Does this make me a trend snob?
It’s not that I don’t like what's 'hot'...
I’ve had some newsletter ideas flying through my mind for a little while. In fact, I think they’re also residing in my phone’s Notes app (they are, I checked after typing that). They’re ideas that I’ve thought about writing but for one reason or another, I haven’t. The most likely being that I don’t want to offend or suggest anyone’s home choices are quote-on-quote wrong because I am of the firm belief that when it comes to home design, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, hey, if you like it, you do you. It’s always a matter of personal taste and style.
These ideas I talk of then. First: ‘Feature walls: they're now murals darling’ – I’m quoting my Notes now, by the way – and ‘Fashion faux pas of the interiors world - panelling, gallery walls, neon’. See what I mean. Even I am recoiling slightly with the discomfort of it all.
But it was just last week that I saw a reel by Alexandra Stedman - aka The Frugality - in which she opened up the discussion about her love of splatterware (ceramics with a paint splatter effect) and after sharing her favourites, she found out that Ikea now offer styles of such plates and dishes. Her question: is splatterware now over? Alexandra spoke about how there might be a belief that once something becomes so mainstream that it lands in the likes of Ikea, that it’s time to move away from it. While she does say that it’s great as it’s so accessible, she asks: is it peak era for this style?
It really got me thinking. There is an element of truth in what she’s suggesting. Contemplating the interiors trends I have seen come and go (and come back around again in some cases) over the years in my work in interiors publications, there are absolutely ones that I have liked initially and then swiftly moved away from once they were to be seen everywhere. Most notably when they’re all over Instagram. Yep, I said it.
The trend that springs to mind straight away is the gallery wall. Now, this one has indeed already waned and the preferred style is now a simpler approach of hanging fewer art pieces – a more considered approach perhaps. But when it was strong, the gallery wall trend was strong. You couldn’t scroll without spotting one, magazine pages were filled with them. Heck, I’ve even written features on how to create one (mock it up on the floor first, odd numbers look better than even, try and create a thread of style/colour). I did, admittedly, once have a gallery wall (in my first rental, which resulted in much Polyfilla on moving out) but have refrained since (probably Polyfilla PTSD). Simpler is best with art displays I reckon.
Neon. Hand in hand with gallery walls, the neon trend was huge. Is it still big? I think it’s another that’s on the downer. Interestingly, that actually does perk up my interest somewhat (I know, you can eye roll). I have toyed with the idea of a neon sign for my dining room and I have the perfect words for it too. What’s stopping me taking the plunge? Probably because it’s been done and even if the brakes are on in terms of popularity, the risk of being even slightly cliche is still too strong for me. Maybe I need to give it more time.
One of my aforementioned Notes references feature walls, but I’m still on the fence with that one. When done right, they look wonderful and I do have my terracotta-coloured one zoning the dining area, which I love, so I’d be hypocrite to say a bad word here. And I love a mural, which is a design style that’s very much en vogue, so long as there are no blown up family photos or city scapes. Those should be long long long forgotten thanks very much. I won’t rant about wall panelling because, again, I do actually admire homes with this feature. I won’t be panelling any of my rooms though. Partly because it doesn’t suit my property’s style. But also slightly because that too is on the verge of being ubiquitous.
At the risk of coming off as a rant, I must conclude by saying that I do really believe that you should do with your home as you wish – I promise I do. And going back to Alexandra’s reel, I urge you to read the comments, which have lovely sentiments along exactly that vein. It’s not that I don’t like the looks I talk of per se. I just don’t want what everyone else has. Does make me a trend snob after all?
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Loved reading this post, thank you!