This Trending Approach to Home Décor Will Make Your House a Home
Get ready, because decorating your home is about to become a whole lot easier.
According to Australian home interiors personality Neale Whitaker, a trend we'll be seeing more of in 2021 is bricolage. After attending biannual interior design trade fair, Maison & Object, in Paris earlier this year, Whitaker confirmed that this approach many of us take by default – blending different styles, tones, periods and colours – would become more popular even among those who spend considerable time and money on home décor.
Nevertheless, by naming it we allow ourselves the opportunity to be more deliberate when it comes to mixing and matching at home. Happy accidents are great, but sometimes those cushions just really don't belong on that sofa, you know? Here, we discuss how you can make the most of this trending approach to home décor and make your house more of a home.
What is bricolage?
The term "bricolage" has been used in a range of fields – literature, art, education, computer software – to describe something that is created from a diverse range of other things.
The word itself is French for "DIY", so it's about time it had its moment in the sunshine within the world of home décor. It's no secret that we love a do-it-yourself design hack, so we love the thought of expanding the concept and applying it to interior style as a whole.
Right now it's 2020, and the world is what it is. We all need to work with what we've got. The idea behind bricolage, however, is that working with what you've got can be a really positive thing. There are three factors at play when it comes to the positive affects of the bricolage interiors trend that's ahead in 2021:
- by "breaking the rules" of home décor you end up thinking more creatively, flexing those creative muscles that would be left dormant if you were to follow a more restrictive design trend;
- by using what you can find close by (or what's affordable online) you are more likely to be environmentally sustainable;
- and you wind up with a more unique and more personal result.
How to do it yourself
Here are the top three ways to get in on the trend.
- Era: Don't stick to just one era when it comes to your home décor. You might love Danish mid-century furniture, but by adding a 19th century-inspired crystal lamp or a '80s shag rug you'll reach new heights of originality. You're not competing for the most accurate period home, so don't restrict yourself because something seems anachronistic for your preferred design era.
- Texture: Function informs a necessary mix of textures when it comes to home interiors. Carpet is fine in the bedroom and living areas, but you wouldn't lay it in the bathroom. A thoughtful juxtaposition of contrasting textures, however, adds dimension to a space and draws you in – making you feel more at home. Layer rugs of varying pile height, mix gloss with matte finishes, and contrast organic objects with modern appliances. A giant shell would looks great next to your wireless speaker.
- Shape: Whether it's something small, like mixing circular cushions in with square, or something more involved, like installing in geometric wallpaper or investing in an artistic sculpture, be bold in your use of shape at home.
