THE INSPIRATION PLACE PODCAST
Miriam Schulman: Go big or go home. We’re talking large scale to anchor the room. One of my clients, Sangeetha, sold this beautiful large artwork. And when she went to deliver it to the client’s home, suddenly what she thought was her largest piece didn’t even look so big in this client’s home. It was just a piece for this client’s foyer. And the client told her I’m looking for much bigger art.
Speaker 2: It’s The Inspiration Place podcast with artist Miriam Schulman. Welcome to The Inspiration Place podcast, an art world insider podcast for artists by an artist, where each week we go behind the scenes to uncover the perspiration and inspiration behind the art. And now your host, Miriam Schulman.
Miriam Schulman: Well hey there my friend Miriam Schulman here and 2026 is going to shape up to be a year where our homes say something different about who we are and collectors. They’re buying art for completely different emotional reasons than they were even three years ago. Today, I’m going to break down the home decor trends for 2026 and more importantly, what they actually mean for your art business. Now, one of these trends is so big that if you ignore it, you’re going to struggle to sell a lot of art moving forward. And I also want you to know that these predictions, they aren’t guesses. They aren’t AI hallucinations. I’m bringing receipts. I’m bringing pictures. If you’re watching on YouTube, you’ll get to see a lot of those. It’s because I am coaching artists all over the world and seeing what they’re selling, what’s actually working right now, and how that trend is going to move forward. I’m looking at patterns across the art world. The decor world collector behavior. And I get a front row seat to what sells. Who’s buying and how buying habits shift. I’m constantly tracking the crossover between interior design trends, color trends, and art market data, and I’m following the biggest players Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House, beautiful, Pinterest, G, Pantone. And like I said, what I’m seeing collectors respond to in real time through my coaching programs. Also, I play mahjong with some of the biggest names in the interior design world in New York City, so I also get to hear about it from them. Okay, you ready to dive in? Let’s go. So when we talk about decor trends, what you really need to know. It’s less about chasing a trend, but more about understanding collector psychology.
Miriam Schulman: This is nothing new. I hate to break it to you, but real artists don’t just paint whatever the heck they feel like they fit into the culture and society at large. If you look back at Renaissance artists, they were making art that fit in with Renaissance decor. If you look at Impressionist artists, even those that were on the forefront of the avant garde, they were painting art that fit in with French culture. If you look at modern artists of the 1950s, they were painting stuff that fit in with mid-century modern. So none of this is new. This is not about, oh, this. I can ignore the trend because real artists don’t follow trends. It’s kind of not true. Real artists are always in conversation about what is happening with the world at large, and the ones that are successful are tuned in. So decor is going to influence colors. It’s going to influence scale. It’s going to influence materials, and it’s going to influence the emotional temperature buyers want in their homes. And that is probably the most important thing I want you to pay attention to today. You can ride the trend without being trendy, still being true to yourself as long as you understand the deeper cultural forces that are working underneath. Let’s talk about the eight major home decor predictions for 2026 and the implications for the art world. So you’ve probably heard that your thoughts create your reality. And it’s true. But without a clear plan, expert strategy and real time feedback, mindset alone can only get you so far. The artists inside my inner circle don’t just think like wealthy creators, they act like them. And here’s how it’s paying off. Part of the reason I wanted.
Megan Maberry:: To do the inner Circle is so that you would push me, because I can be a pushover in that way, and you’re a little more no nonsense. And then our latest discussion, we arrived at a price that was comfortable enough for me, but I know I still need to go higher. But you’re helping me get there.
Bret Neathery: You had to convince me to raise my prices because I thought living in Springfield, Missouri, that there was a perception that my prices need to be lower than they would in another market. And so that was that took a little bit of coaching on Miriam’s part to get me to really believe in myself and my art, but also that people are willing to pay, you know, a little more for your art. I was selling my big paintings like at $3,500 and Miriam’s like, if they’re going to pay 3500, they’ll buy it for 5000. And so raise my prices up several thousand dollars. And you know, still I’m selling paintings. So that’s the really I think the value that Miriam brought was just sort of get me out of that mindset of, doesn’t matter what market you’re in, it doesn’t matter what type of art you do. It’s about having a good messaging and good marketing, and you can sell your art.
