If there’s one thing you DON'T want to do with your interiors, it’s follow a trend!
Time for a refresh? It might also be time to put down all those magazines trying to entice you with their latest must-haves, and ask yourself these questions:
Will I hate it by the time the Christmas tree makes another appearance?
Is it right for actual me, or just the person I want to be?
If everyonesdoingit.com, should I be doing it too?
The Spiralizer Theory...
A wise friend once advised me that when it's time for a new kitchen, rule Numero Uno is… Don’t do what everyone else is doing! Why? Because in all likelihood it means you’re following a trend, and in a few short years, your "dream kitchen" is going to be a bit like that spiralizer you once bought... it seemed like the best idea ever at the time, but now it's sad and unloved, languishing in your cupboard.
So I’ve taken 3 interior trends and argued the case for giving them a wide berth...
1. Don't use paint trends to bring personality into your home
‘Yes!’ to bringing colour, warmth and personality to your walls. ‘Yes!’ to being brave and banishing greige. But it's a big fat ‘No!' to buying THAT colour just because some clever marketing and lush photography has you convinced.
If you’ve read my previous blogs, you’ll know that I’m a big advocate of using colours wisely, but not when it means picking the latest releases just for the sake of it. Yes, you may have fallen in love, as I did, with Farrow & Ball’s California Collection circa 2021, but how’s that working out in your north facing, stone semi in Leeds? (Don’t worry, I didn’t do it).
Instead, spend some time figuring out which colours genuinely put a spring in your step. Remember, you can’t rush a garden, so don’t rush your decorating. You’ll thank yourself in the long run!
2. Say iAdios! to open plan living
There have been rumblings around this one for some time now, thanks in part to a 2020 report from John Lewis on flexible working in the home (post-pandemic, of course). But before you ask your builder to stick that wall back up that they knocked down in 2010, hold the phone! It doesn’t have to be that drastic! If you’re finding that open plan living isn’t working anymore, remember that your requirements (and your family/household) will evolve over time. What might not feel quite right for right now could be perfect for you in 5 years time.
In the meantime, there's plenty you can do to make your open space work. Johnathan Marsh of John Lewis homeware talks of ‘a modular, flexible approach to living within our own four walls’, which is, in essence, the multi-functional zoning of areas. This is the key to getting a successful open plan layout.
We expect our homes to work damn hard these days. In the modern kitchen/dining/family space, there may also now be the requirement to house an office or a gym. Where possible, add slatted screens or open shelving to create a cosy zone, away from hub of the kitchen. Or go one step further and fix a slatted acoustic wall panel to the wall, with the dual purpose of both absorbing sound and adding a focal point.
Storage can also be built to make use of awkward areas to conceal or display. A hidden desk area for occasional working from home might be the dream, allowing you a functional zone that you can pack away at the end of the day. If your budget allows, enlist the help of a joiner, as bespoke solutions will make the best use of the space and allow you to keep clutter to a minimum. Kids = Clutter, so the more you can hide, the better!
For an even quicker fix, tall house plants can be a well priced (and easily manoeuvrable) screening option. They also come with a host of health benefits and are bang on trend (not that we’re interested those pesky trends of course..!)
3. Go Back to Black!
Just when we all thought it was safe to use black hardware in kitchens, bathrooms and on cabinetry, we’re being told that the trend is now waning thanks to saturation in the market of cheap copycat designs.
Back in the ‘90’s if 14 year old me had asked to paint my walls black, my request would have been met with horror and disdain. Fast forward 30 years and, feeling slightly frustrated at the shade of white on the ceiling in the Tween’s bedroom (I know, it’s an occupational hazard), I suggested that she paint it black to tie in with the black splodges in her wallpaper. She said no. I begged. She wouldn’t bend. What does a Mum have to do to get her daughter to paint her bedroom black. Argh! Kids these days!
My point being... Gone are the days when black was an edgy design choice, saved only for the brave. Black interiors are almost as ubiquitous as the Little Black Dress. It can be an accessory, such as hardware or lighting, or it might be a feature or a focal point, such as artwork or a chimney breast.
It could even be a full blown statement — hello to those who have gone for Farrow and Ball’s ‘Off Black’ in the living room. It will sit as happily alongside chrome or brass in a modern, minimalist apartment as it will in a cute country cottage. As long as you get the styling right, but that’s for another time…
Follow my favourite mantra: Practice patience!
It seems counter intuitive, but it's the best thing you can for your home, your wallet and the environment. Figure out who you are (this may be different to who you want to be) and take… your… time…!
Thoughts?
Questions?
A better song title with the word 'black' in the title? Hit me up!
louise@wildkindinteriors.co.uk