By Hannah McKennett//December 12, 2024
I love trendy nail ideas as much as the next manicure maximalist, but sometimes all you want is a simple nail design to carry you through the month. A manicure that makes you feel like you have your life together (even if you don’t). A nail design that goes with any and every outfit. And, for the DIY lovers, simple nail inspo that’s easy to recreate on your couch!
So if you’re looking for trendy and simple nail designs to rock this year, we’re rounding up the best easy ideas for 2025 — including the colors and trends that are currently on our inspo boards. And yes, all of these designs are simple enough to recreate yourself, no salon appointment necessary!
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Everything You Need To Know About Getting The Cutest Simple Nails
With maximalist nail art and trendy designs flooding our feeds, it can be easy to overlook the simple ideas —but sometimes less really is more. If you want to rock simple nail designs that still feel cool, modern, and It girl approved, it’s all about trendy color choices and strategic nail art.
From chic colors that make a statement (like shimmery white or sapphire blue) to subtle designs that stand out (like metallic decals or trendy French tips), the best simple nail ideas are the ones that give you the most bang for your buck.
For more inspo, keep scrolling for our favorite trendy simple nail designs for 2025, plus our tips for getting them at home!
What kinds of simple nail designs will be trendy in 2025?
Good news for minimalists —in 2025, simple nail ideas are going to be everywhere, with basic designs trending over more complex nail art. Everyone from Hailey Bieber to Taylor Swift is ditching intricate designs for solid nail polish colors, elegant shimmers, and classic manicures. And these simple trends are anything but boring!
At the top of the trends list for 2025 is cat eye nail polish. Shimmery and velvety, it gives you the wow factor of maximalist nail art, without the effort. (Mrs. Bieber even signed off on this trend with the same sparkly design as the manicure above!)
In the same vein, iridescent polish and metallic finishes are also trending this year, and they’re the easiest way to zhuzh up a simple mani. From holographic top coats to silver rhinestones, nothing is too sparkly for your trendy simple nail design.
On the other end of the nail art spectrum, I’ve also been seeing dark and moody hues like chocolate brown and burgundy red trending for 2025. When in doubt, a few swipes of your favorite trendy nail polish color will go a long way!
Our Favorite Nail Art Tools To DIY Your Simple Nail Designs At Home
The best part about trendy simple nail designs? They’re easy to DIY at home! If you’re ready to make 2025 the year you finally become a nail art pro, here are the must-have tools to get you started.
- Nail art brushes: Channel your inner Picasso with a set of small brushes —ideal for classic French tips, trendy swirls, and other simple nail designs.
- Dotting tools: Similar to nail art brushes, dotting pens make it easy to create simple nail ideas like polka dots, daisies, and minimalist accents. Don’t have any tools handy? You can also use a bobby pin or toothpick for the same effect!
- A nail art sponge: If you love a trendy ombré nail design (because same!), then a nail sponge will make it simple and easy to create the perfect gradient blend.
- Nail powder: Give any simple nail design a trendy touch with a shimmery finish, a la some pearlescent nail powder or an iridescent top coat. Instant trendy upgrade!
- Nail stickers and decals: Not a DIY pro? No prob! Nail stickers with cute designs like bows, stars, and wildflowers are perfect for nail newbies who want a trendy manicure without going to the salon. Nail gems and rhinestones are also trending right now and are a must for your 2025 nail art kit!
Our Favorite Simple Nail Design Inspo For A Dreamy Minimalist Look
Whether you’re a minimalist at heart or are looking for easy ideas for your next DIY, these trendy and simple nail designs are just begging to be added to your inspo board. We’ve rounded up our favorite designs for every understated style, from classic French manicures with a twist to unique colors that are currently trending.
Plus, we’re also sharing the tips and tools you need to bring each easy design to life, including the nail polish that we can’t stop reaching for. Read on for the best sweet and simple nail inspo, and get ready to screenshot!
1. Simple Glitter Nail Designs
photo: @monika__nails
Looking for easy ideas to take your simple nail design to the next level? Just add glitter!
As much as I love the milky pink base color of this manicure, wearing the same Funny Bunny + Bubble Bath polish combo can get old. For that extra somethin’ something’, use a dotting tool to add tiny pops of silver glitter polish on each nail, then complete the look with some minimalist white lines.
Simple, but so effective!
Calling all minimalists! Milky nails are one of our favorite nail trends for 2025, and we’ve created a simple guide to help you recreate the trendy look for your next manicure!
2. Trendy Butter Yellow French Manicure
photo: @heluviee
A French manicure is a simple nail lover’s go-to design, but that doesn’t mean you always have to rock the same old white tips! Give your favorite mani a trendy twist with this butter yellow color — aka, my new favorite neutral for 2025.
Finish the design with a pearlescent nail powder (or pearly top coat) for a look that says you’re a nail It girl and you know it.
3. Simple Mocha Mousse Manicure
photo: @crystalspolish | nail polish: Olive & June
Pantone has officially awarded “mocha mousse” the coveted 2025 color of the year, and fashion lovers everywhere added this cozy shade to their carts. For a simple and subtle way to incorporate the trendy color into your 2025 look, you can’t go wrong with a mocha mousse manicure!
