COLOUR IS A HOME DESIGNER’S BEST FRIEND
Maximalism is in style, and that means bold and textured
If the last few years have been all about minimalism in home interiors, things have done a complete about-face, says Etsy’s resident trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson, with maximalism now being embraced wholeheartedly.
“Maximalism is all about adding textures, colours and patterns and really just bringing alive bold statements in the home,” Isom Johnson says.
If she had to name someone as an inspirational example of maximalism, Isom Johnson says it would be the late painter Frida Kahlo.
“I had the incredible experience of visiting her museum in Mexico City, and talk about inspiration on top of inspiration, especially in her fashion, mixing prints and textures. I loved everything about it,” she says.
Isom Johnson names Etsy seller Essarai Ceramics as a good example of maximalism.
“He makes crystal-inspired dishes, and everything from mugs to dishes that you can have on your table for your keys to candle-holders,” she says.
Southwestern decor is also proving really popular at the moment, Isom Johnson says, favouring colours like burnt orange and turquoise. (They’ve had over 1.4 million searches for the colour turquoise on Etsy and close to 140,000 searches for anything desert related.)
“People are really excited about trying to bring in the warmth and fabrics that the southwestern vibe offers,” she says.
The southwestern style also reflects a movement toward more grounded, down-to-earth colour schemes and imagery, says Isom Johnson, with mythical creatures like unicorns and mermaids, which have proved popular for the last couple of years, replaced by real animals like snakes and big cats, along with rich fabrics like suede and velvet.
“They’re not traditionally summer or spring fabrics, but somehow look very luxurious and relaxing,” she says.
There has been a renewed love for the ’70s in home decor, says Isom Johnson, with the resurgence of tie-dyed products, and design inspired by terrazzo (stone surfaces featuring small coloured chips or speckled motifs).
“The sellers are really getting very creative about how these trends, which are resurfacing, can be reimagined and updated,” she says.
“So the tie-dye is not the traditional tie-dye we remember from the ’70s or even the revival from the ’90s. This tie-dye is more sophisticated and is being used in other textures and styles. We’ve seen it on bedding and even mirrors,” she says.
The terrazzo that was so popular in the ’70s and was one of the biggest trends in home decor last year has also been reimagined with the coloured chips magnified into huge cut out shapes, Isom Johnson says.
Etsy prides itself on being a destination for emerging trends, says Erin Green, managing director of Etsy Canada.
“Each quarter we release a guide based on data from sellers, shoppers and the retail industry as a whole, meant to help shoppers unearth new and unique items from across the marketplace,” she says.
Something they’re particularly proud of, Green and Isom Johnson say, is the company’s commitment to sustainability, announcing in April that it is the first online company to completely offset the carbon emissions generated by each purchase (in travelling by plane, train, automobile or boat from the maker to the buyer), in an effort to be carbon neutral.
“We are planting trees, investing in solar-panel farms, and all of these things to make sure we are offsetting every single carbon emission that would have happened with any purchase in the shipping process,” says Isom Johnson.