Do we care about interiors trends anymore?
Itโs Spring, and usually in the interiors world at this time of year we are looking ahead to the new trends for our homes. Weโre used to seeing lots of reports and online articles predicting the colours weโll be painting our walls and what our living rooms will look like.
But this year, itโs all a bit different. Weโve been through a year like never before, and itโs changed our relationship with our homes forever. Weโve spent much more time in them than we usually would, and the spaces we live in have had to work much harder and be more flexible than ever before. Who knew a year ago that our homes would become workplaces, gyms, schools, and also have to offer our only forms of entertainment?
Flexible living spaces
Before lockdown, we might have been out at work all day and enjoyed weekends away, so we didnโt actually spend that much time in our homes. We were able to ignore that very slowly leaking tap, and the feature wall that we painted five years ago still felt fresh. But lockdown has turned everything on its head, and all that enforced time indoors has made us re-evaluate our relationships with our homes. And it seems that most of us have come to the conclusion that the relationship is no longer working and needs some shaking up. Interiors therapy anyone?
Homes that make us feel safe.
We now need our homes to make us feel safe, comfortable and to provide an escape from all the craziness going on around us. Thereโs a real feeling that we want our homes to work for us and not against us, and that they should be there for us when we want to relax, work, exercise and socialise (eventually).
Functional homes
We also need our homes to work properly and be functional. With everything that weโve been through, the feeling that life is short has translated into an unwillingness to put up with the things that donโt work for us anymore. If you need more space for an office or a yoga studio, then there is no reason to hold back – now is the time to make it happen. If that extension will make your kitchen easier to use and improve the flow of the space, then why wait?
Working from home
Iโm finding that my clients have taken stock and are very keen to finally enjoy their homes. Space planning has become all important, as weโve been forced to think about how we use the rooms in our homes, and how we can make the best use of the space they offer. Some of us have decided to make the work from home change permanent and want to carve out a space for our own home offices. Whatever renovations people have decided to start, one thing is clear – changes are happening because we need them to, not because weโre being told itโs time to improve things. We finally want to make our homes both work well and look good, with the result that all the tradespeople I know are extremely busy – as anyone whoโs tried to get hold of a plumber recently can attest to.
So, what does this have to do with interiors trends?
Interiors trends are mostly driven by the need for the industry to sell us new things. Weโre used to being told that last yearโs must have colour (blue) is out, and everyone is now painting their walls the newest and most on trend shade (green). Itโs time for a new sofa because no one has a corner sofa anymore, and we all want the super plush velvet one instead. It makes sense – if we arenโt bored of the old, then why would we spend money on the new? The industry has to keep inventing new trends or weโd all stick with what weโve got and a large part of the economy would disappear.
How does your home make you feel?
But with all that time staring at our own four walls, weโve been thinking about not just how those walls look, but also how they make us feel. We need our homes to inspire and uplift us as well as working functionally, and I think that has meant a real shift when it comes to interiors trends. I think we care less about decorating in the popular colours of the moment, and more about creating a long-lasting haven which we can enjoy for years to come. People are feeling emboldened by the limits weโve had imposed on our lives and are saying – no more! If I want to paint my walls bright turquoise because I like the colour and it makes me feel happy, I will!
Calming Colours
Of course, all the big decorating brands are still telling us what the trends are for the coming year. Apparently, the โnew neutralsโ such as soft pinks and warm stone colours are just what we need to counteract the effects of lockdown. We need these colours to soothe our souls, which is the reason why Dulux chose a shade of beige they call ‘Brave Ground’ as itโs colour of the year. I donโt think thereโs anything wrong with looking at and absorbing the trends and I think we are all influenced by them (myself included), but I do think there is a real shift towards using colours and choosing items for your home that make us feel happy and content. Itโs your home, and you can do what you like with it – and whatever that is, I think it should be what you love.
For more information on how Louise can inspire and assist you to design those perfect home spacesโฆ
Visit https://louisemisellinteriors.co.uk/ย email:ย hello@louisemisellinteriors.co.uk
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Here are a few testimonials from some of Louise’s clients:
“We used Louise’s ‘designer on call’ service while we built our extension during lockdown. Despite never meeting in person, she understood our vision and thoughtfully guided us through each decision we asked for her advice on. It’s safe to say she radically improved our kitchen design (which had been designed by a ‘kitchen designer’). She responded quickly to emails when builders were pressuring us to make a decision so they could stay on schedule. With Louise’s help we have a lovely paint scheme throughout and AMAZING fabric choices to complement. Looking back I’m not sure how we could have done it without her guidance. Having Louise to ‘call on’ removed stress and provided a neutral professional opinion where my husband and I couldn’t agree on a decision.”ย – Ainslie, Cardiff
“We chose Louise as she is simply the best for the job! She has fantastic style, she really takes the time to understand her clients, she is THE expert when it comes to colour and she has all the best ideas – from big items through to important finishing touches and details. There is no way we would have dared to choose the bold colour without her expert guidance but we just love it now. Everything was so easy and we got beyond amazing results!” – Claudio & Tina, London
“We started looking at furniture and other items and quickly became overwhelmed by the amount of choice available, so we took a step back and enlisted the help of Louise to bring a cohesive style to our rooms. Louise always thought outside the box and made sure that the designs not only fit our brief but stayed within budget, maximised space and wouldnโt date. The rooms are now inviting, quirky, stylish and functional. She is brilliant and we have worked with her several times – I canโt recommend Louise enough.” – Marc & Erika, London
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