The 'Modern Heirlooms' Trend Is Redefining Summer Decorating—How to Embrace It at Home

This season, homeowners aren't starting from scratch when it comes to home design. Instead, they're updating what they already have—refinishing furniture, refreshing spaces, and investing in projects that are lasting, personal, and practical.

Sherwin-Williams just released its 2026 Summer Decor Trend Report that breaks down one particular movement that's growing in popularity among homeowners—Modern Heirlooms.

As homeowners get away from fast-moving trends and disposable décor, they are gravitating toward spaces, objects, and finishes that feel more personal. This aesthetic captures that shift, bringing renewed attention to warm wood, refreshed pieces, handcrafted details, storied surfaces, and outdoor spaces that are designed for gathering.

Rather than recreating the past, it's about introducing familiar pieces and classic materials into modern homes. That does not mean every piece needs to be inherited or antique. A newly painted wall, refinished table, refreshed planter, or protected deck can help create the feeling of a lived-in home. According to the report, the trend is less about nostalgia for nostalgia's sake and more about choosing materials, finishes, and projects that bring a sense of permanence.

Here's how you can incorporate the "Modern Heirlooms" aesthetic into your home this summer in practical, approachable ways.

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Refreshed Thrifted Pieces

Instead of buying new furniture, transform thrifted, vintage, or everyday items into pieces with character. Smaller DIY projects like a frame, planter, tray, mirror, lamp base, or outdoor accent can take on a more crafted, storied quality with the right paint finish. According to the report, warmer, more saturated colors are gaining momentum, with yellows, oranges, reds, and yellow-based greens showing up in home projects, especially smaller DIY projects and accents.

For this trend, color works best as a supporting detail rather than the full story, the Sherwin-Williams report notes. Think a warmer wall, a refinished object, a stained surface, a painted accent, or an outdoor update.

Warm Interiors

Whether through a refreshed wall, painted built-in, softened neutral, or accent detail, rooms that feel warm and layered are a great way to embrace this aesthetic. The focus is not on a single color, but on the feeling color creates.

Natural Grain

Wood is one of the clearest expressions of the Modern Heirlooms aesthetic, according to Sherwin-Williams. Stained and refinished wood pieces help preserve what is meaningful while giving older surfaces a renewed look. The result feels less like a makeover and more like a continuation.

Outdoor Spaces

Outside, this trend comes to life through porches, decks, fences, and outdoor furniture. In terms of home improvement projects, consider installing a deck for outdoor dining or a garden structure that adds character to your home's exterior.