Patina furniture trend: signs of age and use become desirable in interior design

A growing trend in interior design favors furniture with patina—the natural marks of age and use—over pristine, catalog-perfect looks. Social media and design publications increasingly feature lived-in rooms with scuffed paint, stained wood, and darkened brass. Patina forms from skin contact, humidity, and dust, creating a rich surface layer on vintage and antique pieces. Anthony Barzilay Freund, director of 1stDibs, explains that patina develops spontaneously through oxidation and environmental reactions. Designer Patrick Williams of the UK uses materials that change over time, favoring genuine patina from weather and use. The trend marks a shift from Scandinavian minimalism and millennial grey. Patina is most valued on expensive natural materials like wood, marble, and brass, which gain character with age, unlike plastic or laminate. Achieving patina can be done naturally by using quality materials over decades, or artificially via DIY methods such as treating brass with vinegar and salt, though the latter is considered less authentic. The trend also reflects a desire for warmth and history in homes, often achieved by mixing one vintage piece into a new room.