There are landmark design shifts on the horizon.

For the forty years of BOLTGROUP’s existence, design and its people-driven direction has been at the center. In our 2025-2030 lifestyle trend forecast, we explored what will change businesses. In this article, we’d like to explore specifically what will change the field of design.

We’ll focus on four key design trends, examining how they’re influencing industries and creating new opportunities for innovation. If you’re a CEO / President, brand builder, or product leader, understanding these trends will be crucial in helping you navigate the ever-changing landscape and prepare for the future.

An acceleration of emerging technologies is actively streamlining repetitive tasks, enhancing decision-making processes, and elevating customer experiences to new levels of efficiency and personalization.

Design Will Shift Towards:

• AI-Assisted Creativity: Leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance the creative process, using tools that can suggest design variations, analyze trends, or help with repetitive tasks, leaving more time for innovation.
  • Generative Design: A form of AI-assisted design where algorithms explore all possible design configurations based on specified constraints, creating innovative solutions that may not have been considered by human designers.
• Augmented Reality (AR): As AR technology becomes more integrated into consumer experiences, designers will need to create immersive environments and interactive experiences that blend the digital and physical worlds.
• Automation:
  • Automation in Production: Designers will need to consider how automation can streamline production without compromising on design quality and craftsmanship.
  • Autonomous Driving: The rise of self-driving technology will influence interior design, leading to more spacious and flexible cabin layouts, with features like lounge seating and advanced infotainment systems.
• Connectivity: Integration of advanced connectivity features will enhance user experience, with designs that accommodate large touchscreen displays, voice controls, and seamless smartphone integration.

• Smart Home Technology: The integration of smart technology will continue to grow, with devices for security, lighting, heating, and home management becoming more sophisticated and user-friendly.
• Smart Buildings: Incorporating advanced technology for automation and energy management will enhance building efficiency. Expect more designs that integrate IoT devices for improved user experience and operational efficiency.
• Digital Fabrication and 3D Printing: Advances in technology will enable more innovative designs and construction methods, allowing for complex geometries and customized building elements that were previously difficult to achieve.
• Digital Twins: Digital replicas of physical spaces, products, or processes used for simulation, testing, and optimization. In design, digital twins can help designers create more accurate, user-friendly solutions.
• Emotionally Intelligent Design: Design that anticipates and reacts to user emotions in real-time, making interactions feel more intuitive and engaging. With AI and behavioral analytics, this type of design will enable more personalized experiences.
• Responsive Design 2.0: As devices continue to diversify, responsive design will evolve to encompass not just different screen sizes but also varying user behaviors, contexts, and environments (such as smart homes or on-the-go interactions).
• Modular and Prefabricated Construction: The use of modular components will grow, allowing for faster construction times, reduced waste, and cost-effective building solutions. This trend supports adaptability and flexibility in design.
• Adaptive Environments: Design that responds to the changing needs of users, such as smart spaces that adjust lighting, temperature, and layout based on the time of day or user preferences.
• Voice-Activated Interfaces: As voice-activated devices and virtual assistants become ubiquitous, designing for voice interactions will become a key component of UX and interaction design.

There is a growing emphasis on sustainability in design. This includes using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, water conservation techniques, dematerialization, and integrating green spaces. Eco-friendly materials will become more prevalent, including recycled plastics, natural fibers, and sustainable leathers. Brands will prioritize environmentally responsible production methods.

Design Will Shift Towards:

• Cradle to Cradle: A sustainable design philosophy that promotes the reuse of materials in a continuous cycle, reducing waste and environmental impact. This concept will become even more prevalent as sustainability is increasingly integrated into product development.
• Circular Design: Focuses on minimizing waste by designing products with their entire lifecycle in mind, including repair, reuse, and recycling. Expect more emphasis on this approach as sustainability drives product and packaging development.
• Regenerative Design: Beyond sustainability, regenerative design aims to enhance and restore natural systems, promoting designs that have a positive environmental impact rather than simply minimizing harm.
• Resilient Design: In response to climate change and natural disasters, designers will increasingly prioritize resilience, designing things that can withstand extreme weather and environmental challenges.

Designs will prioritize health, incorporating elements like improved air quality, natural light, and wellness spaces for exercise, meditation, and relaxation. There is a growing emphasis on sustainability in design. This includes using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, water conservation techniques, and integrating green spaces. Eco-friendly materials will become more prevalent, including recycled plastics, natural fibers, and sustainable leathers. Brands will prioritize environmentally responsible production methods.

Design Will Shift Towards:

• Wellness-Focused Initiatives: Emphasizing wellness aligns with growing consumer interest in health and self-care. This includes fitness centers, wellness rooms, spa facilities, and outdoor spaces for activities like yoga or meditation.
• Hygienic Design: The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of health and safety. We are likely to continue to see a prioritization of cleanliness and hygiene in design, including touchless technology, improved ventilation systems, and materials that are easier to clean and maintain.
• Biophilic Design: Incorporating nature into spaces is becoming increasingly popular. Biophilic design focuses on creating environments that connect guests with nature through the use of natural materials, greenery, water features, and natural light. This approach enhances wellbeing and creates a calming atmosphere.
• Comfort and Functionality: The pandemic has shifted priorities towards comfort, leading to the popularity of relaxed silhouettes, versatile pieces, and athleisure styles.

Creating spaces that accommodate all ages and abilities will be a priority moving forward. This includes designing accessible spaces for people with disabilities, offering gender-neutral facilities, and creating welcoming environments for all guests.

Design Will Shift Towards:

• Universal Design: Focusing on creating products, environments, and experiences that are accessible to people with varying abilities, without the need for adaptation. This term will continue to gain importance as accessibility becomes a top priority in both digital and physical design.
• Equity-Centered Design: Design processes that prioritize fairness, accessibility, and inclusivity, ensuring that diverse communities have equal access to the benefits of new products, services, and technologies.
• Design for Social Good: Design initiatives that address social issues, from poverty to education to climate change. Socially responsible design will focus on creating solutions that positively impact society at large.
• Transparency by Design: As consumers demand more honesty and openness from brands, transparent design practices that provide clear, easily accessible information about a product’s origin, impact, and lifecycle will become increasingly important.
• Human-Centered Design: Design processes that put the needs, experiences, and feedback of real users at the center of decision-making, ensuring that products and services align with what people truly want and need.
• Local Culture and Authenticity: Connecting to local culture will be crucial in expressing authenticity. Designs that reflect the surrounding environment, incorporate local art, and use regional materials can create a more immersive experience. This trend emphasizes the importance of storytelling in design.
• Local and Artisanal Production: A focus on local craftsmanship and small-scale production will grow, as consumers seek unique, culturally rich items over mass-produced clothing.

As design continues to evolve, the trends of technology integration, sustainability, health and wellness, and inclusive design offer exciting opportunities to not only improve functionality but also to create environments and products that positively impact people and the planet. These design trends are about more than just staying ahead of the curve—they are about creating a more connected, equitable, and sustainable world.

Those who understand and integrate these trends will lead the charge in building brands and products that are more efficient, accessible, and attuned to the diverse needs of users.

The future of design is yours to shape.

Will you be part of the wave of innovation that creates a more sustainable, inclusive, and human-centered world?