Have you been wondering what's trending in the world of stationery design for 2025 and onwards? We’ve been taking note. With design trends borrowing from fashion and interiors 2025 brings bold expressions and refined simplicity to your desk. From the return of comforting, vintage-inspired designs, inspired from personal nostalgia, to the rise of high-shine metallics. We're beyond excited for a desk refresh with these evolving trends.
Here’s the stationery design trends on our radar. Plus some hand-picked favourites from Papersmiths so you can stay ahead of the curve.
Trending: Grandma’s House - Vintage revival
Nostalgia is front and centre, with designs that feel like hidden treasures found in a Grandmother’s house. Think vintage papers, floral motifs, and intricate lace patterns. The past has always inspired future trends, but there's something about the theme of vintage revival that’s been growing and evolving from season to season. It's certainly not going anywhere soon. The nostalgia of discovering treasures in a grandmother’s attic is a fun theme to be creative with, and it's making its way into modern stationery. Think floral patterns, vintage papers, and intricate lace designs. Gently offering a sense of connection to meaningful memories. This trend is about comfort, familiarity, and an undeniable connection to simpler times.
Why It’s Trending: In the wake of the pandemic, many of us turned inward, seeking connection to our homes, gardens, and roots. Younger generations are looking for meaningful, grounded experiences, and comforting, tactile stationery offers an escape from the digital world. It’s no surprise that the trend Grandma's Attic was a focal point at Top Drawer S/S25, with brands like The Better Trends Co. showcasing vintage-inspired pieces. As we reconnect with our spaces, this "wholesome" design language is becoming a way to invite warmth and sentimentality into our everyday lives.
Papersmiths Picks:
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Scotty Tartan Pencil Case
- Botanical Gardening Journal
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Myrtle Clifton Notebook in Dark Green
- Linen Progress Journal - The Three Question Journal
Trending: Cherry Red - Bold luxury
Gone are the soft pinks of years past. Barbie-core certainly had its moment, but we’re entering a new era of wholesomeness and maturity. Enter cherry red. A bold, energetic, yet sophisticated colour that’s making waves across all areas of design, including stationery. This rich hue balances assertiveness with a sultry, luxurious twist, moving beyond playful pinks to become a statement of passion, power, and confidence.
Why It’s Trending: Red is a powerful colour. It stimulates, excites, and energises. After years of muted tones and "quiet luxury," the world is embracing self-expression, and colours are a great way to inject passion and personality into daily routines. Cherry red, in particular, signals a shift in personal expression, offering a lively, yet polished alternative to the neutral palettes that have dominated recent trends. At Top Drawer S/S25, cherry red stood out. Not just as a colour but as a statement of creativity and self-expression.
Papersmiths Picks:
Trending: Purple Hues - Regal elegance
Lavender, violet, deep amethyst. Purple is taking over for summer 2025 and is expected to stay through 2026. This rich, expressive colour brings a sense of luxury and creativity to everyday writing tools. Purple is mysterious, and with different moods for each shade, we’re enjoying soft lilacs mixed with deep, sophisticated purples. Mixing them together creates a beautiful expression and feels fresh, unlike any palettes or trends we’ve seen in a long time. We can’t wait to see how it develops!
Why It’s Trending: Purple symbolises wisdom, artistry, and calm. Its versatility makes it a favourite for those seeking elegance with a playful edge. Stationery Trends Magazine has spotlighted purple’s rising influence. According to trend forecasts by WGSN and Coloro, a shade of purple called "Fresh Purple" is considered a key colour for 2026, representing creative stimulation, mystery, and a fresh perspective on a classic colour. often linked to royalty and spirituality.
Papersmiths Picks:
Trending: Silver & Metallics - Techy aesthetics
Striking silver, chrome, and metallic accents are bringing a high-shine, futuristic feel to the stationery on our desk. Silver accents add elegance and edge with a modern twist, balancing muted colours and upgrading any outfit, room, or accessory. More understated than gold, silver doesn’t try to be anything but what it is. It’s a daring material, allowing people to express themselves. Just like with cherry red, people are seeking self-expression as a form of wellness. Silver’s presence exudes resilience and modernity, resisting previous conservative trends and palettes. Something to love with silver is the way it draws attention to the details. It highlights the twists, and the beauty of a shape and design. There’s a lot of fun to be had with this in the design world.
Why It’s Trending: A mix of AI advancements, digital innovation, and a Y2K revival has sparked a love for sleek metallics. Silver, in particular, stands out for its modern, adaptable aesthetic. From Vogue: “For the French-American designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen, best known for her delicate glass work—but who introduced stainless steel into her tabletop collection in 2022. It’s a sign of increasing confidence among consumers in their individual taste. There’s a growing audience who feel empowered by their unique tastes and preferences.”
Papersmiths Picks:
Trending: Slow Summer - Mindful, soft living
A clean, pared-back and soft summer trend gaining momentum. Neutral soft palettes that feel natural, sustainable materials, and practical designs to create a workspace that feels fresh, calm, and focused. The "Slow Summer" trend for 2026 is expected to be prevalent, driven by a cultural shift toward conscious consumption. People are prioritising sustainability, quality craftsmanship, and timeless pieces over fast fashion trends. It’s about valuing longevity, and appreciating the designs we use every day.
Why It’s Trending: With conscious consumerism on the rise, people are decluttering and choosing quality over quantity. This trend has been amplified by social movements like the Demure aesthetic on TikTok, where self-soothing and balance are key.
Papersmiths Picks:
Trending: Earthy Browns - Nature meets nostalgia
Earthy browns are trending for 2025, bringing grounding to our desks. These colours link back to nostalgia, mixed with a desire to reconnect with nature. Earthy browns create a workspace that feels serene and nostalgic, pairing beautifully with recycled materials and adding tactile texture to your space. Think suede textures, 70s-inspired designs, and 2000s’ boho trends making their way into our stationery and wardrobes. We’re expecting suede tassels, brown bombers, painted wooden decor, and chunky disc belts to flood our socials this summer!
Why It’s Trending: Pantone named 'mocha mousse' as its colour of the year for 2025. It's a lighter, silkier shade of brown. Their team of experts are confident that brown in general, will continue to trend in all designs. Alongside this, sustainability and nostalgia continue to influence purchasing choices in the UK, and earthy, natural tones are prominent in this. These brown hues also tap into current food trends, with colours like mocha mousse looking edible, as well as a deeper brown chocolate. More and more do people want their environments to feel delicious, cozy, content, and comforting. Industry insights from Stationery Trends Magazine also highlight these brown and beige natural hues as key design colours for 2025. What will you go for, dark chocolate or creamy mocha?
Papersmiths Picks:
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These predicted and emerging stationery trends for 2025 all play around the themes of self expression and acceptance through colour and design choices, and nostalgia. Whether you’re drawn to vintage charm, daring colours, or sleek metallics, there’s a trend that you can have fun with on your desk. Mixing together a cherry notebook with a silver pen. We can't wait to have fun with these colours and design choices for 2025.
Which trend speaks to you the most? Let us know in the comments!
Ready to refresh your desk? Explore the latest collections at Papersmiths here.
Some of the designs featured are due to launch in summer 2025, if you have your eye on something you can't find online, let us know. It may be available in store or releasing soon!
