For centuries, the interior design aesthetics that pop up, become widely popular, and then fade out have been categorized into “trends.” Yes, centuries. Victorian, Rococo, Colonial…all the way back to Chinese designs from 3,000 years ago.
The pace of trends started accelerating in the last 200 years as the Industrial Revolution brought new methods for manufacturing textiles, furniture, and décor. We’ve seen Arts & Crafts, Deco, MCM, Bohemian, Post-Modern, and…if we must…Farmhouse.
In the 20th and early 21st centuries, trends were driven by powerhouse designers like Billy Baldwin and Dorothy Draper, shelter magazines and decorating books, and – more recently – design shows on cable.
As homeowners were exposed to new styles through these outlets, they replicated them in their own homes. They bought fabrics, mimicked color palettes, and hunted for furnishings that would give their room the style and sophistication they saw in print.
But there were only so many sources for inspiration, and those were doled out at a leisurely pace. Magazines came out monthly and showcased year-old projects. Decorating books were published even less frequently. Sure, trends were constantly on the move, but people who didn’t live and breathe design had a fighting chance of keeping up to date with them.
Enter the Internet. With Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, design has been democratized. Anyone with a good eye can feature their project and have a chance that millions will see it. The prior chaperones of décor have adapted to new methods to reach their audiences, but their roles in driving trends are diminished. Just check the current circulation numbers for the top shelter magazines. Even HGTV’s viewership is half of what it was a decade ago.
We’re exposed to work from a broader collective of designers now, and their styles are catching on. While this is undeniably a good thing – design is now more democratized and diverse – it does mean that it’s harder to pin down what “look” represents the current moment.
In just the past couple of years, we’ve had Maximalism, Cottagecore, Dark Academia, Welsh Granny Chic, and Barbiecore to name a few. I made one of those up, but how would you even know?
To be clear, I think this is great. I’m a big fan of people having fun with their homes. There is nothing more charming and welcoming than a house that’s decorated with love to represent the personality of its owners.
But the pace at which we’re inventing new microtrends is starting to make me dizzy. I think there are a few takeaways from this faster, messier mix of aesthetics that we’re experiencing:
First, the notion of one decade or even one year having “a look” is over, because dozens of looks are becoming popular concurrently.
Second, there is no singular tastemaker of the moment. We’ll never again have a Laura Ashley or even Joanna Gaines dominating the interior design space, partly because we’re treated to so many talented designers and partly because the mechanisms by which a single person can be elevated to superstar status are no longer in place.
And finally, individualism is in full force. People are exposed to so many inspiring designs that they’re naturally beginning to pick and choose from what they see, mixing and matching to craft their own signature vibe. I look forward to everyone creating a trend that is just for them. It will be beautiful.
Chris Stout-Hazard is a co-founder of Roger + Chris, an e-commerce furniture company, launched in 2011, that builds custom sofas, chairs, sectionals and ottomans at the company’s factory in North Carolina.
