It's that time of year again: trend articles are popping up everywhere, telling us what's 'in' for the year ahead. But here's the thing – trends aren't the ultimate guide to good design. In fact, they can often feel like the enemy of anything authentic. In a world full of highly curated spaces, by taking trends as gospel we risk losing the personal touches that make a room truly ours.
Believe it or not, I used to be scared of patterns. They felt like a risky choice – one that could easily date a room or go horribly wrong. At design school, we were practically force-fed trends, even though we idolised rebels like Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood – visionaries who followed their own creative instincts.
It wasn’t until I discovered lino printing that I had a revelation with pattern. The texture, the imperfections, the handmade quality. The medium showed me that great design isn’t about what’s in; it’s about what feels right to you.
To me, good patterns feel like old friends – familiar, comforting, and yet sometimes full of surprises. But they can also feel like intriguing strangers, pulling you in with their mystery and making you wonder about the stories behind their motifs. Whether mismatched, busy or playful, patterns add a level of character to a space that for me, makes a room complete. And that’s never out of style.
That’s not to say that personal style means being different for the sake of it. Take leopard print, for instance. From the famous carpets in Madeleine Castaing’s Paris home, to the gritty glamour of Kate Moss stumbling out of restaurants and the dreamy chic of Sophia Loren, it’s a pattern that’s been rocked by a whole cast of characters. But that doesn’t diminish the confidence, sexiness and fun that’s at the heart of the design.
It’s why I believe that the most compelling spaces aren't the ones that are most on trend – they’re the ones that tell real, meaningful stories, reflecting your world and how you’re living. There’s no right or wrong – let alone what’s in and what’s not. There's only what feels right to you – and that's something no trend article could ever dictate.
Calver x
Photo credit: Interior Decorator, Madeleine Castaing's Paris Home