The events of 9/11 changed many different things in the United States as well as abroad. Virtually every industry was affected, including interior design.
Though you may not realize it, 9/11 still plays a substantial role in the way people want their homes decorated today. For instance, contemporary residences are typically decorated with more serene and peaceful tones and elements, rather than loud colors and startling design that suggest lots of energy (and possibly anger and frustration).
For those who are familiar with design history, various interior schemes can be traced back to particular times of peace as well as war.
Subdued and calm motifs
Today, in the wake of lingering uncertainty and uneasiness that can be traced back to 9/11 as well as the subsequent economic downturn, people have responded by choosing subdued and calm designs. These ideas are largely based on what people already have in their homes; we show less inclination to buy elaborate furniture and decor that we can’t afford.
With TV shows about home makeovers that help homeowners and support these kinds of strategies, most owners learn to use what they have in their homes to incorporate creative, innovative, and unique themes that everyone appreciates.
Design schemes that are easy to maintain
In addition to using what you have available, another key tactic is to use items and floor plans that are simple to maintain. As people’s lives become complicated by work-centered duties that invade their smart devices, home computers, and email, and therefore cut their available time, people are drawn to interior designs that are easy to maintain.
One of the first things that feng shui interior designer near me advise is to get rid of all of the clutter, especially belongings that you’ll never use. Instead of throwing these unwanted items away, however, interior designers support go-green initiatives by recommending to their clients that they give belongings away to others or take them to a nearby charity.
Their neighbors can benefit from receiving relatively new items, and costly furnishings are less often ending up in landfills.
Creating a calm and comfortable environment
To create a calm environment for your living space, its best to go for brilliant blues and tonal greys instead of bright reds, yellows, or orange that can rattle the mind. Earth tones will also usually fit into these types of schemes because people lean toward all-natural motifs, wherever they can.
While specific colors have been known to signify calm moods, there are also characteristics of interior design that represent comfort. Most designers will discourage the inclusion of heavy Tuscan furniture that carries lots of ornamentation.
Instead, they tend to encourage lighter, lighter, modern, and simply lined pieces so that they can be placed at strategic locations in a room.
Even though 9/11 and the economic downturn have driven recent tastes, some of these changes have been positive, certainly in the case of interior design. Since homeowners prefer calmer lifestyles and themes that require less maintenance, people are more apt to rid themselves of unnecessary stress in their daily life.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Janet W. says
I’ve never thought about how 9/11 had an impact on interior design. This was very interesting!
Tammy S says
Wow this was really interesting. I will be honest and say that I never really thought about how 9/11 had such an impact on things like this. It is true though that people have made gone the direction of “Less is More”. Not to mention I never knew that loud colors suggested too much energy or even anger. We have always just gone with more neutral tones.