Tiffany Thompson, founder of Duett Interiors in Portland, Oregon, recently designed a home in Minnesota with its very own wellness wing, comprising a gym, meditation space, and spa. It’s an outsize example, Thompson says, of how many of her clients are starting to prioritize themselves and their family’s routines. “It’s not about catering to your guests and the 20% of the time when people come and visit, but really maximizing how you are going to use the space on an everyday basis.”
Thompson, who adds that multigenerational living setups are one core holdover from the pandemic, hastens to explain that wellness doesn’t need to be about expensive projects either, but can include simple touches like adding humidifiers and air purifiers, better lighting, even candles.
Klarić says that her clients’ well-being inspires her work daily. “Living in a space that you feel comfortable in and that you love completely changes your mental health; it’ll change the way you wake up.”
Timeless Appeal
Romanek notes how many of her clients are focused on investing in decor they want to be around for a long time to come. As a result, they “feel better about what they are purchasing and the longevity and how they’re going to live with that piece.” So it’s a win-win situation. “Switching [pieces] out doesn’t [feel] as good as it did maybe a year ago,” she adds.
Relatedly, statement pieces and rooms—big wow moments—may be taking a backseat as well. During the pandemic, a lot of people were “feeling a bit pent-up and bored,” Romanek recalls, leading them to add energy to a space through intense colors or eye-catching setups. Today, instead of “making the room super wild,” she says, “it’s more [about having] a place to exhale from everything, which lends itself to what I call ‘livable luxe’…. Even if they’re using colors, they’re more on the subdued side.”
These days, quality takes precedence over quantity, according to Klarić, who has noticed a growing interest in a more “organic aesthetic”—natural, rounded shapes and muted, earthy palettes. Since avoiding the landfill is important, she claims that “people want to filter out the cheaper and low-quality items” and invest instead in nice vintage pieces, “something that was handmade and crafted and designed very well.”
Thompson agrees that better-informed clients are picking up on the fact that antique items may cost more, but they are also proven to survive the long haul. “These things have lasted for 50, 60, 70 years, and the shape is timeless, so we’re going to invest in these pieces, knowing there’s an appreciation value to them as well,” she says.
Performance Art
The inclination for longevity is also evident in selection of materials, which are increasingly prized for their ability to wear well. “The word ‘performance’ has become so big, and our clients know about performance fabrics,” observes Romanek, adding that leathers, velvets, linens, and even bouclés are all going strong, but people aren’t clamoring for mohair or alpaca like they were only a short time ago.
