When did we get so Boring and Beige?

I'm bringing back Colour.

When did Instagram houses become a thing?
When did our lives become so beige?
So minimalist?
So clinical?
But like disguised, as warm and aesthetic.

When did our homes stop being homely?

My grandmother is what I’d call a closet hoarder. When visiting my grandparents home, on first glance you’d think there’s a relatively normal amount of things there. The dining table is clear, the kitchen bench has a tidy stack of papers and pens on the end, and there’s no boxes piled up in the doorway.
However, if you start to dig a little deeper, you’d realise she has cupboards full of stuff.

Sentimental stuff.

Just incase stuff.

Somebody gifted that to us 30 years ago stuff.

And for some reason she really struggles to throw away old newspapers. I have childhood memories of a huge stack of newspapers sitting on a little table by the tv. But also, it’s still there.

I have no doubt that part of her collections manifested as a coping mechanism. I do wonder though how much is generational or just learned behaviour. Her mother also had a house full of stuff. Cupboards full of things and display cabinets lined with trinkets. As a little girl it was so exciting exploring my Great Grandmother’s house, there was always something new to find. My mum is also a collector. Not anywhere near to the degree of my grandmothers, but in display cabinets full of sentimental items.

So then there was me, as a young highly anxious and impressionable young girl. What hope did I have but to collect, keep, and savour everything. Bits of paper, ribbon, clothes (clothes I loved but also old school uniforms?), childhood things… Every childhood thing. Everything from feathers and rocks to concert tickets. I’m not saying this is bad. I did have too much though. I found it overwhelming.
I have moved a lot in the last 10 years, including big interstate moves where I had to get rid of a lot. Looking back it’s interesting what I chose to keep in some of those moves.
What I thought was important.
It’s something I still struggle with now though, what to keep and what to let go of.
Do I think it is bad to have things, even if they are just things?
Of course not!
Do I think my Grandmother’s collection of newspapers is a little over the top, yes.
On the flip side I certainly don’t agree with what some of these minimalists preach with empty homes with no feeling.

I’m looking for balance.

More than that though, I’m looking for a home that has life.

I know there are a lot of people out there with a lot of stuff. It’s how people like The Minimalists and Marie Kondo make all of their money. I wonder though, if we have gone too far from hoarding, and stripped too much away.

I believe there is a place for minimalism in our lives. When I cook in my kitchen I can’t stand rummaging through 5 pots I don’t even use to get to the one pot I do use. I’d rather make do with one pot. My wardrobe is another place I’m implementing minimalism through a capsule wardrobe. It’s a work in progress, but I used to have a huge wardrobe full of vintage pieces that didn’t fit and fast fashion pieces I didn’t love. I’m now working on a small wardrobe of sustainable slow fashion pieces that fit and that I love. I even believe in minimalism in food! In season produce, less ingredients, less complication - yet delicious and healthy.

I’m sorry for not noticing, but when did we start to strip the life from our very homes? Was it a slow progression from cookie cuter suburban houses?
Or did we tip the scales too far from previous generations hoarding?
Did we just not want a home like our parents or grandparents have?

Why is everything so white and beige.

Beige is in for clothing, interiors, even the standard western diet is beige.

How BORING

and impersonal

and life draining.

I totally get that there is a place for beige if done properly. A beige item can be a beautiful addition to a wardrobe. When used alongside a layering of tones and textures it can create a warm and calming room. But many times this is not the case. So often I see white walls, beige carpet and a beige couch. The walls are bare except for the occasional simple artwork on the wall. Usually beige. They’re often photographed and put on Instagram and Pinterest with a filter over the top that just brings out more of the beige.

Use beige as a tool, as a resting point for the eye, as a touch of warmth.
Don’t stop at beige.

You know what I love?

Colour.

Dopmamine Decor.

Colour drenched rooms.

Layered patterns.

Photos on the wall.

ART.
Like real art.
The ones that someone actually had to sit down and think about and create with their hands.

But it can’t be just any art.

Not just any colours.

No trending decor will do.

It must be unique to you in your home.

This is how I’m designing our house anyway.

I want my kids to remember their childhood home with joy.

When you come over I want you to walk in and smile.
Not only does the house feel happy, but you nod your head and think “ah I know exactly who lives here” because it oozes personality.
And style.
Of course it will be stylish.
But it will also be a home that is lived in.
With family photos on the wall and kids artworks framed.
The smell of dinner cooking on the stove.

And I want to Surprise you.

The art gallery wall includes quirky pieces.

The hallway roof is painted blue.

The door stop is actually a little sculpture of a mouse and there is a painting of a bird sitting on the light switch.

It isn’t necessarily maximalist.
It isn’t about having a lot of stuff.
The focus is on personality.
Of being in your home and surrounding yourself with things that make you happy, and remind you of places and people.

Things that you love.

It’s your home.
So, why not have fun?