Vintage furniture, wallpaper, recycled wood: young people prefer décor that's affordable, cheerful and sustainable. A Millennial’s home might have industrial-vintage décor, pastel colours, finds from weekend markets, and affordable furniture. So should it be called eclectic? Retro? Industrial-urban? It’s not yet clear how to define Millennials’ style in a single word, because it’s a blend of all those things. Why choose just one approach when you can combine several?
Millennials – those born between 1980 and 1995 – are starting to make their mark on interior design. The ingredients of their preferred style are no surprise and they define a growing trend: touches of industrial and vintage style, flexible furniture for multi-functional spaces, timber, personalised neon, wallpaper, plants and natural fabrics are set to conquer home design in 2022 and beyond.
This generation feels comfortable in spaces that stand out for being flexible and cheerful with little financial investment. This is the generation that rents – everything from clothes to stand-up electric scooters and furniture – not only to save money but also to consume less and recycle more.
As most of you know, there is a couple of generations between myself and any person fitting into the millennial category - (in age that is)! But I like to think that I can easily think like a millennial. My own personal style is 'eclectic'.... a more mature version of 'millennial style'. It is the job of a designer to get the right aesthetic for all kinds of people so I am confident that I can bridge that generational gap and come up with the goods for my newest clients - the millennials.
Here's a gallery of a fairly recent project I completed for a client in Port Macquarie who has a distinctive millennial style. Open to colour, point of difference, recycled elements etc...take a look:
This project involved tapping into my clients quirky sense of style and fuelling her creative approach to design with tons of inspiration. Good communication between client and designer achieves real outcomes and a unique and personal result. With this kind of creative freedom, working on this project was an absolute pleasure.
Millennial style not only borrows from the 1920s with brass, pop colours and all the energy of that time, but also updates that style and rediscovers organic forms for the sake of another goal – being more respectful of the environment. If you're not sure how to do it, just find an interior designer who can help you mix eras and décor styles with an expert eye ; ) You know I'm here for you if you are a millennial or just a lover of all things eclectic or a little eccentric. A good designer adapts to the clients tastes to personalise the outcomes. No matter if its out there or super conservative - I can do it. The WOW factor is more fun for a designer... : )
(Just saying)
To decorate a home in millennial style, you certainly need affordable and often multi functional elements – but more importantly, it has to be sustainable.
The reduced floor space of apartments in cities in Australia and around the world has forced young people to design rooms that serve as spaces for work, get-togethers, and relaxation.
My clients see that I can save and freshen vintage pieces up and work them into a design cohesively. I feel that we have long had a culture of throwing away the old and buying everything new, but this is changing a lot, and in 2022, preserving will be the dominant trend.
That's it for now.
