There is no denying that in the 21st century, lifestyles are more fast-paced than before. From fast food to fast fashion, everything is designed for plug-and-play. However, during the pandemic, society had time to pause and reflect. We have learned to be more observant of our surroundings and to be more mindful of our consumption. We were also introduced to the idea of ‘Slow Decorating.’ Today, slow decorating is an important part of the conversation about leading a sustainable lifestyle.
If you are someone who is content with some paint and a piece or two of furniture, then that’s great. However, if you’re someone who likes to invest more into home decor, and wish for your home to reflect your personality, then slow decorating is a concept that will greatly interest you.
What is slow decorating?
Slow decorating is the process of taking your time to create the perfect space, a space that feels like you. It is about finding your style and making the right decisions. Instead of approaching home decoration like a task to check off your list, slow decorating is a process through which you learn about yourself, your style, your habits, and how to create a space accustomed to you.
It does not mean that the decor process works at the pace of a snail. Rather, it means you discourage hasty decisions and avoid buying products that will fit into a temporary trend or aesthetic and collect dust on your shelves for years. Slow decorating is a concept that provides an unconventional lens to look at home decorating and sustainable lifestyles.
Benefits of Slow Decorating
Many modern interior designers endorse and advertise slow decorating because of its benefits. Apart from speaking to your likes, it is also a more efficient and environment-friendly approach to home decorating. Here are some reasons that have convinced many to adopt this method:
1. Quality over quantity: Most home decor companies produce in high volumes and utilise cheaper materials to maximise sales and profit. For instance, chip wood replaces quality wood in furniture. Similarly, unethically produced synthetic fabrics push organic fabrics out of the way, and metal is replaced by plastic. Is it sensible to purchase a sofa that begs to be replaced every couple of years because of wear and tear? Or is it more sensible to invest in more expensive but high-quality furniture that lasts much longer? Taking the time to check the quality of the furniture and its materials will help you save time, money, and the planet in the long term.
2. More time to budget: Slow decorating allows intervals between your purchases. This spreads out your expenses and relieves the continuous stress of fitting everything within your budget. Instead of splurging all at once, you can build up cash flow which could grant you the choice of expanding your budget. Also, it slows down the decision-making process enough to avoid unnecessary spending because you focus on products that you fall in love with over time instead of products that excite you at the moment, whether or not they tend to your practical needs.
3. Timeless designs: Probably the biggest perk of slow decorating is that it saves you from the constantly changing trends that seem apt and cool at the moment but become obsolete the next. Mindfully picking items that speak to you over time is an effortless way of achieving a timeless aesthetic. This aesthetic is tailored to you instead of being tailored to short-lived trends.
How to begin?
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Begin with anchor pieces: Dining tables, sofas, and curtains define the overall ambience of the room, and hence are called anchor pieces. Look for good-quality pieces with ageless designs, like abstract or block prints.
Cotton block-print curtains are very in and have remained in the pages of decor catalogues for years. Handcrafted block-print curtains give you a colour scheme to work with, and the hand-block prints add that much-needed funk to your room.
