Craft your home
5 minute read
Although this room has no doubt been created by an interior design company, it does feel like it was more of a study in curation. A collecting together of pieces where no one piece is more important than the other.
Image by Amber Interiors
I was listening to a discussion about Interior Design the other day, and one of the speakers mentioned that she thought the concept of it may become outdated. And I have to agree. The term design just feels too contrived most of the time, and a little bit snooty if I’m completely honest. And I don’t think proper homes (ie. not the ones that are contrived purely to create sellable imagery) should be ‘designed’. So if the term interior design doesn’t really sum up how people like myself can help others when they’re stuck for ideas and inspiration in their home, then what is the descriptor I‘m looking for here?
Well, it’s simple really. I believe we should all be focussing on ‘crafting our homes’ as opposed to designing them, as this has more of a direct connection with emotion and feeling. It also brings to mind a sense of building something slowly, as the innate meaning of craft is that it does take time. And it has a sense of quality to it that you will never get from something that is mass produced. And so I would rather describe the work I do as interior crafting…although I’m the first to admit this does sound a bit weird.
Although the words interior design do not immediately spring to mind with this lovely kitchen, it has obviously been thoughtfully created. And is both full of character and unique.
Image by Malcolm Menzies, courtesy of The Modern House
And by rethinking how we view the creation of our homes, we take the whole business of buying for our homes a lot more seriously. Which in turn leads into a discussion about the quality of what we buy for our home, who we buy it from and where that item is being made.
Much is said about slow fashion, but not so much about slow interiors. But it is exactly this approach to our homes which will allow us to connect more deeply with them, and feel like they truly represent us.
I know not everyone can afford a handmade cushion as opposed to a cheaper mass produced one. But I think we need to ask ourselves how long we really think we will hold onto that £10 cushion?
And if we bought a £45 handmade one, would we be more likely to cherish it, and therefore keep hold of it for many more years compared to the other one?
Okay, so we don’t all have the space for a massive tree in our sitting room, but this room shows how even the simplest of spaces can feel crafted…as long as you consider your pieces both as individual items, and how they will work together as a group.
Image courtesy of Truck furniture
And this leads us directly back to why we should be thinking about crafting our homes instead of designing them. Everything you bring into your home should work hard to earn it’s place there. From the humble vase to the star-of–the-show sofa. And this isn’t just about how a piece looks, and is equally about how functional it is. There’s no point having a fantastic looking armchair if you don’t feel like you can doze off in it. Form and function should be equally matched in the home.
So here’s a selection of pieces that I feel offer both good financial value, and have a real feeling of longevity to them…objects that you’ll love forever.