You don’t have to be religious to adopt the principles behind one of 2026’s most notable interior design trends: a turn towards the monastic. From candle sconces and limewashed walls to stained glass and rustic wood, peaceful yet characterful spaces are top of the wish list for the year ahead.

Howard Byrom, founder of Society Antiques—who himself owns a former Methodist chapel—sums the aesthetic up nicely. “Simplicity is key, along with natural, unfussy materials. It’s utilitarian rather than performative. Native and close at hand rather than exotic, with soft furnishings kept to a minimum.”

The trend is perhaps best exemplified by destinations such as Hôtel du Couvent, a restored 17th-century convent in Nice. With simple wooden beds dressed in creamy linens, stone archways, and plaster reliefs hung above beds, it offers a modern interpretation of traditional monastic life—pared-back and luxurious, rather than cold and echoing. Byrom also mentions the Edwin Lutyens-designed Castle Drogo kitchen in Devon, UK, as a great example.

A bathroom at Hôtel du Couvent in Nice.

Photo: Courtesy of Hotel du Couvent

The sculptor Emily Young lives in a former monastery in southern Tuscany, which she bought from a family friend after years of careful restoration. “The early 1600s architecture was strong and graceful, and the acoustics glorious,” she says.

While the space is filled with books, paintings, a piano, and an array of plants, restraint is central. “The simple approach always works best here,” she says, noting that for all of its austerity, it is as calm and tranquil a space as they come.

Elsewhere, make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench takes a darker, more gothic approach. Her home features a large soot-blackened stone fireplace, religious iconography, and vaulted, beamed ceilings. Sparse and deliberately “cold,” in her own words, it proves that the monastic look is versatile.

6 tips for building a monastic space at home

If you live in a cavernous house with a generous fireplace, you’re already halfway there. But even without monastic bones, there are ways to emulate the aesthetic:

Try bare floorboards or stone floors

Stone floors, long favoured in monastic buildings for their durability and use of local materials, remain a timeless choice underfoot. In Young’s home, original brick and stone flooring runs throughout. “Failing stone floors, bare floorboards will do,” says Byrom—a look that’s often more accessible. Opt for reclaimed oak or pine: woods that have lived a life and bear the marks and imperfections of age.

A bedroom designed by James Thurstan Waterworth.

Photo: Courtesy of James Thurstan Waterworth

Incorporate rustic wood and natural textures

Wood is one of 2026’s biggest interior trends—and central to the monastic look. “Think sycamore, oak, or pine tables with tops three times thicker than they need to be,” says Byrom. “Scrubbed, of course.” He points to an early Georgian oak prep table, currently on sale on his website, as a perfect example: it was made for gathering around. “You can get lost in the colours and swirls of the grain,” he says.

Seating should feel honest and tactile: rush seats, elm carved into generous contours, or the taut plywood of a bentwood chair all work well. And for bonus points, an antique pew can make for excellent seating around a dining table or in hallways.

Beyond furniture, texture is key. Waterworth favors “really big, chunky linen sofas and armchairs, linen drapery in bedrooms, and woven rugs to soften the space.” Antiques layered into a comfortable, practical palette help strike the balance between austerity and warmth.

Paint your walls chalky tones

When it comes to paint, neutrality with depth is essential. According to the decorator Alex Glover of Austin James: “Chalky, powdery tones lend themselves to architectural spaces and provide a calm backdrop to other leading features, whether that’s stained glass windows, limestone architraves, or vaulted ceilings.”

Byrom is a fan of limewash for its timeworn sensibility, while Young’s walls are painted in soft off-white calcio, with original hues—pale pinks and warm honey tones—still visible in places. “They’re earthy tones that reflect the outdoors,” she says.

A room at Masseria Pistoia, designed by James Thurstan Waterworth.

Photo: Martin Morrell

A good reference point is Rose Uniacke’s Pimlico home, where distemper-painted walls, grand archways, and steel detailing create a quietly monastic feel without any religious literalism.

Experiment with stained glass

Stained glass is enjoying a major revival, with Google searches rising by over 5,000% in the last month alone. Waterworth recently incorporated a striking stained glass panel into a Portuguese project, spanning the width of an otherwise more contemporary interior.

“It offers privacy while creating a beautiful play of light,” he explains of the detail, which took its cues from a nearby cathedral. “Depending on the time of day, a variety of blue and purple tones are reflected around the space, completely changing its atmosphere.” He worked with local artisans outside of Porto on the design.

Elsewhere, Sophie Rowell of Côte de Folk recently restored original stained glass doors in a London pantry—a lively, modern, and thoroughly atheistic take on the trend.

Add frescoes or murals

Traditional frescoes—such as those in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo—are also being reinterpreted for contemporary interiors.

“In modern spaces, I’d focus on the background elements,” says Glover. “Clouds, soft horizons, or bordered foliage. Even simple Greek keys where the wall meets the ceiling can nod to the Renaissance without overwhelming the room.” Wallpaper versions, such as Schumacher’s Cloud Toile, are another way to achieve a similar effect.

The finishing touches

Wall-mounted candle sconces are synonymous with monastic spaces, once used to light cloisters and chapels in lieu of electricity. Today, they provide soft, atmospheric lighting and a sense of history. Look for wrought iron, brass, or bronze versions via antiques dealers, Etsy, or eBay.

A candlestick from Oculus London.

Photo: Richard Round Turner

Giltwood pricket sticks—large ecclesiastical candlesticks—are another of Waterworth’s favourites, as are miniature wall shelves for candles, flowers, or small sculptures. Pieces made of wrought iron also make for great additions, and can be juxtaposed with warm, welcoming, and layered interiors for a subtle statement.