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Your home decor should be a reflection of your personality. It should make you feel comfortable as well as serve all your needs with the highest level of functionality. Every one of us has an idea about what we like or dislike and we do up our homes accordingly but decor trends can inspire you to think outside the book and find styles that you otherwise wouldn’t have come to know about.

So, this year, if you are looking to revamp your living room, make some tweaks in the bedrooms, change the feel of your entryway, or make some simple upgrades, look no further than some of these amazing trends that are going to rule in 2025. Some of these trends are making a comeback so you might already be familiar with them. Let the design trends of 2025 inspire you to live your best life at home while staying true to your personality.

A whimsical gallery wall

A gallery wall has long been in trend but it’s mostly a place to display photos. This year, expect to see whimsical gallery walls filled with random finds, paintings, and other artistic pieces rule the decor space. It’s a great way to ensure random memorabilias aren’t displayed all over the house, giving it a cluttered feel. You can even display items you have collected during family trips interestingly on a gallery wall. Consider framing them or putting up eclectic shelves to hold them.

Artistic furniture pieces

Regular sofas and side tables are things of the past. Think asymmetric designs and interesting shapes. As customization becomes widely available, there is no limit to the type of furniture you can have at your home. You don’t have to compromise on comfort or aesthetics. If you aren’t sure about it, try replacing a regular rectangle coffee table with a bold new one and see how it spruces up your space. You can also opt to replace a main item, like the dining table or the couch, with one in a different design to give your home an instant facelift.

Wonderful workspaces

Workspace was never a designated area in the house. But the Covid-19 pandemic changed that as more and more people started working from home. Suddenly, you needed a separate office space. Strike a balance between utility and aesthetic appeal but opting for large surfaces for desks and plush seating areas that are comfortable for long hours. A lot of people are already showing interest in creating an office space in their homes, making this just the right time to jump on the bandwagon.

Softer tones

There was a time when accent walls in varying hues like bright yellow, red, and blue were all the rage. Then an all-white theme took over with people opting for stark white walls and ceilings. It gave them more opportunities to play around with their decor. As 2024 drew to a close, the shift away from white towards pastel hues and soft tones was evident. Cream or nature-inspired colors like sage green or pale pink can make your space feel cozy than an all-white palette.

Smart technology

There’s something wonderful about making your home work for you and not having to run around for little things like opening the curtains, playing the music, or, everyone’s nightmare in winter, turning off the lights when you are snuggled in bed. There was a time when smart technology was expensive and inaccessible but now there are many ways to incorporate these into your home without spending a lot of money. Start by investing in some smart switches or automatic door locks for an efficient lifestyle at home. Smart technology is all about converting your home into a convenient space and there will be a lot of it to look forward to in 2025.

Cozy reading nooks

2025 design trends seem to be leaning towards comfort and sustainability. The cozy look is one of the recurring themes in design and an easy way to achieve that is by creating a reading nook that’s just perfect for daytime lounging. As digital detoxes and disconnecting from the world becomes more important than ever before, the popularity of reading nooks is set to soar. Thoughtful decor and comfortable seating spaces should be the most important aspects of creating a nook that brings a lot of panache into your space. 

Many Nepali youths tend to go abroad to follow their passion, their growth limited by very few opportunities here in their home country. But are they chasing their dreams or is it the prospect of a brighter future? ApEx spoke to three people to find out how big of an element passion is while making decisions for their future and whether financial stability is the most crucial factor. 

Arpan Karki, 20

These days, it’s evident that many young individuals prioritize financial stability over pursuing their passions. The lack of opportunities and limited employment options in the country compel most youths to go abroad. For many, the goal is often to provide a comfortable life for their families here while they work tirelessly.

In Nepal, the prevailing mindset leans heavily towards seeking opportunities abroad rather than nurturing personal passions. Many families actively encourage their children to migrate, seeing it as the only viable path to success. Non-traditional career paths, often associated with uncertainty, rarely attract young people in Nepal. The majority gravitate towards safer, more predictable options, driven by a need for stability rather than a passion for their work. While a few are breaking barriers and excelling in unconventional fields, the majority dream of leaving the country, viewing it as the most practical solution for a better future.

Ishwor Khatri, 26

When it comes to passion and stability, young people should strive to follow their dreams, pursue careers and investments aligned with their interests. Starting a business or investing in something profitable can be a great way to achieve both personal fulfillment and financial security. In today’s expensive world, economic stability is crucial, but it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your passion entirely. Pursuing what you love can lead to success because passion drives perseverance, even in the face of challenges. While everyone’s journey is unique, many people face pressure from their families to prioritize financial security over their dreams. However, achieving financial stability doesn’t mean giving up on your passion. Every career or sector comes with its own set of pros and cons, and learning to navigate these challenges is a part of the process. If following your passion isn’t immediately feasible, it’s okay to focus on financial stability first. Stability provides a foundation that can support your aspirations in the future. 

