Decorex 2020
Last week, the design community was brought together with Decorex over three days. For those of you who are not in the UK or don't know about it, Decorex is one of the major trade shows happening every year in London, usually in September. But this year being what it is, it has been taken online with plenty of talks on various subjects industry related and the possibility to network with suppliers and peers.
Having attended talks specifically related to the residential sector, I thought it would be good to share with you the hot topics and biggest trends we are currently seeing and that, I believe, are here to stay.
Wellbeing
Thanks to this year that forced us to slow down, re-centre and value what is important to us, all the while spending a considerable amount of time in our homes, we are seeing a big shift towards family, an inward focus and the connection between persons and environment, with a longing for spaces reflecting what we want and making us feel good. We have become more conscious of wellbeing as a whole, opposed to just exercising, going to the gym and looking after our bodies in that way.
The science was already there with environmental psychology, colour therapy, neuroscience and even Feng Shui, we have known for a while now that humans and interiors are connected. We have all experienced different reactions, mentally and emotionally, when entering a room, but did you know that there is an actual, direct physiological response to either?
It has been shown that entering what is perceived by the individual as a well designed space triggers the secretion of serotonin, the hormone of happiness and therefore lowers the heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels which is all working towards good health, whereas when a room is perceived as not pleasing, the stress hormone, cortisol, is secreted. It’s fascinating isn’t it?
So what does this increased awareness of holistic wellbeing mean for interiors?
Well, we are seeing a shift of values and a will to make more conscious decisions when it comes to our physical, mental and emotional health. Interiors don’t have to be ostentatious or expensive anymore to be validated and labelled as beautifully designed, the trend and demand is now evolving towards functional and beautiful spaces, with a holistic notion at the center to support the people living in the space.
A holistic approach is unique to each home and its inhabitants but some general key points, valid for everyone, are gaining traction:
Lighting design and the importance of natural light for our circadian rhythms when it comes to our health and wellbeing. Simple things like implementing a good lighting design with LED lighting and dimmer switches or a control panel can make a big difference.
Indoor air quality, did you know that even in big cities like London, the air inside our homes is more polluted than outside? Crazy isn’t it? The numerous regulations in place for our safety coupled with processed, treated products mean we are introducing large amounts of chemicals into our homes which are released into the air. To counteract this, you can open your windows, even in winter to air the rooms, get some indoor plants known to absorb chemicals, favor natural, non treated materials and products, get a specialist on board to redesign your ventilation system and / or install air measurement technology.
Sustainability
Yes, sustainability is the other hot topic this year as let’s be honest, fast fashion is also a thing in the interior design world! We live in a world where consumerism is prevalent and our perceptions are biased with the immediate but short lived satisfaction we get out of it. It’s maybe a bit of a reality check but to achieve that level of production, we are destroying our planet and exploiting vulnerable people for a materialist gain that we are most likely to get rid of in not such a long time, compared to what it took to get it.
Facing this increasing awareness, the notion of green wash has emerged, that’s when there is an illusion of everything being green and perfect but in fact is not, we are just told it is so selfish and / or economic motivations can be met.
As more and more people become aware and educated on the issues we face long term, both professionals and clients not only value but now demand a more sustainable approach. And for the system to change, we have to question ourselves and our actions first but also the suppliers and retailers we are buying from. To make it easier to act upon, you can think in terms of waste, product itself and ethical product chain.
The waste:
What can you do about the old items in the first place and the large amount of waste generated?
Waste management, check what measures your local waste management has in place, sometimes something as simple as separating metal from wood before the skip opposed to throwing away the whole item can have a big impact on how the waste is managed.
Check retailers terms and conditions when it comes to guarantees, removal and recycling. Even big names are now trying to help towards a circular economy by taking back old, unwanted items.
Could you upcycle and give a new life to a piece of furniture that you will love as it will look new?
Could you give things to charity and help people in need?
The product itself:
Your choice of material will most definitely have an impact on the planet and the people.
Some materials by nature are more sustainable than others that are rarer and / or require extra resources to process, i.e. wood is more sustainable than metals or plastic.
A common green wash is thinking that cotton is good, but it in fact requires a lot of water and pesticides to grow...so favor organic cotton to avoid the chemicals. A lot of new and exciting alternative fabrics which are more sustainable are also developed such as bamboo but also mycelium for vegan leather and many more!
Where is the product coming from? Is it locally sourced which is definitely a more sustainable approach? Or is it coming from the other side of the world? If the latter is the case, you will want to know how it is brought to you, air travel being the worst for the environment.
The ethical product chain:
This topic is maybe the hardest to verify when items are manufactured on the other side of the globe but always ask the question of how are people treated and looked after when manufacturing the product. Are they exploited or freely working? Is child labour used? What are the working conditions? Is the place of work safe and hygienic? Are people paid appropriately?
The more questions suppliers and retailers are getting, the greater awareness and pressure is applied to ensure fair working conditions are in place.
Another question to ask which I think will become even more common in the near future is if animals have been used at any point for testing the product? We think of humans but animals are also part of the planet and therefore the sustainable subject and yes, veganism can also apply to interior design.
Resources
If you want to go further, you can check those resources which are generally recognised as references on the subjects, eye openers or starting points to our awareness journey.
Books:
Beauty, Neuroscience, and Architecture: Timeless Patterns and Their Impact on Our Well-Being by Donald H. Ruggles
Biophilia by Edward O. Wilson
Wow, that was a long one I just got carried away once I started! I hope this post will spark some questions and increased awareness, as always leave a comment if that also resonates with you and would like to read more posts of this type.