Interiors are evolving to be extensions of personal identity, as consumers creatively turn to decor and aesthetics, transforming their homes into playgrounds of self-expression.
Ricciardi believes that homes should support the screenplays and characters of our lives, explaining: “I look at the home as a stage: a comfortable theatre that can transform both into a sanctuary and a disco.” Interiors are catching fashion up as personal expression tools; research from paint brand Lick stated that 42% of Brits think that home decor is a better indicator of someone’s personality than their fashion choices. When asked what long-term impacts the pandemic will have on interior design, Virgil Abloh’s response was: “The idea of personal expression and celebrating differences – customising your space like you do your own style with the clothes you wear and the pieces you buy” – which speaks to the idea of interiors becoming as expressive as fashion styling, as the two industries become more entwined than ever.
Interiors will take cues from fashion and how we dress ourselves – for example, consumers will pay attention to the finer details, treating everything from lighting to hardware as jewellery for the home. Feelgood accents that embellish and enliven the everyday will permeate the home. Furniture and decor will be dressed and undressed as a way to personalise and soften home goods. The rental market is especially key here, as it enables consumers to experiment with aesthetic personalities in a sustainable way. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, predicts that by 2030, “we’ll own nothing, rent everything, and be happy about it”. New UK rental furniture startup Homebound enables consumers to swap out items as their living situations or tastes change.
As consumer lifestyles become increasingly mobile, home comforts will be taken everywhere. Designer Anna Resei designed a conceptual movable dwelling for future nomads which intends to promote a “more elastic” approach to living, and can be dismantled and carried or “worn” by one person. Multifunctional wearable interiors embody the idea of the future nomad as well as expressive design. Italian brand Nimu’s beach towels can also be worn as a pareo, Barcelona-based Tropicfeel’s rucksacks unfurl to become a shelving unit, and Tel Aviv-based design, art direction and ceramic studio ABS Objects’ collaborative collection includes vases, mirrors and baskets that can be worn as well as styled in the home.