6 Antique and Vintage Art Trends That'll Dominate in 2025, According to Experts

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Unlike interior design trends that can be swapped out with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, updated with a new upholstery fabric, or replaced with a one-click purchase online, following the latest in the art world—especially when looking at historical works—is much more complex and requires greater investment.

Wendy Goldsmith, a fine art advisor based in Palm Beach, says that Instagram has changed the art world unrecognizably to where an artist's career can now burn bright and fade within a matter of months, and everyone is hungry for the next big thing. However, keeping your pulse on the antique and vintage art market is important for developing your curiosity, honing your tastes, and discerning the value and longevity of artwork.

"I acknowledge design trends and believe they help us grow culturally on a macro scale, as well as independently, aiding us in developing our own personal tastes; but I do not try to steer clients towards trends for the sake of the hype or being widely accepted at the moment," says Caroline Tamposi, specialist, Americana, for Sotheby's. "Some trends become classics while others flop, and many get recycled in new ways to reflect the zeitgeist; all of which are wonderful and exciting."

We've tapped Goldsmith and Tamposi, as well as several other experts in the world of fine art to help us navigate the market to find both what's hot and what deserves to be on our radars as we pursue building collections we'll cherish for years to come. Here, the biggest antique and vintage art trends they predict will surge in popularity in 2025 and beyond.

Folk Art

Tamposi specializes in Americana and says there continues to be a strong appetite for “exceptional folk art” in this category, mainly due to the fact that it is well suited to our busy lifestyles and the casual way we live in our homes today. As she says spaces such as formal dining rooms are becoming more multi-purpose, these—and other traditional spaces—pair perfectly with prominent but not overly precious pieces that can make a home feel richer and more unique.

“Folk art exudes an informal naïveté and tenderness that conforms with modern sensibilities and various styles,” says Tamposi.“[It's] generally easy to live with and layer with.”

Tamposi notes that though the rise in folk art began in the '60s, this movement remains “an American classic” that will continue to see steady market interest. She also says folk art will likely be reinterpreted and mixed with other styles in the coming years to stay relevant, which makes it an excellent option for mixing with the pieces you currently own.

A Single Show-Stopping Piece

"Throughout the ever-evolving art market, we expect to witness an interesting shift in 2025 from the conventional gallery wall once full of carefully selected and curated pieces, to singular, one-of-a-kind antique showstoppers that command and deserve attention,” says Landy Cartledge, co-owner of Highland Galerie.

Cartledge says that this transition will go hand in hand with a revival in the art of framing, particularly when it comes to the restoration of ornate vintage frames to complement more contemporary works. Conversely, the gallerist says she is also seeing historic works get a fresh take in framing, being paired with sleeker, more modern frames to make these pieces feel more livable, which will then translate to our homes.

"I am not a believer in overhanging art," says Goldmsith. "Art should breathe and it should be placed strategically in the home to be the most life-enhancing. This allows you to focus on top quality as well."

A Renewed Appreciation for Unabashed Beauty

"There is an undeniable interest in vintage art right now,” says Ann Huff of Huff Harrington Paris. “We are seeing this with heritage French portraits, historic European landscapes, architectural illustrations, paintings of animals, and still lives. If it's old, beautifully painted and has some sort of nostalgic element, the artwork is snapped up at a speed we haven't seen before.”

Just as movements like “Cottagecore” and viral pieces like the Nap Dress took hold at the start of the decade, this return to beauty, femininity, and nostalgia in fine art is playing out not only in terms of interest in historic works but also in the contemporary world.

Outsider Art

While Tamposi says that outsider art can be considered a modern cousin to traditional 19th-century American folk art, it’s the only artistic category defined by the “who” rather than the “what,” making the artist’s story integral to the work itself. These artists are typically self-taught and do not have connections to the conventional art world, making their works transcendent to any one particular genre. For example, one of the biggest names in the movement, Bill Traylor, was born into slavery and didn’t even begin pursuing art until his eighties and his first exhibition took place when he was in his nineties.

“There is a keen interest in telling and exploring the stories of America’s Black artists, and I believe this will continue to gain momentum; simply because there is so much rich cultural history untold and yet elemental to America’s story and identity,” says Tamposi. “We have only scratched the surface in this broad category, which has much more to give and teach.”

Mix-and-Match Collections

“As older generations continue to downsize, the marketplace has become flooded with vintage and antique art,” says artist Laura Deems Jarrell. “As a professional artist, there is nothing I love more than a collector who can mix their heirloom paintings with contemporary art. It deepens the story of their lives, mixing old and new; where they came from and where they are going.”

Huff says she's noticing a large influx of vintage artwork from more locations than ever before at buying fairs, flea markets, and her team’s favorite specialty vendors. She says the options to mix and match the art on your walls are greater than ever before as more inventories are coming from Eastern Europe—especially Prague and Budapest—as well as Scandinavia, Belgium and Spain.

“We are seeing a designer-led trend for mixing eras, mixing styles, and going for internationally layered interiors,” Huff says. “This pattern leads us to believe that a greater appreciation and demand for a cross-cultural mix is coming to the home in 2025.”

Working with Professionals

“There’s a cliche, ‘don’t buy with your ears, buy with your eyes,’ but that’s not the way people have been shopping for art lately,” says Goldsmith. “It's the last regulated market, so everyone thinks they can reinvent the wheel and they can’t help themselves when they hear the types of returns someone else has been getting. No matter how wealthy you are you can start to move a lot of money very quickly if you’re not careful."

Goldsmith encourages those who are serious about collecting and educating themselves to seek out an art advisor, as it will be worth the investment in the long run. She says there is way too much noise in the market today, and you need someone who eat, sleeps, and breathes this world to get a clear mind. It’s important to have a trusty guide to help you navigate the waters to build a collection of items of true provenance—both personally and for the sake of building a strong portfolio.

“Art is never stagnant, and it’s important to play around with style in order to find your own,” says Tamposi. “I encourage clients, as well as myself, to be open-minded and inquisitive about the world around them but also to be self-reflective and decide what moves them personally.”

Tamposi says at the end of the day, you're the one living with the art you collect, so you have to love it. She adds, “It is imperative to hone your own style, often requiring discipline and commitment, while also leaving room to re-invent, upgrade, and/or shift as you personally grow. This allows collecting to be such a fun and rewarding challenge.”

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