Sign of the Times: Has Your Interior Decor Gone Out-of-Date?
Design is one of the areas of life that is ever-evolving. Its very nature means it cannot stay the same; it has to change purely for market reasons. You can’t really be a company producing interior decor and then say: this is it! This is what things should look like!
It’s a bit of a chicken and egg scenario – do our tastes change because interior decor designs change? Or does interior decor change because our taste does? Either way, it’s a relentless march towards… making everything in your house look out-of-date.
A little bit of a comedown after the philosophical questions regarding interior design, isn’t it?
This is, of course, the eventual result. What’s currently fashionable (or even acceptable) changes. Unless you are directly involved in the industry, it might have changed without your knowledge. Fast forward a few years and you might find yourself with a house you think is fine, then suddenly realize is woefully outdated. It might even get to the point your current style has come back into fashion once again, only this time, it’s called “retro”. Hurtful.
Of course, there are warning signs. If your approach to decor involves any of the following, then it might be time for an overhaul.
- Matchy-Matchy
The term above was actually coined by fashion bloggers – and it’s meant as an insult. Back in the day, women matched their outfit to their handbag and to their lipstick. Now, doing so would be “matchy-matchy”, essentially showing a lack of imagination.
The same philosophy has passed into the interior design world. Having everything strictly themed is no longer the thing to do. Instead, choose various colors throughout your home.
- Fads
Fads are the in thing of the moment, except it’s way too easy not to notice when the moment passes. Previous examples include beanbag chairs and lava lamps. It’s also easy to see those cinema billboard style lamps, so popular with Instagrammers of today, going the same way in future. Search online, and if some of your pieces are currently in “novelty” sections of websites, then it might be time to switch them out.
- Clutter
Once upon a time, clutter was seen as a good thing. It made a house a home; it felt lived in, natural. Anything else felt too sterile. Now, the mood has swung back in the opposite direction – and no room is safe.
Try and incorporate hidden storage when considering your kitchen design ideas or your plans for your bathroom. Books go on bookshelves; magazines have a particular file; home tech wires go in purpose-designed holders. Nothing just sits anymore, so try and have a sweep through a room and you’ll instantly improve it.
- Overt Themes
It’s fine for a room to have a theme – say, for example, an animalistic theme in the living room. The current trend now is for the “theme” to really mean up to three pieces (such as a rug, lamp and cushion) rather than a feature on every single item. If you have such a situation, tone it down a little and swap in some neutrals for an instant refresh.
