Human Connection
This past year, we’ve all had to make adjustments in life — some of us working longer hours at work, other setting up home offices and guiding kids through distance learning. The task of work-life balance was front-and-center for many of us, and we were looking long and hard at how to manage that. One way to start: working on our physical space.
“[In] 2020, we’ve seen people’s living rooms, their COVID hair, their children and their dogs,” says Michelle Jaime, principal and creative director for The Vanguard Theory. “There was a certain honesty in our Zoom meetings that made people more relatable.”
Jaime believes that the design trend is for people to showcase more of their personality in their décor. “It will be more eclectic, with items found during travel and pieces that are more sentimental,” she explains. “Home offices will be a necessity.”
The designer with clients such as The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club and Hotel Renew believes that the new year is a great time to refresh your interior. “Your space should reflect who you are and what you love doing,” she says. “Your accessories and art have a personal story attached to it. Don’t keep all your wonderful memories on your phone. Print and frame some of your favorite moments.”
As for furnishings, Jaime says that rounder and softer shapes are coming to the fore. Maybe it’s a reflection of our need to find comfort in an otherwise uncertain time? Possibly. Even prospective colors for the next year seem gentler. “Colors like pistachio and dusty rose will appear in textiles in 2021,” Jaime says. “Last year, everyone loved terrazzo countertops. Next year, everyone will want to plaster their walls.”
We’re all concerned about how we present ourselves during Zoom meetings, but Jaime advises we should also think about what is visible in the background of our home offices. “Strategically arrange items in the Zoom frame so nothing is sticking out from behind your head,” she says. She suggests that you use good lighting and ensure that all your artwork and books in the background are appropriate for others on your call. “You can organize your bookshelf by color, so that it looks like or rainbow, [or] add plants or a cool sculptural chair to hide anything you’d like to conceal.”
“You can also use a surfboard, a grouping of ‘ukulele or adorned dress form as art in the background—use your hobbies to inspire you,” Jaime adds. Adding greenery is another way to add interest: rubber trees and monster deliciosa are two indoor plants that she likes.
“In short, the trends we are going to see are about human connection,” Jaime explains. Expressing yourself through your surroundings — by using items, photos and art that make you happy — will not only help you present a better “view” for all those Zoom calls, but it will most likely make you feel much more “balance” between your work and home life.
Michelle Jaime, The Vanguard Theory, thevanguardtheory.com