Chic, classic, and versatile, this brown nail polish is all you need for your next simple nail design. RUN don’t walk!
4. Trendy Burgundy Simple Nail Designs
photo: @monika__nails
Another one of the most trendy colors of 2025, burgundy has officially taken over our style mood boards, both for fashion and nails. A trendy take on classic red nails, it’s the perfect inspo for a simple yet stylish nail design.
Pair it with a shimmery finish for extra shine, or keep it simple for a quiet luxury look. Either way, it’s a simple manicure that will never go out of style.
5. Simple French Manicure With Trendy Bow Nail Designs
photo: @phoebesummernails
If you thought the bow obsession was over, think again! There’s no such thing as too many bows in 2025, starting with your nail designs. Channel the trendy look by tying these pink bow nail stickers around the base of your simple French tips. Because a manicure this cute IS the gift!
6. Simple + Trendy Velvet Nail Designs
photo: @nailsbypaulin
Velvet nails. Cat eye nails. Magnetic nails. Whatever you call this shimmery look, it’s the simple and trendy nail design that’s going to take over 2025!
While you can rock this glittery trend in ANY color (Olive & June even recently released a cat eye collection!), I’m loving the classy style of this gold magnetic nail polish. It checks off another one of the top nail trends for 2025: metallic hues!
GWS Pro Tip! Looking for an easy way to DIY the cat eye nail trend at home, without the need for a UV lamp? Olive & June has the best glue-on velvet nails for a trendy and simple nail design in five minues or less!
7. Simple Nail Designs With Trendy Daisy Nail Art
photo: @monika__nails
Yes, nail art can be cute AND simple! For easy nail art ideas that you can create at home, look no further than this simple daisy design. All you need is a dotting tool to DIY the white petals, plus this metallic striping tape for the gold accents.
And voilá: you have a stylish manicure that’s way more simple than it looks!
8. Simple Rhinestone Nail Inspo
photo: @meraki_nails_cardiff
Speaking of trendy nail ideas that are secretly super simple, meet this cute embellished design! Rhinestones are a classy and easy way to take your simple nails from basic to show-stopping without much effort. Just glue these tiny rhinestones onto a simple base color, and get ready to dazzle.
9. Simple Shimmery Nail Ideas
photo: @matejanova
Simple nails, but make them sparkly! This one’s for the low-maintenance girlies who love to have their nails done, but hate the effort of an intricate design.
To get this look, this nail artist mixed a few swipes of Manicurist’s Active Smooth polish with the pearly Moon hue. A classy and trendy nail design this effortless? We love!
10. Trendy + Simple Ombre Nail Designs
photo: @lolo.nailedit
When it comes to trendy and simple nail ideas for 2025, aura nail designs definitely deserve a spot on your inspo board. This moody manicure style is seriously trending right now, and as a bonus it’s an easy design to recreate.
Just use a nail sponge (or makeup sponge!) to blend the blue nail polish on top of your black base — or customize the look with any colors that match your aura! We even created an entire tutorial to help you DIY this trendy look, no professional nail art skills necessary.
11. Simple Baby Pink Trendy Nail Designs
photo: @heluviee
If you love simple and feminine style aesthetics (hello, coquettecore!), then this cute and trendy pink nail design is for you. Because all you really need is the perfect shade of baby pink for a cute manicure that completes any and every outfit.
12. Trendy Animal Print Simple Nail Designs
photo: @nailsbylauren.o
You heard it here first: 2025 is the year of animal print, and that also applies to your nails! Embrace your wild side with this simple manicure, featuring trendy French tip designs that walk the line between tortoiseshell and cheetah print. Best paired with your animal print accessory of choice!
P.S. I also found these super similar glue on nails, so you can go ahead and skip the salon appointment this month. And as a bonus, they’re customizable!
13. Simple Cat Eye Nail Ideas
photo: @nailsbymaki.nyc
This simple nail design is checking off ALL the trendy ideas for 2025. Chocolate brown? Check. Burgundy? Check. Cat eye nail polish? Check!
Complete with a rad two-tone design, it’s the best simple nail inspo for all the manicure trend-setters out there. Here’s looking to you!
14. Glamorous Gold Foil Simple Nail Art
photo: @natmaloneynailartist
When you can’t decide between simple nail ideas and ultra glamorous nail art, this trendy design gives you the best of both worlds. The classy beige polish is timeless and versatile, while the gold foil flakes add a dazzling dramatic flair. It’s ~just~ the right amount of shimmer, and I am obsessed.
15. Simple Brown Glitter Trendy Nail Designs
photo: @monika__nails
If you haven’t noticed by now, we’re big fans of sparkle here at GWS, and this is another one of the best simple and trendy nail designs with a bit of shimmer!
While this brown glitter nail polish would wow on its own, it really pops with the trendy mismatched nail art. Combine swirls, French tips, and solid nails for a manicure that will have everyone doing a double take.
16. Simple Short Nails With Trendy Blue Dot Designs
photo: @basecoatstories
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple yet eye-catching nail design! This manicure is proof that a few small dots can make a BIG impression. With the bright cobalt blue hue and unexpected design, it’s the coolest way to upgrade your short and simple nails.