Miriam Schulman: If you’re ready to stop second guessing and start growing with an artist business coach who sees your potential and knows exactly how to build your success, then the inner circle is for you. Learn more and apply now at SchulmanArt.com/BIZ. Spots are very limited and it is by application only. To see if you qualify, go to SchulmanArt.com/BIZ. Trend number one. Deep moody color palettes replace neutrals. Oh that’s huge. So many home decor was neutrals. First it was the gray neutrals and the beige neutrals. But you’re going to be seeing a lot more of these deep moody color palettes. So think ink blue blackberry forest green mulberry cocoa brown, cocoa brown is by the way, that’s not the name of the color, but Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is called silhouette, which is basically a charcoal gray with brown undertones. Why is this happening so quiet? Luxury was the trend of a few years ago or last, maybe two, 2 or 3 years ago and it was too cold. And that whole white room look kind of boring. People liked it, but it was hard to maintain. Also, it was great for billionaires like Kim Kardashian. Not so good for the ordinary person in 2026. People are craving intimacy and depth. They are retreating a little bit inward. They’re choosing things with more private sophistication over performative minimalism. Like I said, that Kim Kardashian book with Kanye, where it was just like it looked like an Apple Store and it was all white.
Miriam Schulman: It’s very hard to have an all white home unless you have somebody constantly vacuuming. Okay, so what does this mean for artists? Well, think about what art is going to look good in that kind of room. So rich jewel tones will also sell well. Figurative pieces, landscape pieces that feel immersive will be in demand. Also, collectors are going to be looking for high contrast frames, black walnut brass. And that’s going to outperform Frames with white or blond wood. Now, if you don’t normally frame the art for your customer like you’re not in a gallery, you still should know this information if you’re a painter, so that you can advise your collectors about what your art would look good in. So artists, here is what I want you to know. You want to lean into atmospheric work and don’t be afraid of drama. Trend number two. This is called heritage maximalism. But make it edited so not clutter, but curated maximalism. Think gallery walls. Collected objects. Mixing frames. Story driven decor. People want homes that feel lived in, not staged. So in terms of your art, your origin story matters more than ever. Or the story about the piece. This is the story that your collector is going to tell their friends when they come over to visit. They’re buying that story. People are buying art that expresses their own lineage, their identity, their subculture, their belonging.
Miriam Schulman: So this is important if you are an artist of color, if you are Jewish or Muslim, any kind of identity that you can associate yourself with, bring it out and bring it to the forefront, because people want to collect art that represents who they are. You don’t need to appeal to everybody, only a few people. And the more you appeal to those few people, the more likely those few people are going to buy from you. Make them be your artist. Now small works and companion pieces will sell well in these gallery wall ecosystems, although that is going to contradict the other trend that I’m noticing, which is the bigger the art, the better. So here’s your opportunity. Artists with narrative driven works thrive, which is why you need to know what the story is behind your art. A lot of artists say, oh well, I just know I have to do it and get that if it’s you, I feel that way too. But there is a story that we can excavate. There is a reason that you are drawn to do the work. There’s a reason why the divine has given you this gift. We can excavate that out and put that in the forefront so your collectors feel drawn to it too. Trend number three is the rise of repair energy. So what is repair energy? That’s like wabi sabi.
Miriam Schulman: Mending. Visible repair rootedness. So why is this trending well? This is definitely a post-pandemic trend. There is a collective appetite for healing, softness, imperfection. And it’s not just a post-pandemic. It’s a post US election thing. It’s a post global war thing. There’s a lot of healing that needs to happen right now globally, and that is why collectors are drawn to this style. So in terms of the art implications, they’re looking for handmade textures, cyanotypes, textiles, ceramics, mixed media and anything that you can see the visible hand. That’s what’s going to have a premium demand, especially in this rise of AI. They want something that’s the complete opposite of AI. So something that does not look like it was made by a computer that looks like a human did it? The other thing that you need to know is work that is about healing and wholeness will resonate, especially for women above 40 and above 50, which is a great demographic for selling art. Hey, managing your mindset is powerful. It really is. But if you want to build real wealth from your art, you know mindset alone won’t get you there by now. You know you need a coach who not only understands the inner game, but also knows how to get results in your creative business, and that’s what the Inner Circle is all about. I want you to hear from two Inner Circle clients about their results.
Bret Neathery: I had no idea how hard it would be to market my art. I had assumptions, but it’s hard to be able to sort of sift through the clutter and the noise and be able to have a defined strategy that is tried and true. Tested makes all the difference in the world. I saw results probably within 30 days. I started in February, and by June I had already sold over $30,000 in artwork.
Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan: The number one thing is you taking action based on all the strategies in Miriam’s program every week, pick one strategy that you want to try out and focus on that.
Miriam Schulman: Am I right to say you’ve made over $13,000 since you’ve joined?
Sangeetha Gopalakrishnan: Now it’s like slightly more. Um, but yeah.
Miriam Schulman: The inner circle is something that’s not for everyone. And you won’t find it on my website because it is by application only. And to learn more, go to SchulmanArt.com/BIZ. The inner circle gives you private coaching, strategic support, and a powerful peer group to keep you accountable and on track. If you’re ready to turn, your mindset shifts into actual income shifts. Apply now. Go to SchulmanArt.com/BIZ spots are very limited and I run it in semesters, so this is not open any time to see if I do have room available. You can either email me or like I said, learn more over on my website SchulmanArt.com/BIZ. Trend number four biophilic design. This is going like cray cray. Like wild botanical. Kind of like where the wild things are. Vines growing from the ceiling. Literally, literally. So not just plants, but deeper integration. Ferns, moss, wild grasses, organic linework, natural pigments, soft botanical shapes. So either working in a way that will evoke these types of things, or showing your art in a way where it looks good in that kind of environment. So the reason why this trend is happening is because a lot of climate anxiety and people want the groundedness of nature. They want to feel more connected to nature in their homes. Now, here’s what it means for artists. People are still looking for botanical art, but not the type of botanical art of yesteryear.
Miriam Schulman: Not the very fussy type of art. So it’s still strong, but more wild botanical art. More whimsical, less literal and also in terms of color palettes. Think about greens. Indigos Umbers. One artist that comes to mind, one of my clients, Daniel Trollenberg. His art fits very nicely into this category because he works with sand and it’s very organic and it definitely fits in with this esthetic without being literal. So that’s a type of art that is definitely going to be on the rise as a trend going forward. We’re talking about home decor, but what art would fit into this home decor trend? Daniel’s definitely comes to mind. Turn number five is one that I’ve been telling artists for a while, and that is statement scale. So in other words, go big or go home. We’re talking large scale pieces, large scale to anchor the room. And one of my clients, Sangeetha sold this beautiful large artwork and when she went to deliver it to the client’s home, she saw what I meant by how they’re looking for large pieces. Because suddenly what she thought was her largest piece didn’t even look so big. In this client’s home, it was just a piece for this client’s foyer. And the client told her, I’m looking for much bigger art. This is what collectors want. This is what the artists I work with are hearing from their buyers.
Miriam Schulman: They’re big pieces are selling easily, and their clients want even bigger. So think about the big walls that people did during the renovations right after the pandemic. They still have those big walls. So what does this mean for you as an artist? These larger works are easier to sell at a high ticket price. It’s much easier to price a large artwork high than it is to try to get a medium artwork to sell at a premium price. People value the transformation that your artwork will make in their home, and that’s what they’re really buying. They’re buying that transformation. They want to transform their home with your art. Also, diptychs and triptychs are having a comeback. Bo knows this. So Bo is an artist in California. She sold one of her triptychs to a couple who lives in New York, in New York City. They had her ship it to them. They bought a triptych. So this art that I thought, oh, this is perfect for California. No, people want it everywhere. Another thing you should know is that you should either photograph your art scaled in stylized rooms, or use Photoshop to do it in a stylized room. Okay, There’s also a lot of apps that will help you place the art into a room. I always liked just photoshopping it myself into a room.
Miriam Schulman: For me, that was part of the fun to look at the decor magazines, pick a trend I liked, and show how my art fit in with this work and this very stylized room. But you can do it any way you want. Trend number six sacred spaces in the home. So these are meditation corners, altars, reading nooks, emotional oxygen spaces. So why is this 2026 is peak spiritual meets modern, especially with AI saturation. People are wanting something real. So what does that mean for you as an artist? Intention based art is going to sell abstracts that evoke calm or transcendence are going to perform really well with this niche. And I want you to notice that, you know, people will say to me, oh, you’re talking about landscapes and figures. Does that mean I shouldn’t paint abstracts? No. There’s a niche for you to just you got to cater. So it’s not about changing the art you create. It’s just catering to the niche that your art best fits. So abstracts that evoke calm, transcendence. These are the ones that will perform really well. People want art that sets a frequency in their home, not just fills the space. And that’s the way you need to talk about your art. So this is a great moment for woo friendly artists with their woo friendly art. 2026 is your year. Trend number seven Brown metals and warm wood frames.
