Anthologist Greece on 2026 Design Predictions

Andria Mitsakos—founder and creative director of Anthologist, the Athens-based cross-cultural brand and decorative arts consultancy—designs and curates collections that bridge past and present for consumers and hotels worldwide. Her work is grounded in material storytelling: how objects and forms shape narrative, drawing from a deep archive of historical references and ongoing collaborations with artisans around the globe.

“Before we even talk about trends,” she says, “we have to talk about value. For me, value is the true trend. Not monetary value, but the value of meaning: pieces that are handmade, considered, and rooted in story. Objects that once served a function and can be reimagined for a new one today. This is what people forget. It’s the importance of choosing things that carry intention. Things worth collecting. That’s the foundation.”

Here are her top five design predictions for 2026 that resonate with that thought:

1. Sacred Objects, Re-imagined:
   There’s a growing fascination with objects that feel ceremonial—hand-cast metal vessels, antique garments, amulets, and pieces that mimic ancient reliquaries. Anthologist celebrates these by integrating them as functioning art. “My favorite piece? A brass incense burner I bought in Sri Lanka. I use it for my own daily rituals.
2. Tactile Time Capsules:
   Objects with raw, eroded surfaces, fossil-like castings, or sun-bleached coral forms. That pile of rocks from the beach? Yes, it’s a thing now. “Well, I think it always was,” says Mitsakos. “I remember my mother finding a great rock on the beach in Antigua. She brought it home and had it mounted on a brass rod and Lucite plinth. Everyone thought it was an ancient form.” 
3. Stained Glass as a Subtle Return to Color and Light:
   While stark, monochrome interiors dominated the last decade, stained glass is reintroducing color and light into modern spaces. “At Anthologist, we’ve worked with artisans to create stained glass furniture, where light and color become an ever-changing element of a space. They also have a mystical relevance as many clients often think of stained glass in reference to a house of worship.”
4. The Return of the Curiosity Cabinet:
   While the clutter trend seems to have taken over many editorial pages, this is not that. “I’ve always had piles of edited, deeply personal displays of travel finds, objects with mystery, and sculptural arrangements that tell a story. I’ve always been curious and why not share that? Plus, I really like looking at all my finds!”
5. Textiles as Art:
   An easy way to transform a room with texture. Textiles hung as art—whether a rare vintage Greek embroidery framed like a painting or fragments of antique linens reimagined as wall pieces—carry a softness and narrative depth that hard materials simply can’t. “My vintage textile collection at Anthologist is proof of this ongoing desire. We receive constant requests for antique pieces because they hold stories, and the soul of the maker, and today, that matters.”