The two fundamentals of every major decorating style

Have you ever been asked what kind of interior style you prefer? For design professionals and amateur design enthusiasts alike, there are so many interior styles and so many possible combinations of them that the question is irrelevant. There are two things that are always present when it comes to any decorating style, no matter how far-out it might look.

Today, we look at these fundamentals.

Beauty and comfort are always in fashion

When we look back across the history of interior decorating it’s easy to pinpoint important design movements with clear characteristics and motifs. For example, Art Deco which appeared in France just before World War One, has angular spiral patterns, floral bas-reliefs, and strong, distinctive lines.

Two things never change, no matter what decorating style we look at. The emphasis through the centuries of design has always been on beauty and on comfort.

Beginning with the details

Look back at the history of design. It’s a huge, cluttered space isn’t it? This is why identifying the fundamentals is often the easiest way to arrive at a unique decorating scheme that fits a client’s personal tastes. It also contributes to a built environment that works seamlessly within the interior architecture and quality of light.

We are strong advocates of this detail-focused approach, engineering our fabrics from the inside out to perform at the highest level across a range of end-use applications. Each collection is the product of a long process of decisions, resulting beautiful fabrics that help to create peaceful, comfortable spaces too.

Beauty and comfort: décor styles in 2021

We look at 2021 for evidence that these fundamentals of beauty and comfort are still relevant.

In 2021, comfortable interiors display what we would describe as a warm minimalism, characterised by a quiet, cocooning quality in reaction to the challenging times we are all going through. There are elements of so many soothing styles here, from wabi-sabi décor and Japandi interiors to modern rustic.

Our idea of beauty looks back to the decorative arts movements of the past. It has a soft, floral quality that speaks to our need to be surrounded by nature as well as a certain nostalgia that helps anchor us. Here we see the return of modern glam and newer players like cottagecore and the grandmillenial style.

A guide to warm minimalist design styles

The current love affair with essentialist, rustic décor has its roots in the history of design across many disciplines from furniture to architecture to fashion and even literature. Featuring warmed up greys and lots of texture, this rustic sensibility brings us back to earth, reaching back to the rise of Scandinavian design styles in the early 20^thcentury and their heyday in the 1950s.

We wrote recently about the mashup of Scandinavian design with Japanese minimalism (aka Japandi) on our site, which represents this aesthetic beautifully.

These quieter styles are a strong indicator that we’re craving comfort and calm and a feeling of control. Achieve this simple style through layering textures and finishes in earthy colour palettes.

Related read: The ultimate guide to staying in (updated!)

The emphasis in this modern rustic design style is on adding personality and an inviting character to a space without overwhelming with bright colours. Textures and tactile qualities take the place of bold colours for adding interest. Of course, earth-toned pigments are still an option for accent walls, tiles or key furniture pieces: it all depends on contrast and light.

Looking for colour guidance? Check out our post on the best books on colour & design.

At FibreGuard we lean into this fundamental search for comfort in our easy to clean fabric collections, empowering interior architects and designers to create a wide range of different spaces that relax on a sensory level. Our advice to designers is to choose for natural, organic colours and textures like unfinished wood and wool-feel fabrics. Interested in finding out more about our range of textures? Contact us.

From ‘comfort’ to ‘beauty’: chintz, velvet and a layered loveliness

You’re not alone in thinking that round velvet pintuck cushions are everywhere, or that blue and white patterned ceramics seem to be filling kitchens around the world. Beauty in 2021 interiors is defined by velvet, floral patterns, chintz, calico, and the layered loveliness of ‘cottagecore’ which was described as a sort of ‘aspirational nostalgia’ by Isabel Sloane in the New York Times.

This richly patterned idea of beauty in design stretches back through the centuries, even as far as the 1600s. The rich grandeur of the Versailles of Louis XIV was the envy of the world, thanks to the advancements in decorative fabrics like upholstery, textile weaving and hand embroidery at the time.

Sometimes we don’t have to look so far back to find major decorating styles that are influencing modern design. From Bauhaus in the early 20^th century to the cool, clean lines of mid-century modern in the 1930s, beauty and comfort are everywhere.

In 2021 interior decoration and furniture design are both being rethought and reimagined. It’s reminding us of one of our key design trends this year: Re-birth/Re-thinking, reflecting our readjustment to the ‘new now’.

Comfort and beauty, function following form

Feeling inspired? Great! Contact our representatives today to create a sense of lived in, comfortable beauty in your next contract project.