Something Personal
AN ENSEMBLE EFFORT Emma Reddington, H&H’s West Coast Editor and Style Director, works from her Vancouver office producing great content inspired by her global lens on design.
Writing our annual Trends report is a year-long affair that starts with picking up on the design clues that we see being repeated by tastemakers across the globe. However, last year, it looked very different. Instead of reporting on the latest news in furniture and fabrics, we wrote about a better way to work from home, and how to extend our outdoor zones and create nooks out of overlooked spaces. It’s a year on, and we’re seeing the effect of what almost 18 months at home looks like. While we still want our homes to function well and look nice, we’re also concerned with how they make us feel. This time around, it’s personal.
Topping the list this year are trends that give us a sense of comfort, flirt with the past and indulge in a bit of muchneeded whimsy ( page 58). After years of spare Scandi interiors and modern farmhouse style, the tide seems to be turning toward a more traditional, decorated look, with lots of lush layers. Who could have predicted that skirted tables, scalloped edges, wicker lampshades and patterned fabric would be making a comeback in 2022? If balloon drapery and chintz make you break out in hives, not to worry; a softer, more thoughtful version of minimalism is also making the rounds, outfitted with plush chairs, textural woods and a deliberate connection to the outdoors. Gracing interiors of all styles are super-cushy and snuggable sofas — many of them reissues of products from the
1970s — that wrap us in the warm glow of nostalgia. Finally, if it’s levity you’re after, a checkerboard floor might be the answer, or how about a tub balanced on baseball-shaped feet?
Lynda Reeves knows firsthand exactly what it means to design a highly personal home. The renovation of her own lakehouse has been a pure expression of everything she’s passionate about. A seasoned designer, she eked out room for all the things that matter to her, including a butler’s pantry with a freezer drawer, a mangle for pressing linens and a kitchen decked out with all the gadgets. If you’ve been watching her video series on houseandhome.com and waiting for the big reveal, it’s finally here ( page 70)!
Two more homes this month prove that personal choice is paramount. Filmmaker Carly Stone admits,
“I was looking for something unique and creative” about the search for her Toronto house — a one-of-a-kind home-studio that’s full of eccentricities ( page 90). In Steinbach, Man., a house shaped like a boat that would baffle most homeowners was the perfect blank canvas for designer Jaclyn Peters to launch her career from ( page 98).
As I start to furnish my new home in Vancouver, I’m keeping my eye on auction sites and stores that specialize in preloved pieces. Not only am I drawn to the soulfulness that vintage furniture can add to a home, but I love that it’s a way to be kinder to our planet. It’s a trend that’s on the rise, and no wonder. When everything in your space is handpicked rather than box-fresh, a truly personal, unique home emerges, one that can make you feel right at home.