Sharda Tamang, 42

As a mother and a working woman, I find the current situation quite challenging. Everything seems to be influenced by trends, and I’ve witnessed significant changes over the past year. These challenges might only increase with time. For the youth of this generation, it’s crucial to follow their passion while also seeking financial stability. In Nepal, finding a good job is difficult, and even when a job seems suitable, the low salaries often make it hard to sustain a decent living. This is one reason why many young people aspire to go abroad. However, it’s vital for young individuals to remain connected to their childhood dreams and dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their passions. Sustaining that dedication, even in the face of family or societal pressure, is key to achieving personal and professional fulfillment. At the same time, it’s important for young people to stay on the right path and uphold good values. This is where family support becomes invaluable. As parents, it’s our responsibility to guide our children if we see them going astray, while also respecting their aspirations and helping them pursue their goals.

Climate change has emerged as a global menace to humanity and the diverse species inhabiting this precious planet. If not addressed promptly with appropriate measures, the very existence of life on Earth will be at risk.

Wealthy industrialized nations, historically responsible for emitting greenhouse gases over the past 500 years in the name of industrialization, have pledged to take robust actions to combat climate change. However, their rhetoric has largely failed to translate into meaningful policy actions on the ground. Global temperatures continue to rise at an unprecedented rate in modern human history.

From a hemispheric perspective, countries in the Global South are in a more precarious position due to the adverse impacts of climate change compared to those in the Global North. This disparity stems from various factors, including the Global North's greater adaptive capacity. However, it is crucial to note that the most marginalized and vulnerable populations, regardless of their location in the North or South, disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change. This inequity arises from prevailing social inequalities, power imbalances, and limited capacity to cope with its adverse effects. Marginalized groups in Nepal—such as women, indigenous communities, Dalits, persons with disabilities, and LGBTIQA+ individuals—are no exception. Addressing these challenges requires targeted efforts both globally and nationally, with adequate measures specifically designed to support vulnerable populations.

On the global stage, various initiatives have been undertaken to address climate change since the 1980s. The adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 marked a historic milestone, encouraging nations to adopt adaptation and mitigation strategies as two essential pillars for combating climate change. Under the UNFCCC, the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) serves as a mechanism for nations to negotiate and compromise on climate-related issues.

While critics argue that COPs have largely served to maintain the status quo for wealthy industrialized nations and fossil fuel corporations, these conferences have also produced significant milestones. The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, for instance, aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100. The agreement includes provisions for technology transfer, net-zero carbon emissions, funding, and capacity building, grounded in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Yet, these commitments remain largely unfulfilled by wealthy nations.

Furthermore, recent COPs have increasingly been criticized for being dominated by corporate interests, reducing them to platforms for fossil fuel negotiations rather than transformative action. For example, the president of COP28, Sultan Al-Jaber, is also the chairperson of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Similarly, Mukhtar Babayev, president of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, has longstanding ties to the state-owned oil company SOCAR. Such conflicts of interest undermine the credibility of these conferences. It is unrealistic to expect transformative actions to tackle the climate crisis when individuals with vested interests in fossil fuels are at the helm. To restore integrity, COP leadership must be entrusted to individuals with no ties to fossil fuel industries.

The Global South, particularly vulnerable countries and communities, has consistently demanded environmental justice from the Global North. Wealthy nations, primarily responsible for historical and current greenhouse gas emissions, are being urged to compensate for this historical injustice. Key demands from the Global South include technology transfer, adequate funding for adaptation and mitigation, capacity development, and immediate greenhouse gas reductions without false promises.

At COP29, the Global South demanded $1.3trn annually from the Global North to address the climate crisis. However, the Global North committed only $300bn by 2035, distributed through a mix of loans and grants. This response is widely viewed as insufficient and unfair, violating the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities outlined in the Paris Agreement and other global frameworks. Wealthy nations must take genuine responsibility for their historical emissions by providing the necessary funds, technology transfer, and capacity-building support to the Global South.

Additionally, major fossil fuel-based economies such as China, India, Russia, and Arabian countries must also adopt cleaner technologies and drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Nepal, despite contributing a negligible 0.027 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, faces significant adverse impacts of climate change. Key sectors such as agriculture, health, water resources, tourism, and livelihoods are already bearing the brunt of these changes. Marginalized and vulnerable groups, including women, Dalits, poor communities, persons with disabilities, and LGBTIQA+ individuals, have been disproportionately affected, resulting in severe violations of their fundamental human rights to live with dignity.