Miriam Schulman: Okay. Shifting away from chrome and silver or white oak and into something more grounding, like walnut, cherry, dark brass. Because these warm tones signal comfort and people want it. So when you go to frame your art for a gallery, these are the tones that are going to make your art look the most appealing to collectors. Update your frame styling suggestions. If you are not framing it yourself, you’re just talking to your collector. You can show your art digitally. I did that all the time with my watercolors, as I would digitally put it into a frame and show how that would look in a room. These dark frames are going to elevate the perceived value and the perceived luxury of your pieces. Our final trend. Trend number eight ethereal tech, digital and physical AI art is not going to replace you, but it is influencing esthetics. So atmospheric color stories that are inspired by AI esthetics are going to trend a little more. So what does this mean for you? You can use AI as inspiration, but don’t worry, not replacement. Unless you’re a digital artist. You can blend digital and analog, and collectors love the behind the scenes. Peek at your process for how you’re mashing it up. So now let’s talk about collector psychology. In 2026. These trends are going to tie into buying motivations. Women older than 40 want meaning? I’ve been saying this for a long time.
Miriam Schulman: Collectors buy meaning, not medium. They want art that signals belonging an intergenerational connection. That’s why I am encouraging my artists who are women of color or Jewish or any kind of ethnic identity, to lean into that because people want art that speaks to their ancestral heritage. Luxury buyers crave originality, and they crave the stories. Gen Z will still buy the affordable prints, so prints of your work will still sell. But Gen Z, they prefer more micro trends, but they still want identity too. Okay, so that’s what this psychology is. And millennials and Gen X are going to buy more like investment pieces and statement works. It’s funny because oftentimes when I’m working with artists during their messaging intensive, I’ll start to feel myself want to buying the piece. I’m doing such a good job helping them pull out their stories. Now suddenly I want to buy it. This has happened several several times to me. I bought a bowl from my client, Mark Klamer. I bought a headdress from my client, Megan Mayberry. I’ve bought earrings, not these from my client, Kristin Midgen. And I’ve been very, very tempted to buy lots of artwork from my artists. I was like, oh yeah, I really want that painting that has real gold and real diamond dust on it. That represents my heritage. Yes, please. Yes, please.
Miriam Schulman: So if it’s working on me and I am the one who is creating the marketing, imagine how that psychology is going to be impacting your collectors. Okay, so now let’s talk about what you need to be prioritizing in 2026. So this is your roadmap for it’s going to be five things I want you to keep top of mind. One build a collection around a theme. Don’t just do random things. I feel like doing this. I feel like doing that. No, don’t build a random body of work. You want themes to lean into richer, more dramatic color stories more than what you are used to. Three photograph or digitally place your art or art objects in stylized 2026 interiors like the ones we’ve talked about today. Four For till deeper, more vulnerable stories about your work. And five if you are a painter or 2D artist, rethink your framing and display suggestions to match the warmth trends we’re about to wrap up, but before we do, I just wanted to take a moment to talk about the woo energy behind these 2026 Decor trends. 2026 is the Year of Integration. We’ve talked about this with my friend Patty Lennon. We’ll make sure we link to her episode in the show, notes her psychic predictions for next year, talked about that, and it’s about bringing these fragmented parts back together. That’s why people want to collect parts of themselves and put it in their home part, things that represent their identity.
Miriam Schulman: This isn’t about being woke. This is about you attracting somebody who feels an affinity for you and what it is that you do. People are craving grounding, rootedness, ancestral wisdom. How does your weaving, how does your knitting? How does your quilting? How do those things represent your ancestors? That’s the things that are going to help sell your work. Art is a portal for emotional safety and personal sovereignty. Okay, so let’s close. Share with me what trend your art naturally aligns with. You can either comment below the YouTube video or if you’re listening on the podcast, hop on over to Instagram and tag at Schulman Art s m a n a r t. I’d love to see your art. And hey artists, I know we’re in December, but it’s not too soon to start planning 2026 right now. I know I’m going to be spending a lot of time in December doing some deep work planning my 2026. Now, if you like this episode, make sure you also check out my episode on Color Trends from top paint companies. We’ve also linked that for you in the show notes. All right, so that’s it for today. Thank you so much for being with me here. I’ll see you the same time, same place next week. Until next time, stay inspired. Bye for now.
Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the Inspiration Place podcast. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/SchulmanArt, on Instagram at @SchulmanArt, and of course, on SchulmanArt.com.
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