the all beige catalogue is out.
...words taken from a recent vogue article on interior design trends in 2021.
and i couldn't agree more.
be bold.
since the spring, and the beginning of coronavirus disrupting our daily routines, we've been home much more than before. first, we began decluttering, clearing out pantries and storage spaces, and as we continued to work from our beds, couches, and kitchen tables, a shift in decor and styling emerged. stores were closed, there were no weekly trips to home sense or home goods, no admiring new setups pre lunch at Restoration Hardware, or browsing the new studio mcgee at target... forced to really look at what we already own, and the limited options for 'changing' up a room, we all got creative. home depot, local hardware stores, and lowes became crowded with do-it-yourselfers. people painting walls, furniture, building shelves + desks at home, staining old woods, and repurposing antique vases, mirrors, trays..
the minimalistic, modern, all neutral tones we once loved were slowing evading our homes and a cozy, hygge manner found its way back into our humble abode. we've seen it happening slowly over the past nine months, and we're here to perfect the lived in, but still chic, perfect lounge space that doubles as a workspace and entertaining room.
our homes quickly transitioned to makeshift offices, gyms, classrooms, restaurants, cocktail bars, concert venues, movie theaters in the spring of 2020, and that has influenced a shift in design for 2021. our needs changed, our environments changed, and we pivoted in more ways than one to survive. as people think more critically about decorating their homes, we are seeing a movement toward of high quality, investment, high use items that feel personal.
as a vintage lover, and someone who appreciates art in so many realms, from architecture to fashion and everything in between, i am comforted by the fact that we have collectively chosen to embrace items that last, that are consoling, hold a memory, that speak to us as individuals and possibly have been passed down or pre loved from generations before us.
this year is all about mixing hand-me-down heirlooms and vintage scores with mid century modern furniture; designing with texture, color, and varying styles, blending seamlessly the things we love and that make us feel good.
i've found that minimalism can feel suffocating when one is home all day; too much negative space. while in lockdown, i desired a space not just aesthetically pleasing but self gratifying. an environment not just filled with beige coffee table books, but by the novels that have left marks on my heart and influenced my thoughts, by pictures of family, and vases passed down from my great grandmother.
"There’s nothing more thrilling than giving new life to ancestral pieces,” says Kathryn Ireland.
i've spent many weekends circling antique stores, always failing to see something the first time around; vessels from the 1800's, old milking stools from a barn in the midwest, an old workmans' bench.. for me it's the unknown history, the thought that this piece had a life before the one i will give it, a home before my home. and yet of course these items are slightly imperfect, lightly used, chipped, maybe stained.. and this just adds to its beauty. we consistently see this in portrait photography: the artist seeks and sometimes enhances ones' features that aren't necessarily stunning by societal standards, but is part of what makes this person, them, makes them unique and alluring and beautiful. the same holds true in the items we choose to surround our homes with.
fast furniture has become much less appealing than it was pre coronavirus. gone are the days of seeking out the best RH dupes, catalogue inspired rooms, and decor deals. re-purposing old furniture, giving new life to what we already own, is the new trend of 2021; and i'm here for it.
as we navigate a life of financially savvy choices, we've moved away from the large e-commerce moguls in search of small business' unique, well-built styles. a distinct craving for variation in our homes has paved the way for personal touches, a blending of colors, a hint of charm & sense of allure that has taken the forefront to perfectly put together designs.
small business' offerings present much appeal as they eliminate the custom design process, and offer the instant gratification we crave with in-stock designs. and thank goodness because as we know, small businesses need us right now. that cover of the new yorker had us not just nostalgic, but heartbroken for our city, for business owners, for the many places we will forever miss and were taken from our city too soon.
how has this past year changed us? we want multifunctional items. we want style and decor with purpose and practicality. we want private spaces & spaces to entertain & gather safety.
will these be permanent? who knows. what i do believe to hold true, is the intimacy our time at home has brought between ourselves and our homes is here to stay. comfort has taken a front seat to aesthetic, although one is not to be disregarded. we want it all: aesthetic and cozy, neutrals with bold materials and textures. one is not to be held higher than the other, but rather forced to coadunate.
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