Looking for a fresh start in 2022? Start at home
We’re still spending a lot of time looking at those walls — so give your home a refresh this summer, with guidance from the experts
It’s been a strange two years in the world of interior design. As boundaries blurred, we began to figure home differently in our minds. Children’s needs encroached on work, work calls were taken from the couch, schoolwork spilled out on to the dining table; and socialising, when it was allowed, often felt safer en plein air on a friend’s terrace or in your living room than in the jostle of a crowded city bar on a Friday night.
As we came to experience life more and more in the cocoon of our homes, they were no longer the beacons of rest and relaxation that they once were. They became multifunctional, multipurpose spaces, burdened by the expectation to fulfil every one of our needs.
The shape of home, for many of us, changed. Our place within it is still being redrawn. And, as we move into a new year, it’s not surprising that many of us feel the need for a refresh.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, construction and home renovations reached record highs in 2021. Many were spurred on by government stimulus aimed at getting the construction industry back on its feet.
But many of the decisions we made in those times were reactive choices that reflected the middle-space we found ourselves in. Quick decisions rose to meet urgent needs, like setting up a home office space or a study space, while longer-term projects, designed to fulfil our deeper wants as individuals and families, were sidelined.
Now, as we move towards a new year, many of us are rethinking the way that we’ve been living, and reflecting on how we can better use and enjoy our homes.
“The people who inhabit a space can be powerfully impacted upon emotionally, mentally and physically through the atmosphere embodied by the space around them,” says interior designer Alessandra French, director of State of Kin.
“The creation of space is not only about the visual experience of ‘looking beautiful’, but also the more tactile, atmospheric and emotional experiences that can be generated.”
To get some guidance on how to move forward (as well as the trends to look out for), we asked interior design experts for their tips on a home refresh.
When in doubt, opt for simplicity
While design’s recent embrace of overt maximalism and the frou-frou quality of the popular grandmillennial trend may have boldened and brightened our interior tastes of late, there’s always room for laid-back simplicity. The fashion minimalists of previous decades may have been banished from runways, but in homewares, light, bright spaces with clean lines and sparse furnishings are ever-popular.
According to Sam Fazzari, founder of Mobilia, a designer homewares and furniture boutique, many of us are responding to stress and confusion by seeking out spaces which have “a calming effect”.
“We are seeing more of a reductionist approach to design whereby less can sometimes be more within an interior,” he says. “This allows for key pieces to have room to breathe and become more like objects of art.”
With the world in tumult around us, “our homes have become our sanctuary more than ever”.
But creating calm in the home doesn’t have to mean sterility. Find a sense of groundedness with natural fibres and earthy pieces “that give a sense of nature and a feeling of tranquillity”, suggests Fazzari. Think rippling, tactile walls, neutral colour palettes and soft, undulating curves.
After the past two years, is it any wonder we’re comforting ourselves through soft, yielding fabrics? Textural pieces of furniture, like fuzzy stools or upholstered chairs, can add an element of homeliness to a space, as can layered throws and tactile rugs.
According to Alex Hopkins of Melbourne-based interiors firm Studio Tate, they can also “bring a purity and quality” to home projects.
For French, embracing the soft and natural means taking inspiration from our local landscapes – a sensible option, given that both designers and consumers have been affected by the lack of availability of imported materials and designs during the pandemic. Opt for Australian floral motifs, or employ a colour palette of dusky greens and slate greys in an ode to this country’s rugged bushland.
Take an artful approach
Though we may have once loved the art in our homes, like a decades-long marriage having to look at them day in and day out can dampen the allure.
When you’re ready for a home refresh, instead of going straight for demolishing walls and razing countertops, turn your gaze to smaller changes. Like art.
While art can be intimidating – and expensive – to commit to, Megan Dicks, co-director of Melbourne’s Otomys Gallery alongside Hannah Abbott, has seen an upswing in interest in art collecting during the pandemic, which she puts down to an increase in time spent inside the home.
For Dicks, a new artwork placed in a prominent location, such as the dining room, “can have a transportive effect”.
It gives the illusion of having changed so much more in the house, while also making it feel as though it’s been imbued with a new spirit.
Similarly, she says, “smaller works add nuance and intrigue”, and give the effect of “layering the home with depth, personality and meaning”.
Fazzari agrees, saying that artwork is a great way to add “depth and extra personality”, without making deep, structural changes to a home.
Fortunately, “art doesn’t follow visual trends at the same pace as fashion or decor”, so it’s safe to let your personal attachment to a piece be your touchstone.
“The right work of art is the work which resonates with you because the choice is personal and should be meaningful – it’s as simple as that.”
Go deeper
Whether it’s a pair of party shoes or an entire kitchen cupboard system, the allure of the latest trend can be tempting.
But it’s important to look beyond the aesthetics – and not just to practicality and what surface is easiest to clean. French encourages a consideration of the “tangible moments” to be experienced in a space: “the flow of movement, textures, light, even smell that might be made manifest” within it. “Is it a busy, energetic space that needs to be durable, bright and motivating?” she asks. “Or is it a sanctuary space that calls for quiet, calm and softness?”
Ask yourself the questions before committing to that expensive (beautiful!) lounge whose shiny leather upholstery actively repels any form of lounging.
A durable home
Refreshing your home doesn’t have to be a wasteful process. Practice “conscious minimalism”, a philosophy French is exploring in her designs.
It doesn’t necessarily align with the clean lines and crisp neutrals of the aesthetic style, but borrows from it in a sense, putting the focus on mindful, careful curation of objects which reflect the self.
While trend-based pieces are tempting, a more sustainable approach necessitates the embrace of a more timeless style: she recommends focusing “more on sourcing investment items that have meaning and longevity”.
“My suggestion would be to, over time, invest in art, furniture, and objects that you love and will cherish in years to come,” says French.
Fill your home with “things that are experiential in their value, that have meaning” behind them, she says.
Another way to practise sustainability in the home is to upcycle what’s around you. Look around to see what can be salvaged: reupholster chairs, dye bed linens, and swipe some varnish on to a mantelpiece for a bold new look.
For an even lighter touch, consider how you could make a difference in your home by switching up some key interior elements: moving furniture around is the first, most obvious example.
Make a splash
If you’re the type for self-expression through colour, there’s never been a better time to refresh your home. As upbeat “dopamine dressing” was for the runways, so the eclectic Memphis-Milano revival trend is for interior design.
“It’s bold and not for everyone or every space, but the bravado of the movement is a lot of fun,” says French. Think graphic black-and-white patterns, primary colours clashing with swathes of pastel and a touch of fluorescence, spliced with geometric shapes and wavy, structural lines. “Very daring!”
But there are also ways to be bold without committing to a room rendered entirely in fuchsia: colour and pattern can be used sparingly, and often, for greater effect.
“We have never been afraid to harness the power of vibrant colour,” says Hopkins, of Studio Tate, a design studio who are masters of bold hues, carefully considered.
“When applied intelligently, working confidently with colour is a form of expression that rewards the brave.”
Go slow
While it’s tempting to rush into decisions, to take the spirit of the renovation and follow it to the hilt, Hopkins recommends stepping back from your plans to see how they will actually manifest.
“Our consistent advice is to take your time,” she says. “Decide what brings you joy and how your interiors can work to support your individual lifestyle.
“Everyone is different, however considering your functional requirements, and how they may change over time – for example a growing family or a downsizing couple – will ensure you get the most out of your investment and a home you truly love.”
