Five Design Trends To Watch In 2026

With artificial intelligence continuing to reshape creative industries and digital culture to become even more automated, 2026 is shaping up to be a year defined by emotional depth, material presence and bold creative authorship.

According to Jordyn Dreyer, Researcher and Lecturer for the new BA Honours in Visual Communication Design at Red & Yellow Creative School of Business, this year will see designers across industries lean into what feels distinctly human. Red & Yellow Creative School of Business (Red & Yellow) is a CHE-accredited private higher education institution headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, and a member of Honoris United Universities. It was also recently titled the number one educational institution in across Africa and the Middle East in the 2025 Loeries Official Rankings, as well as top school in the Pendoring rankings.

“Art is a social action,” says Dreyer. “Design reflects how we feel about the world. And right now, there’s a clear desire for work that feels intentional, embodied and emotionally resonant.”

Here are five key design trends Dreyer advises creatives and brands to keep an eye on in 2026:

1. Re-enchanting the everyday

Across industries, designers are transforming the ordinary into the imaginative through narrative and play.

“Where AI can generate almost anything instantly, storytelling becomes the differentiator,” Dreyer explains. “We have to re-enchant the everyday and make people see the familiar in a new way.”

From theatrical fashion set designs to playful product collaborations and local public art interventions, narrative-driven design is gaining momentum.

For brands, this means moving beyond function and asking: what story does this object or space tell?

2. Material as meaning

Materiality is conceptual.

“We’re seeing a stronger emphasis on tactility and texture,” says Dreyer. “Roughness, imperfection and unpredictability feel grounding in a very digital, AI-saturated world.”

Natural materials such as stone, rattan, linen and handcrafted ceramics are re-emerging across interiors and product design. In the art world, artists are allowing material itself to carry narrative weight.

“Material becomes language and meaning,” Dreyer notes.

3. A return to inner worlds

Conceptually, 2026 may see a shift inward.

“As generative systems become better at replicating surface aesthetics, there’s a growing hunger for what feels irreducibly human with dreams, intuition, and subjective experience,” Dreyer explains.

This could manifest in a renewed interest in surrealist aesthetics, symbolic imagery and introspective storytelling across fashion, branding and contemporary art.

“It’s less about perfection and more about presence,” she says.

4. A rebellion against beige

Minimalist neutrals may be giving way to saturated expression.

“There’s a noticeable pushback against muted palettes and template-driven aesthetics,” Dreyer observes. “Bold colour becomes a way of signalling authorship and intention.”

High-saturation reds, acid greens and deep blues are resurfacing across visual communication and interiors, reflecting a broader cultural desire for visibility and emotional clarity.

“Colour is emotional positioning,” she adds.

5. Nostalgia as strategy

Finally, nostalgia is emerging as a powerful emotional tool.

“Where our world feels increasingly accelerated and synthetic, designers are tapping into collective memory,” says Dreyer. “Nostalgic references create familiarity and belonging.”

From 90s-inspired visuals to hand-drawn illustration styles, memory is being used intentionally to build connection.

“We don’t want it to feel retro for retro’s sake,” she notes. “We want to evoke feeling.”

If there’s one thread tying these trends together, it’s humanity.

“In 2026, the most impactful design won’t necessarily be the most polished,” Dreyer concludes. “It will be the most intentional with work that feels alive, authored and grounded.”

Mzansi Pulse

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Five design trends to watch in 2026

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