The interior design industry has been predominantly built on trends.
Not only do trends – from style to methodology – represent the era in which they were born, they also allow for constant innovation; a fluidity of sorts.
Trends are, however, non-linear. Every so often, a generation backtracks and renews the styles of yesteryear, often with a subtle and modern spin. While this constant flow of innovation, creativity and new development certainly allows for a fast-paced industry, there are sectors that could be perhaps a little too faced-paced.
Recently, it has been intimated that Canadian interior designers are often taking design inspiration straight off the runway and updating these styles almost on the same seasonal basis. Reports from the Canadian Press intimate that interior design trends are now being ruled by the catwalk, with patterns, styles and even accessories correlating directly with the latest runway shows.
According to décor expert Michael Penney, this has, however, led to a change in the ways in which both clients and designers view interior styles, with an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new design approach becoming increasingly more relevant.
“They would say, ‘I’m doing a French provincial style’ and they would do their whole house in one look and they would leave it like that for 30 years – and that was sort of the way people decorated,” says Penney. “But now when you look at fashion magazines, you see that designers and stylists are pairing all different kinds of styles, all different looks together, and shoppers themselves are free to create their own mix in their clothing. I feel like in the same way they’re doing that at home and they’re getting a little more brave, and they’re realizing they don’t have to do a formulaic look.”
While design ‘bravery’ is to be encouraged, waste on the other hand, is not.
The hot minute nature of modern trends means that refurbishments are more regular, with the overwhelming ‘replace and renew’ ideology creeping into the very core of this sector. This all leads to the beginnings of a very unsustainable sector.
There is a silver lining to plight against green building, however, and it comes in the form of style’s cyclical nature.
Savvy designers who wish to both save on money and emissions are increasingly being encouraged – and encouraging others – to trawl through recycled materials and furnishings in order to deliver these ever-changing trends without adding fuel to a highly unsustainable fire.
By practicing in this manner, designers are not only fulfilling the needs of their trend-hungry clients, they are also able to capitalize on unique and high-quality goods that are also incredibly green.
