TikTok trends such as Coastal Grandmother, quiet luxury and Barbiecore were some of the top influences on the home goods market this year, according to a trend report from furniture resale marketplace Kaiyo.
Looking at proprietary data, consumer insights and market trends, as well as input from interior designers and other home industry stakeholders, the report identifies some of the key trends shaping the furnishings market in 2023 carrying into 2024.
The growing influence of TikTok played a major role in Kaiyo’s findings, with trends such as subtle “Quiet Luxury” looks featuring vintage pieces outweighing the vibrant “Dopamine Decor” style previously favored by users of the social media channel. The #quietluxury hashtag garnered 276.7 million views, corresponding with a 262 percent increase in searches for vintage items on Kaiyo’s marketplace. The hashtag for boucle also scored big with TikTokers, earning 335.2 million views, and influencing a 177 percent spike in searches for the cozy fabric on Kaiyo.
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The “Barbie” movie and Disney’s new version of “The Little Mermaid” also ranked high among the influences of TikTok users, with the hashtag #Barbiecore earning 998.6 million views and #Mermaidcore hitting 524 million views. Kaiyo saw a 73 percent increase in searches for pink items, along with a 219 percent surge in users looking for scalloped products.
Other TikTok trends influencing home design include “Tomato Girl Summer,” which led to a 68 percent increase in searches for red pieces, and “Coastal Grandmother,” which earned 529.4 million views on the platform and led to significant sales bumps for brands fitting that aesthetic, such as Sixpenny and Sundays.
And perhaps thanks to “Weird Barbie,” portrayed by Kate McKinnon in the Barbie movie, #weirdcore took over TikTok, with 5.7 billion views and increased interest on Kaiyo in designs such as postmodern (290 percent), cheetah (119 percent), checkered (194 percent), chrome (171 percent) and Art Deco (182 percent).
Outside of TikTok, Kaiyo also pointed to a continued decline in demand for “fast furniture” and an increase in interest in purchasing higher-quality furnishings that will last longer. The marketplace’s most-searched brands over the past year include West Elm, CB2, Design Within Reach and Restoration Hardware, which ranked number one in searches.
Over the past year, West Elm pieces retained more of their original value than any other brand on Kaiyo, a sign that the midcentury modern trend is far from over. And of the marketplace’s fastest-selling items, a midcentury modern two-door cabinet flew out of inventory in just five minutes.
“While we love to see how style evolves, we at Kaiyo have always advocated for timeless designs that transcend trends — pieces made to stand the test of time,” said Alpay Koralturk, founder and CEO, Kaiyo.
Ikea adds pay later option
With buy now, pay later programs such as Afterpay, Affirm and Klarna making it easier for consumers to make larger purchases without a credit card, many furniture retailers have jumped on the bandwagon to access potential customers who previously may have been priced out of their products.
The latest of these is Ikea, which partnered with Afterpay to offer a buy now, pay later option to its customers. The program allows consumers to pay for purchases over a six-week period, spread over four interest-free payments. Shoppers can choose the Afterpay option at checkout online, or scan a QR code in store to get the payment app if they don’t already have it.
“Ikea values our customers and strives to ensure accessibility and affordability. We aim to provide the best shopping experience with great quality products, for the many,” said Christine Briganti, financial services deployment project leader, Ikea U.S. “By partnering with Afterpay, we will lower the barriers for our customers to design their dream spaces.”
