Photography courtesy of Decorium
When Tara Lindsay and I jumped on a call to talk about upcoming design trends, our conversation took a surprising turn. Lindsay is the vice-president of advertising and a buyer for Decorium (a high-quality furniture and accessories store and a mainstay in Toronto’s design scene for nearly 40 years), and mere minutes into our conversation, she brought up something super insightful. “These days, I don’t really care about trends. They’re subjective anyway, and it’s not always about having what’s hot at the moment. When I see our showroom and what our customers want, what they’re talking about, and what they’re purchasing to take home, I see it’s not about trends — it’s about discovering happiness,” she says passionately. “It’s something everyone’s trying to reach for, one way or another. It’s universal.”
As someone who has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the world of design and decor, Lindsay’s take is incredibly refreshing. Our homes are meant to be our sanctuaries — happy places where we return to after a long day at work. They’re spaces where we want to spend time with our people, be comfortable, and feel joy. “For me, right now it’s about discovering happiness in our homes and learning how to do it. We’re embracing the unconventional and engaging in self-expression, and we’re finding ways to incorporate this into our interiors,” she says. “It’s also about what inspires us and our happiness. Maybe your interiors draw inspiration from avant-garde fashion or underground music. If you’re a music guru, perhaps a sense of boldness and rebellion plays a part in your home. Designing and decorating based on this would create a feeling of comfort and happiness, and it’s relatable to you. It’s not necessarily something trending and it doesn’t have to be. That’s the trend — it’s not the design. It’s how to discover happiness in your space.”
Here are some of our favourite ways Lindsay told us you can achieve comfort and joy in your own home.
CREATE ELEMENTS OF SURPRISE
“Since so many of us are looking for happiness in our spaces, I’m seeing people incorporate objects in their homes that have purposes that weren’t necessarily meant to be used the way they are,” she says. “Bringing in these pieces offers an element of surprise and speaks to creativity through passion and self-expression. It’s a fascinating trend that has nothing to do with style, but it’s about incorporating objects that mean something to you and create an element of surprise at the same time.”
When Lindsay explains this concept, I’m reminded of four large picture frames hanging in my laundry room. I’d found four boxes of different brands of laundry soap, each dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, in my late grandmother’s basement. I cut off the front of each box, framed and hung them in my house as another reminder of her. I share this with Lindsay, and she immediately says I’ve hit the mark. “That’s exactly what I mean by incorporating objects of design for other purposes they were never meant to be used for. Those are the kinds of elements that make us feel happy, create surprise and bring creativity to a space.”
THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
“There’s a growing awareness of the impact we all have on our environment — it’s top of mind for many people today, so we’ve had a surge in interest when it comes to eco-conscious interiors,” says Lindsay. Of course, this includes selecting natural fibres, which has been important to Lindsay for years. “People used to select cotton, wool, bamboo or cashmere, for example, because they loved the feeling of these fabrics. Now, they’re conscious about how they relate to the environment. The trend here is awareness and how it impacts the world around us. With this comes the urge to infuse more nature-inspired materials and earthy palettes into our spaces.
“When I think about these hues, I think about creating calming, inviting atmospheres that make people feel happy. I think about cotton, natural woods like ash and plants being brought into our homes through reclaimed accents incorporated in wall art or structural pieces, in our area rugs and toss pillows, for example. For many of us, caring about our impact and carbon footprint brings happiness.”
EMBRACE MAXIMALISM
“It might seem counterintuitive, since maximalism is the opposite of how most of us perceive minimalism, especially in terms of cutting down to protect the environment. But maximalism is having a moment,” Lindsay says, “because it makes room for self-expression and going outside the box. “Minimalism keeps you inside a box, with tone-on-tone neutral fabrics, colours and textures, whereas maximalism allows you to express yourself, whether you take trends from fashion, music, pop culture, and it lets you be free and open to feature some of those pieces you love that you’ve collected throughout your life.”
This ultimately creates a more joyful, lively atmosphere, which goes back to attaining happiness in your space. “Having a more maximalist approach allows you to work outside the box and introduces you to a variety of things that reflect your personality. I embrace minimalism in terms of organization and cohesiveness — I prefer organized shelving units and multifunctional pieces — but these days, more is definitely more when it comes to choosing cool, unique pieces that mean something to you, create surprise and promote bliss,” Lindsay says, adding that to achieve success blending maximalism with minimalism, it’s best to consult a designer who can understand and see your vision, since most people don’t have the design flair to do it alone.”
LET CULTURE INSPIRE YOU
“My sister did this beautifully in her home,” says Lindsay. “She took vintage photos of people in our family going back generations and made a wall, all done in black-and-white photos, and it’s incredible. This is the perfect example of going back and taking elements from something vintage and mixing it with modern, and creating something culturally significant for you that creates pleasure.” When we think about culture, we think about pieces our parents or grandparents had in their homes — artwork, statues, candelabras. It’s about blending vintage with modern and thinking about what brings you happiness. “For me, it’s my family and friends and going back to my roots. That’s what’s important,” she says. This sentiment fits perfectly with Decorium’s story and values, too. Celebrating 37 years, the family-run business has seen three generations of the Forberg family, and Lindsay says the people who work at the store share the same values. “When you come up the stairs into our 100,000-square-foot showroom, you’re welcomed as if you’re in your own home. It’s comforting, not overwhelming, and there’s no pressure as you walk through and experience it. It’s how our homes should feel, too,” she says. “Everyone wants to be happy and we’re all trying to figure it out. The hottest trend right now is happiness and how can we make our homes reflect us and our personalities. If your home feels comfortable and full of joy, so will you.”
