically find in an antique store, like verdigris and wicker and secessionist glass,” he says.
Home Appliance and Tech
Even your home’s workhorse appliances and tech should boast a certain level of design sophistication. This year, we looked to the home appliances, from speakers to coffee makers, that trick the eye—like a Dieter Rams–esque air purifier that resembles a sleek speaker to an actual basketlike speaker that looks more like arm candy. Function was also top of mind when vetting our category candidates, so trust that these all have the performance to back up their appearance.
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The AD Darling: It’s rare for the team to reach a consensus on something as personal as our morning caffeine, but the Moccamaster inspires a unanimous feeling of goodwill among us all. The retro style is a welcome (and colorful) departure from traditional appliances, while the efficient brew time is ideal for a rushed morning. Harrison swears by this model for her daily cuppa. “[It’s] an attractive, streamlined, functional device that looks cute as hell in my kitchen, and its slim design keeps it from dominating an entire section of my counters,” she says.
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The Reader’s Choice: Attention paid to personal wellness was pervasive in a year defined by smog and forest fires. Many of our readers reacted accordingly by taking their health into their own hands with the Coway Airmega. Its boxy-yet-playful form is easy on the eyes while it clears over 350 square feet of air in just 12 minutes.
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The Newcomer: The Beosound A5 is a bestseller for audiophiles and design aesthetes alike, but its new finish combines the two worlds in a woven wonder that feels more like a designer bag than a humble speaker. Covered in overlapping strands of brown twine-like cord, the century brown takes aural aesthetics to new heights without sacrificing audio quality. And to ensure the party doesn’t die prematurely, there’s even wireless charging for your phone built into the top.
