The interior design scene is always on the move. At least twice per year, exhibitions and showcases feature brash, exciting developments in the field. With the new trend toward smaller residential homes, designers are responding with clever, functional, and beautiful amenities that truly transform any space. In addition to the return of a long-ago favorite, sculptures, the freshest entrants in designers’ playbooks include residential lifts, themed area rugs, and energy smart sky lights. In no particular order, here are some of the hottest new items in the latest interior design realm.

1. Large Sculptures

The popularity of artistic sculptural pieces comes and goes, but right now the trend is on. A new twist is size, with larger pieces dominating the market. Homeowners seem to be attracted to vertical sculpture items like human figures, animals, and nature-themed statues. Prices vary depending on whether owners want an original or an authentic looking knock off. One of the advantages of standing artworks is that they have the potential to fill a large amount of otherwise dead space at the end of hallways, in corners of living rooms, and even in kitchens.

2. Lifts

The growing popularity of residential lifts has been an ongoing phenomenon for more than a decade. Now, it appears that the 2020s will be the era of widespread implementation of home lifts. Not only are owners of existing homes opting to add stylish lifts, but more builders are including the ultra-convenient features in large developments all over the world. In fact, small lifts are becoming commonplace in new houses and are popping up in places as varies as the U.K., Saudi Arabia, Mexico, India, and Malaysia. One reason for the surge in popularity is competitive pricing, smaller units that suit any size house, and the fact that people appreciate a new, safer way of moving between levels without the risk of falling.

3. Themed Area Rugs

Almost out of the blue, themed rugs have turned into more than just a trend. They’re something of an obsession with design pros who find the variety, ways to layer rugs, and endless placement options a thing of wonder. Whatever the homeowner’s artistic preferences, there’s a group of themed rugs that can work for any size space. The trend grew organically from a common consumer practice of buying several matching rugs and using them to establish an artistic theme for the entire house. Now that the designing community has gotten involved, watch for the concept to grow in popularity.

4. Sky Lights

After more than a decade of neglect, the common sky light is making a huge comeback in homes all over the world. One reason is the environmental soundness of letting natural light into any room in the house. Not only can well-designed sky lights reduce the need for electricity in rooms that have no conventional windows, but they make for a wonderful, mood setting feature in early evening hours when stars appear and moonlight begins to shine. Modern versions of sky lights include energy-efficient, thick polymer sheeting that does a good job of letting light in but keeping excessive heat and cold out.