Trends and fads surround us all the time and have an influence on the changing landscape of design as well as many other situations and scenarios. How these trends and fads come in to and out of play is an interesting subject in itself; typically through influence, collective direction, money and desire to name a few. To sum up briefly; trends tend to take considerably longer to gain momentum, are more broad sweeping and have a longer lasting affect, whilst fads gain popularity quickly and are much more short lived.
Trend – A general direction of change : a way of behaving, proceeding, etc.
Fad – A practice followed enthusiastically by a number of people for a brief period of time.
The scope of these movements from one ‘general direction of change’ to another impacts nearly every consumer good, financial investment and societal outlook we partake in. This ‘general direction’ or ‘brief enthusiasm’ often gains a collective nod from those that guide and predict trends and fads (for fashion, paint colors, car design etc) and somewhere along the way consumers and manufacturers (either big or small) get on board and as supply builds demand is satiated. Up to the point where the ‘next big thing’ makes its debut.
What I find fascinating as a long time Interior Designer is that sometimes these trends last to the point where, either for economic manufacturing reasons or (IMO) the ease of design homogenization, certain mundane species of products remain as seemingly the only option. I can think of no better example than residential stainless steel appliances. I remember clearly when the collective design idea began to trend; the items were marketed ‘for the modern kitchen’ and for ‘those that want the industrial look’. And that design style marries very well with that look and can within that context be very pleasing. However, it did not seemingly take long and there were simply fewer and fewer reasonably priced options anywhere on the market. It seemed that every kitchen was enticed to ‘upgrade’ from black or white appliances and ‘not be left behind’, especially if selling the home was a consideration. It also did not seem to matter what the house style, age or size was or what the existing kitchen vibe was, there was a push for stainless appliances. Again, nothing inherently wrong with that look, but making a trend so wide sweeping as to reduce other options dramatically stifles creativity, individuality and choice.
Consumers purchase what is available, manufacturers continue to produce homogenized products because they sell and the circle continues. The mainstream interior design industry has (IMO) fallen into this rut. We also have seen it for far too long (IMO) with the grey/white/black interior trend that is everywhere now (again, absolutely nothing negative about this look, it just does not vibe with everyone). There are far far more options that we could collectively bring to the table that would expand design choices for those that want them.
And to expand a bit on fads, typically they involve smaller, less costly items and the rush of enthusiasm is maintained for far less time. The fad gains popularity, the item is deeply desired, it is sought after fervently, is purchased as if akin to the holy grail and in a fairly short period of time is dismissed for not being ‘it’ any longer. The thing is, that a lot of fads can be exactly what suits the style a person is looking for. But the quick rise and fall can feel frustrating as the said item, all of a sudden, doesn’t feel ‘valuable’ once the fad is over. And all because someone deemed something else to be more popular. I want to encourage you that If you love it, fad or not, it is valuable no matter what is said about it.
All this to say that we all have things we are inherently drawn to, whether they are trends or fads. They feel like us and we like to have them in our sphere. My hope is that as we move forward we collectively understand that there are design choices that reflect each of us individually. Specific colors will continue to come and go, styles will ebb and flow, but I believe individuality is on the rise.
There are so many avenues to finding what truly resonates with each of us; from our cloths, to home furnishings and everything in between. There is an abundant array of independent shops, makers and marketers that we can support that in turn help us create our own look with unique, non mass produced items. We don’t need to feel swayed by trends or fads, they will continue but we can be more mindful of what truly aligns with each of us.
Being swayed too much can lead to impulsive purchasing which sadly, in so many instances, leads to over production. This then has a knock on affect to over consumption, dissatisfaction and wild amounts of wasted resources. Being more intentional and having clarity about what we are really drawn to reduces the confusion of too many purchases and too many possessions and in turn keeps the focus on simpler things.
