Surround the maison with positivity

These are very emotional times and if we are to survive it, we need to have the appropriate impulses to respond creatively.

At the recent Maison & Objet show in Paris, Jaye-Anne Mize and Carrera Kurnik of the trend agency Fashion Snoops had an enlightening talk on “Information and Intuition: Anticipating the New Needs of Consumers after COVID-19,” which identified the four predominant emotions of the pandemic, as well as the positive responses needed to counter these feelings:

Anxiety, a frustrating emotional response to uncertainty and lack of control should be handled with its opposite — Gratitude — which calms us by acknowledging what we can control and focusing our energies on those thankful thoughts.

Isolation or a feeling of disconnectedness and loneliness should be used as an opportunity for using the time alone to cultivate artistic pursuits and foster a connection to our inner creative light, as well as a wider community of creatives online, leading to the more fulfilling state of being Inspired.

Fear, a reaction to the unknown, is a hardening of one’s emotional self as a protection from the many perceived threats of the outside world, and should be countered with Empathy, an open-hearted embrace of the world and everyone in it. A way of coping with stressful situations is through community bonding with the intent to feel and understand those around us.

Finally, with all the fake news and conflicting opinions online leaving us Confused, we should center ourselves spiritually and take time to think of what is of true value so that we can achieve Clarity.

These emotional needs have led to decorating solutions for the home to better equip us to deal with these negative emotions and convert them to positive impulses:

HUMOUR

How else to fight the gloom but through a light, joyful atmosphere achieved through a playful sense of humor? Stuck at home, you want to personalize your space with things that bring a smile to your face, so fun and quirky objects bring joy to a once-serious space dominated by fear and anxiety. Pops of color and playful designs can do a lot to change the prevailing mood.

EDGE

Furniture and objects with an edge streamline our interiors so as to cancel out the external chaos. It’s a way of protecting ourselves and reinforcing our surroundings through a sleek aesthetic that puts our mind and surroundings in order so as to make our fortress of calm impenetrable.

WONDER

Reflecting the clash among our ever-changing views of our past, present and future, we find comfort in creating a fantasy world of wonder, one that mimics the things we once found solace in. With the innovations of AI and VR, designers are experimenting with warped, conforming shapes and designs that are familiar yet completely novel at the same time.

GOODNESS

We may have become jaded and burnt out, but going out into the community, you realize there is a craving for honest simplicity and wholesome satisfaction — a longing for goodness. We choose to be optimistic and gravitate towards creature comforts to keep our imaginations burning. No use deliberating whether it’s a guilty pleasure or a simple pleasure, because ultimately our anxious minds just want to settle for what’s good, period.

RETRO REVIVAL

There is nothing like the comfort and security of the “Golden Age of Design” when craftsmanship reached a zenith; thus we see a return to the fundamental shapes, materials and details of the ’50s and ’60s to revamp our post-pandemic interiors.

Now that we have felt the dire effects of over-consumption, we now crave things of substance and value, even turning to heirlooms. Also, seeing all the available things online accessible to everyone, we want to have a more personalized look in our homes, bringing our own heritage and roots, playing on our childhood memories.

* * *

Follow the authors on Instagram @rickytchitov; Twitter @RickyToledo23; and Facebook: Ricky Toledo Chito Vijandre.