In response, the Nepal government has implemented measures such as the Climate Change Policy of 2019. However, the execution of these provisions has fallen short due to various challenges, including limited financial resources, low public awareness, inadequate coordination, a lack of skilled human resources, and weak diplomatic efforts on the global stage.

To ensure climate justice, corporate influence over global negotiations must be decisively curtailed. The prevailing neoliberal economic model, which prioritizes profit over human and environmental well-being, must be restructured to focus on sustainability, human rights, and the planet's health.

Furthermore, major powers such as the United States and China must set aside their geopolitical rivalries and collaborate to address the climate crisis. Nepal, despite being a minor emitter, must adopt resourceful and skilled negotiation strategies to secure climate justice on the global stage while implementing domestic measures to safeguard its vulnerable populations.

The climate crisis demands urgent and collective action. Wealthy nations and major emitters must honor their commitments and take bold steps toward a sustainable future. For countries like Nepal, the focus should remain on fostering resilience, advocating for justice, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against climate change.

New Year means a fresh new start. It means you get a do-over, a change to right the wrongs and give your life the revival it needs for it to be more enriching and uplifting. We all make elaborate plans for the new year. We promise ourselves that this year we will live our best lives by doing all the things we have always wanted to do. Two weeks into the new year, we are struggling to keep up with the resolutions, have given up on quite a few, and, slowly but surely, falling back into our old ways.

Are we destined for another year of the same old cycle or can 2025 be different? We can’t do the same thing again and again and expect different results so get ready to deviate from your usual routine and style. We assure you, you will be able to stay on top of your resolutions this way.

Rule #1: Set realistic goals

Resolutions fail because they aren’t realistic. You can’t expect to lose five kilos in a month or wake up at 6:00 am and exercise for an hour every day if you haven’t been doing so for a long time. Sudden changes in your routine is only going to disrupt your lifestyle so make sure you are setting achievable goals. Instead of trying to lose five kilos in a month, aim for two kilos. If you are accustomed to waking up at eight, try getting up half an hour early for a few days and exercising for 20 minutes to start with.

Rule #2: Break down your resolutions

Oftentimes, our resolutions are too broad and not well defined. This makes them vague and open to interpretation and tweaks. It’s a good idea to break down your resolutions to actionable plans if you want to ensure you incorporate them into your lifestyle. Write down a step by step plan of your resolutions and approach them one at a time. For example, if your resolution is to read more, map out how exactly you are going to do that. Say you will read one newspaper article on day one, five pages of a book on day two and build up from there. The idea is to make bite-sized resolutions of your goals to ensure they get done.

Rule #3: Get a resolutions partner

Sharing resolutions with a friend or a family member is one way of making sure you both stick to them. For example, you want to learn a new language. If you have a friend who also has the same goal then you can take classes together and make sure you stick to it. You can hold each other accountable. If you want to go to the gym, a fitness buddy is sure to motivate you to wake up an hour early and exercise. If you want to eat healthy, then you can make a pact with your partner or parent to stop eating anything with added sugar in it for a month. Having a partner who shares the same resolution(s) as you will motivate you to be disciplined.

Rule #4: Be gentle and allow room for mistakes

The problem with resolutions is that we are too strict and make overly ambitious ones.

When you are making resolutions for the new year, allow room for mistakes. Don’t let one misstep make you give up on the goal altogether. Understand that you will falter and there will be hiccups. Just don’t let those stop you from continuing on your journey. If you skip a day at the gym, make sure you restart your fitness journey from the next day. Don’t let one mistake ruin your process. One of the main reasons why resolutions fail is because we allow no room for error. But being gentle with ourselves and giving ourselves multiple chances to do something is a better way to make a lifestyle change than being too rigid by leaving no room for mistakes.

Rule #5: Plan and start ahead

New Year resolutions start on January 1. And that is perhaps the worst thing we can do while trying to change our lives. We can’t expect to be a certain way and follow a particular schedule and then try to do a complete overhaul in less than 24 hours. It’s just not practical and possible. So, don’t wait until the last minute to make new year resolutions. Start a week or two early and take it slow. If you have waited till Dec 30 or 31 to make your resolutions, give yourself a week or two to ease into the new lifestyle. The key is to take things slow and ease into it rather than rushing into it and abandoning your resolutions mid way because they feel unachievable.