Alesya Karnaukhova, CEO of ZIKZAK Architects, a company specializing in commercial design, shares what the key trends in commercial interiors in Cyprus will be in 2026.
”Design never stands still. But chasing short-lived trends is not something she recommends. Instead, she stresses the importance of analyzing, interpreting, and transforming trends into meaningful solutions. 2026 promises interiors that are smarter, kinder, and more joyful. For example, Li Edelkoort — one of the world’s most influential trend forecasters — highlights a focus on simple shapes, joyful colors, and comfortable materials that support a friendlier, more creative lifestyle.Design in 2026 will be a therapeutic tool that emphasizes elements that evoke happiness, not just practicality,” says Alesya.
Alesya Karnaukhova, CEO of ZIKZAK Architects
The Return of Emotion to Space
After a decade of minimalism, sterile offices, and cold surfaces, sensory warmth is coming back into style. In commercial interiors, this means moving away from corporate neutrality toward spaces that stimulate, calm, or inspire, depending on the context. An office no longer has to look like a work machine, and a restaurant should not feel like a stage set. Space now acquires an emotional function, becoming a medium of interaction between the brand and the human. Trend forecaster Li Edelkoort calls this movement Interior Child 2026 — a return to naivety, play, and joy as a response to the stress of modern life.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
Color: A Palette That Heals
In 2026, color turns into a form of therapy. As noted by WGSN and Coloro analysts, the shades of the new season are not only aesthetic — they carry a psychological mission: to soothe, harmonize, and restore balance. The year’s palette is dominated by neutrals and warm tones. The base colors: Universal Khaki, Amber Haze, Blue Aura create a sense of stability and soft light.
Supporting them are expressive accents: Transformative Teal, Electric Fuchsia — colors of dynamism, creativity, and forward movement. Alongside these are deeper hues: Silhouette (espresso), Divine Damson (burgundy–plum) which add depth and drama to a space.
This is an emotional palette designed to support people, not brightness for the sake of visual impact. Such colors act as a psychological resource: they do not dominate but work subconsciously, reducing tension and improving concentration. In commercial interiors, this principle appears in the way light temperature, wood texture, or wall colors become part of an emotional design that shapes the atmosphere of the brand.
SS26 Colors According to WGSN
Style Directions: Nature + Technology
Pantone highlights six key style directions for the year — all of them exploring the search for harmony between the natural and the digital, between the past and the future.
Scandinese
This is a new kind of minimalism — warm and quiet. A combination of Scandinavian simplicity and the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy creates an environment of calm. Light wood, sandy tones, and textured textiles form an architecture of harmony and balance. Such interiors are ideal for offices where concentration, equilibrium, and a sense of trust are valued.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
Ancestral
This style appeals to instinct. Earthy colors, textures of clay, stone, and linen — materials that age beautifully, surfaces that breathe history. In commercial spaces, this direction creates the effect of returning to one’s roots, to something familiar and protective. Trend forecaster Edelkoort calls it a revival of physicality — the desire to once again feel the weight of objects and touch the authentic.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
Augmented
At the opposite end of the spectrum lies Augmented — the poetry of technology. This is light that reacts to movement, digital surfaces, interactive structures that come alive at a touch. Alesya interprets this direction as humanistic digitalism — when technology serves the human, not the other way around. These are offices with adaptive lighting, showrooms that change atmosphere depending on the time of day or type of event.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
Exotic Retreat
Exotic Retreat is tropical therapy. It is dominated by soft organic lines, greenery, natural motifs, and textures of water and sand. This style works perfectly in relaxation zones, lounges, and restaurants, creating an environment for restoration and rejuvenation.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
Futura
And finally, Futura — cosmic minimalism. This interior shows the power of technology and directs thought. It is an environment for concentration, clarity, and inner focus. It is about purity, conciseness, and light that shapes the space. Smooth surfaces, metallic reflections, mirrors — all reminiscent of hi-tech. But modern Futura is not about metal and coldness; it is about intelligent simplicity, where technology creates comfort, order, and calm. It is an interior that tunes the mind for concentration, meditation, and reflection.
Photo: ZIKZAK Architects
”Despite different styles and palettes, the overall idea for 2026 is clear: design is shifting from function to empathy, from technology to sensory experience, from fashion to meaning. Commercial spaces start interacting with the human psyche — calming, inspiring, stimulating engagement. I see a new role for designers: creators of spaces that care for people. The future of design lies not in new forms, but in new sensations,” concludes Alesya.
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