17. Classic + Simple Micro French Manicure
photo: @doinita.nailtrainer
There’s nothing more timeless and elegant than a traditional French manicure —it’s a classic for a reason! But if you want to give this simple manicure a trendy touch for 2025, I’m loving these micro French tip designs. The final look is effortless and understated in the coolest way possible.
Hesitant to freehand this design on your own? These French tip sticker guides are a lifesaver for all your simple at-home nail designs!
18. Trendy Pearly Pink Simple Nail Designs
photo: @vivianmariewong
When in doubt, pink is ALWAYS a good idea. Bring the girly look into 2025 with this simple statement nail design, complete with a trendy shimmer and a pastel pink hue. And yes, I found the perfect holographic pink top coat to recreate this manicure at home!
19. Simple Confetti Nail Inspo
photo: @natalia_nicholson_nails
Yep, this is a manicure worth celebrating! No matter where 2025 takes you, add a pop of confetti everywhere you go with this simple and trendy nail design. Just swipe this colorful confetti nail polish on top of a simple base coat for a festive mani that’ll light up any room.
20. Trendy Metallic Silver Simple Nail Designs
photo: @heygreatnails
Metallic silver is having its MOMENT in 2025, and this simple nail design is the coolest addition to your silver collection. With a mirrored platinum finish (which you can achieve with this mirrored nail powder or this metallic silver polish), it doubles as trendy jewelry — aka, the perfect finishing touch to any outfit!
For more high-shine nail ideas (plus a simple tutorial to get the trendy look), check out our complete chrome nails guide here!
21. Simple Short Black Nail Designs With Trendy Metallic Nail Art
photo: @nailsbypaulin
Or for a more subtle way to try out the trendy metallic look, I also love this simple and shiny accent nail design. With silver glitter flakes and modern metallic striping tape, it’s a trendy way to elevate a classic black mani.
22. Pearlescent White Simple Nail Designs
photo: @nailsbypaulin
Dreamy, iridescent, whimsical, enchanting…I could go on! This manicure is a simple nail design dream come true, with a trendy pearlescent polish that looks straight out of a mermaid’s inspo board.
To get the swirly effect, use a dotting tool to draw circles in the iridescent polish while it’s still wet. Simple yet magical!
23. Simple Abstract Green Nail Art
photo: @ma.ni.art
Raise your hand if you’re currently in your green era. (Hi, it’s me!) Give this bright and trendy hue a spin for your next manicure with this simple abstract nail design. Featuring funky line art, it’s an easy way to try out the trendy color without committing to an all-green mani.
Plus, this is one of the best simple nail art ideas to recreate yourself! Simply grab a small nail art brush and some green nail polish and start doodling.
24. Trendy Emerald Manicure With Simple Gold Nail Designs
photo: @nailswithaby
If bright colors aren’t your jam, this simple nail design is a dark and moody take on the green trend. Introducing: this emerald green nail polish!
There’s something so classy about jewel tones, especially during the colder months. Up the elegance by pairing this emerald color with a few glimmering gold accent designs — perfect for a classy occasion, a festive event, or any time you want to feel effortlessly glamorous.
25. Simple Short Blue Nail Ideas
photo: @beautybychloemayboyce
I love simple nail designs that can be DIYed in under ten minutes, and that’s why this trendy inspo is one of my all-time favorite ideas. Here’s a quick tutorial to get the look!
Step one: Choose a bold nail polish color, like this sky blue hue. Step two: Paint half your nails with this polish, and leave the other half bare (or painted beige). Step three: Use a dotting pen to add two dainty dots of bright polish to the base of your bare nails. It’s really that easy!
26. Simple Lavender Nail Designs With Trendy Pearl Nail Art
photo: @phoebesummernails
I just wanna stay in THIS lavender haze! For simple nail ideas that stand out, it doesn’t get better than this trendy purple design, which combines pastel French tips with cute pearl nail art. One word: dreamy!
Get the look with this lavender nail polish and these pearl nail gems, and go ahead and queue up “Lavender Haze” while you’re at it.
27. Trendy Gradient Grey Simple Nail Designs
photo: @nailsbypaulin
While gray may not be one of the most eye-catching or trendy nail color ideas, it does make for an effortlessly chic and versatile simple nail design. And since it’s such a unique color, this gray nail polish speaks for itself — no other frills or nail art necessary!
But if you do want to take your gray mani to the next level, the simple black and white accent design in the trendy example above is great inspo. Brb, screenshotting as we speak!
Simply Stunning Inspo For Your Next Manicure? We’ve Nailed It.
As professional nail lovers, we’ve made our business to round up the best trendy designs and inspo for every style and occasion — from simple seasonal ideas to the wildest nail trends. Check out our complete nail ideas page for all our favorite designs and ideas for your next manicure!
Hannah McKennett: Author Hannah McKennett is the Features Writer at Green Wedding Shoes, where she brings her passion for fashion, beauty, and weddings to every piece she creates. Since joining GWS in 2022, Hannah has become a trusted voice for modern couples, expertly cover...
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