In a recent blog (Interior Design – Be Fearless) I touched on the subject of giving your space personality. By one of those coincidences that seem to appear when you are not looking for them, I came across an article the other day suggesting that clutter, or rather collecting, is making a comeback. This got me thinking, because there is a link between the concepts of personality and collecting. We have perhaps become conditioned to perceive “clutter” as bad and minimalism as good. There has been a massive growth in the idea of organising most notably from Japanese Organising Consultant Marie Kondo and the popularity of minimalism in interiors.
It seems to me that there are a number of strands emerging and these seemed to be interlinked. The first is a reaction against the throwaway culture. We are all becoming more aware of the environment (there was a huge reaction to the final episode of Sir David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet) and the consequences of constantly updating our wardrobes or interiors. There is an increasing desire to choose items that will last, whether clothes or furnishings.
Secondly, there is a trend towards only buying items that will truly give us pleasure – quality not quantity if you like. This is the philosophy of Marie Kondo and, I suppose, is a modern expression of William Morris’s well known mantra “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. This is a very simple philosophy that you can’t go wrong with.
Thirdly, there has a resurgence in the appeal of crafting, upcycling and “grow your own”. This is perhaps a reaction against the stresses of modern life and the satisfaction to be gained from creating something yourself.
in my previous blog I referred to the ideal of the boutique hotel and how these have started to be perceived as somewhat sterile and lacking in personality. The idea of collecting or “clutter” is an expression of this desire to make our homes reflect our individual selves. I believe that for many of us it is important that our homes are cosy and homely. This is easily done and does not mean that a space feels cluttered, rather it is about including pieces such as cushions, throws and accessories that make a space feel welcoming.
If you are selling, you don’t want clutter because you want to show off the space but you do want viewers to be able to aspire to living in your home. A few carefully chosen accessories that have been collected over time will give the right impression.
So why not start searching for those objects that make your heart sing, that will give you pleasure when you look at them every day and at the same time know that you are also doing your bit to help the environment.
If you would like help creating the right space for you or preparing your home for sale call now on 07745 876182, e mail at info@homestyle4u.com or complete the enquiry form below. We cover Cheshire and the North West.
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