Breaking free of the interiors loop
When the algorithm has you brainwashed
It’s no surprise that with the algorithmic world we now live in, it can feel more and more difficult to seek out originality in interior design. In some ways social media has had a positive impact on interiors in terms of making design more accessible, but its negative impact is far more insidious.
My Pinterest/Instagram feeds will be different from yours. Mine are currently filled with cottage style, frills, checkerboard floors, murals, florals, ancient Italian villas, vintage illustrations. Because of course that’s the loop I’m stuck in due to researching a particular project or interest and Pinterest is now feeding me more and more of the same. (Today I’m also being hit hard by ads for Maltesers, John Frieda hair products and Aperol).
All you have to do to see the algorithm in action is save a particular image to a Pinterest board, then hit refresh on your feed and see it immediately populated with more images like the one you just saved.
It’s either helpful or maddening depending on my mood. If I’m researching a shoot based around a particular style then it is helpful to be fed more inspiration that might help me design my sets. But if I just think a crazy mosaic bathroom in Japan is cool I don’t need to see any more variations on it, thanks. See below for my current Pinterest loop because I liked ONE image!
The sameness loop continues with the homeware collections put out by big brands. I’d love to include images here to illustrate my point, but my goal is not to shame any particular brand. They’re all doing it! I could show you three images from three different brands side by side, all from their recent campaigns - high end/luxury, middle-ground, and cheap high street - all carbon copies of one another in both the product and how it is presented in terms of the photo shoot itself.
The idea of trickle down design isn’t new, but the cycle is much quicker now. In the past you might have to wait 3-6 months to see new product launches in print magazines, which work months in advance. Now it is almost instantaneous via social media. See a trend, copy it, put it out in the world. Some might say it’s good for your average person to be able to get their hands on knock offs of high-end design at high street prices and I agree that being able to access good design at different price points is important, but as a result, our homes are all starting to look the same.
Most of the product shoots I’ve worked on over the years start with a brief from the client based around their newest collections. Typically there will be a pared back, muted look, what you might call ‘Scandi’ (although I’ve been fortunate to visit many Scandinavian homes for my books and styling work and they all have far more personality than this watered down trend we’ve grown accustomed to). Then there will be a glam/luxe collection. Maybe also a traditional collection. And often a collection that is more current, a proper micro trend moment - Cottage-core! Hotel Chic! Brooklyn Loft! And all brands are doing the same. I know because I’ve worked on many of them.
Again, I’m not shaming them. I get it. Brands think they are giving the consumer what they want. And often they are. They still have to design collections far in advance, their aim is profit so the more they can fit us all into a particular box, the more money there is to be made. You’re CLASSIC RUSTIC - here, this rattan basket is perfect for your bathroom! You? Oh you’re BOLD - have a teal cushion with a peacock on it. You’re RETRO, you need this geometric duvet cover and matching rug. And you? Definitely LUXE HOTEL VIBES - you need this bouclé armchair and cane fronted drinks cabinet. Pour a martini and revel in your fabulousness.
There’s nothing wrong with any of that as a starting point, but where does our personality come in? A lot of people don’t know what their style is or if they do, they’re unsure how to implement it at home. So being spoon fed the look is helpful, but if you want your home to have personality - your personality - you’re going to have to do a bit of extra work.
The first thing is to remove yourself from the cycle as much as possible. If you’re looking for inspiration don’t rely solely on scrolling on your phone. It’s easy and convenient and definitely useful at times, but you have to get out in the world to see truly new (or old) things and ideas.
Since I moved out of London I’ve been guilty of not following my own advice - not going to the design shows in London, not visiting galleries (aside from the ones in Margate where I live and even those I haven’t frequented as much as I could), not exposing myself to creative thinkers pushing the boundaries of design - and I can feel the effects. I feel that both my online and my physical worlds have shrunk. My design inspiration loop has grown smaller and smaller and that’s never a good thing.
So how do I expand it?
Of course, as an interiors author I’m going to say this, but books are still a constant source of inspiration. Although as I sit here looking at my stacks of interiors books I see there is a sameness to some of those as well. I count 7 large format interiors books on my shelves, pale grey covers, the title usually just one word in a san serif font in black - tasteful, chic, aspirational. See, there are trend loops in publishing as well. My own books fall into their own category/loop along with a few other authors - eclectic, characterful. I count at least ten of those on my shelves as well.
The difference with interiors books, however - depending on the ones you browse - is that you will usually find a mix of different homes and styles within. Even in three of my own books which focus on a more trend based look - Modern Rustic, Bohemian Modern and Be Bold - we still feature totally different homes expressed in varied ways within that trend. Real homes where people really live.
Just like with politics, in interiors it’s also important to expose yourself to different views, opinions and styles. I always love when I see a home that is unique, even if I don’t love the interiors style myself. Knowing there is someone who has expressed their own unique view through their home makes me feel inspired to do the same. The same goes for fashion. I even wrote about it in one of my books. I was on the bus years ago and I spotted a lady at the bus stop below whose personal style - while very different from my own and not something I would ever wear - stood out. She was unique and she glowed and her individuality spread so much joy.
If you only ever take inspiration for your home from images of other homes, you will get stuck in a loop. Lately I’ve been going on a lot of walks - mainly for my mental well-being - and I’ve been noticing the most unusual colour combinations in nature, some of which have worked their way into my new product collection (coming soon). Same for vintage illustrations. When I was a teenager my mum had a book of illustrated Vogue covers which she let me tear out and plaster over my bedroom walls. I still go back to those images for inspiration even though they have nothing to do with interiors.
If you live near galleries, explore them. If not, go for walks and look up - at buildings, at shop signs, at roof tiles, at brick patterns. Inspiration for the home comes in many forms. Got to book shops and browse the architecture and art section. Go to charity shops and look for old books about flower arranging, textiles, interiors or even cooking. Older styles of photography are a huge inspiration to me, especially as I work in that world. Of course you could argue that by looking back at old images, are we really creating anything new, but it is possible to take inspiration from the past and create something fresh by adding your own experience and views.
Despite what your very specific algorithmic loop is telling you, there are a lot of people out in the world living in very different homes and designing their own home lives to reflect their taste and style, regardless of what trends/brands dictate - make sure you’re one of them.
A few random sights that got me out of the loop lately:
