Gosh, I’ve been incognito with some sort of bug for two weeks, watching videos of people decorating their homes for Christmas (rather early in my opinion) and there’s been this weird sense of déjà vu the whole time. Everyone is incorporating the same tones and textures and decor pieces from Amazon or Temu. Far be it from me to tell anyone what they can do with their money (and I do intend to buy those cute velvet baubles from Amazon), but I get the feeling that buying all of the “in” decor items that you see on social media may not be the most sustainable way to go.
You might then say, “Well, I don’t care for the environment.”
Good for you. But we are in a cost of living crisis and a housing crisis. You may want to listen when I say that your algorithm affects how sustainable your home is, not only for the earth but in terms of the longevity of your products. The verdict is: you’re slowly heading towards a place where you redecorate your house every season without thinking. You care for your wallet, right?
“So how do you beat the algorithm?”
Good question! So long as you’re on social media, you’re going to have products pushed your way. It’s a digital Wild West out here, honestly. But I’m not one of those paranoid conspiracy theorists urging you to go and live in a cabin off the grid and talk to squirrels. We have to live with the technology in our generation to thrive but we can’t let people use it to thrive off of us. I think mindfulness when online shopping and going on social media for interiors is key, but so is knowing your stuff.
If you’re not keen on learning all there is to know about interiors, I feel it’s important to at least get to know what the different design styles are so that you can slowly shape your algorithm to push what you actually want your way. People often gravitate towards 2-5 interior design styles due to the overlap in them and the conversation between them (e.g. art deco is seen as a response to art nouveau).
And you can create your styles on a budget by upcycling and refreshing what you have. I’d recommend investing in a sander which will cost you about £30 on eBay, wood stains that you like and maybe some wooden panel mouldings if you’re into traditional elements of design like me. There are so many ways to have the style you’re into without hitting the shops. Learning how to transform your space and your furniture will be a useful skill forever.
“How do you shape the algorithm?”
Once you figure out what you like and learn the terms used within your particular area of interior design, it’s important to engage with posts, stores and creators online that produce content and products that you like. You don’t have to buy them but it really helps. Knowing the terms means that you can find these brands and creators much easier and quicker than you would if you were searching vague things like ”French homes”, which would confuse the algorithm as that could mean so many different things. A bedsit in Paris and a château in Normandy are both French homes. You need to know the terms to get what you want out of the abyss that is the internet.
“Do you practice what you preach?”
Personally, I found this helpful because a lot of the trendy interiors online at the moment are mid-century modern and abstract. That just doesn’t serve me because I’m into neoclassical design so I like to mix styles but maintain the essence of a traditional home. French ornate furniture, fixtures and fittings in both the townhouse and farmhouse style, brass, copper and champagne gold hardware, modern sculptures with renaissance prints, and 80’s Italian textures like velvet, vintage Murano glass and even faux fur where it looks more eclectic to do so. Mixing styles is a great way to make your home not look so copy and paste (because trust me, everyone knows when you’ve got your entire home from the same shop).
Everybody deserves a nice home that is not only theirs by legal right but theirs in terms of the senses.
You should have a home that is distinct and sounds like what you want it to sound like, smells how you want it to smell, looks as you envisioned it to be and feels like your safe space. So not only am I encouraging people to find their style, but I’m also starting up as an interior designer for people who want to make their home theirs on a budget. The video below should tell you a bit more about this:
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