To get the rage about home decor trends...

[catpoooffender]

I've just moved house and have been looking online for style inspiration. But I'm just getting so tired of seeing the same thing everywhere. It's not that it doesn't look good, it's just that it's done to death.

Typically you will have a grey room, with throws artfully draped over the arm of the sofa. The furniture will be all white. There will be a floor lamp, probably tripod style. Candles will adorn the shelves, along with multiple house plants. On the pouffe, there will be a pretty tray, with two more of the following: a candle, a small vase, a book, some pretty cups. Hanging on the wall or on a shelf somewhere will be a framed print of some inspirational saying - possibly 'she said she could, so she did' or just a single word, like 'family' or 'love' or 'home'. Other artwork or mirrors will be placed on shelves and will lean against the wall, rather than being flat against them.

I'm not knocking any of this. I just yearn for something different.

When choosing our carpet, we looked for "spilled coffee and crushed biscuit" colour because (a) it's nicely neutral and (b) I am seriously clumsy.

It works well with a toddler and two cats!

Eurgh. See also dog naming trends - if you have a female French bulldog right now, it's called Nala. If you have a female King Charles, spaniel, it's called Lola.

The grey trend was horrible. Now I'm told dark coloured kitchens are in. Not keen on them either. Can look OK in a huge kitchen I suppose.

Are you looking on insta? It can be very mass market trend orientated. Interiors magazines and pinterest have much more variety. Decide a theme and then search eg 1930s gentleman's club; peacock bathroom; tartan snug, etc.

I just want aubergine, maybe paired with dark green and gold, lots of crushed velvet and something like a hippie, 70s, boho, pre-Raphaelite, Medieval, 'gypsy' style, with Indian and Moroccan influence. I think I missed that boat :(

Crushed velvet looks like unironed material.

My house looks like an explosion in a paint factory. I love it. Here in Glastonbury people really go to town with colour and fabrics. It's great fun. I think grey and white is awful.

I think the best tip for house decor is to let yourself be surprised by what you DO like, even though you weren't expecting to.

I always thought I liked neutrals and blue. In our old cottage it turns out that gold-greens work well to add warmth and bring in the greenery from the garden and trees outside. I'm sure this isn't any trend at all, but it just works in our house and makes us feel relaxed and warm. Upstairs we do actually have neutrals and blue, because there is more light. Or because of some other reason we haven't worked out yet.

Lots and lots of painted bits of cardboard in sample colours. Plus general information available on sites like F&B and LG. You don't have to buy their paint but there are some useful tips. Houzz is good, too.

I know I like bold, dark colours so if I’m ever looking online for inspiration I’ll always narrow my search terms to make sure I get results which are more to my taste.

Besides grey the other colur I see everywhere is a sort of denim blue - yuk. Never follow fashion is my motto. Choose colours you like. If you have a north facing room for example choose a warm colour and if you have a south facing one a cool colour.

You don't have to do that though. I've been really into home decor way before it was the huge thing it is today as insta and you tube haven't always been such an influence. I'd recommend reading a book or a few articles about what works for rooms in terms of flow and structure. Rather than just thinking about style. Then coy can build your own tastes onto a room or home using some core 'rules' to help. Or if yiu have a good eye and understanding of colour and layout just wing it. I think it doesn't come naturally to a lot of people which is why it seems to be so huge on social media.

I have a toddler....the crushed velvet grey and white trend is not for me

re-decorating our living room was a chore as everything seems to be geared towards this trend

@022828MAN

I really don't understand the all grey look at all, also crushed velvet and white everywhere. It's all so drab.

I still have my crushed velvet curtains from the 1990s. They are red though, in true New Romantic style.

Grey is the new magnolia

Its boring, and i find people following that trend boring too. Get your own ideas and stop doing what everyone else is doing.

Who the fuck has a vase of lillies on their hob? What is that about?!

Your obviously following the wrong Instagram accounts!!

There are also lots of different styles on Instagram, from the ‘grey’ to farmhouse to moody to shabby chic right through to eccentric.

Maybe you keep liking the grey interior photos so the algorithm keeps bringing them up for you.

Try liking different photos-

One of my relatives is an interior designer and she works at "staging" high end homes for buyers. Typically they are done in this neutral grey/white/beige style. She says that most people do not have the imagination to envisage their possessions in another house which is why its best to keep it neutral.

When she designs a room or house for private clients they often have a particular theme or colour in mind, but just dont know how to execute it.

My own style is called Bohemian Global Fusion because I have stuff Ive imported from all over the world, mainly Southeast Asia and the MIddle East. No beige or white in sight.

I loathe minimalism.

See also: picture walls, picture shelves, Moroccan tile bathrooms, zig zag pattern rugs, Crittal style black shower screens, shutters, fern wallpaper....

I don’t hate these but they are everywhere!

Try Pinterest for inspiration.

Houzz is good.

The trouble with inspiration is that you will tend to look for things you already like.

I've never followed trends. I remember when we were encouraged to chuck out the chintz - I said no thanks, and what do you know, vintage came back.

The leaning against the wall is a temptation to climbing toddlers, so no to that.

Grey? Pah!
Pops of colour can pop off.

Paint everywhere trade white, get enough furniture to get by - freecycle and freegle are great (be specific if you need something, ask for a sofa, then ask for a chest of drawers, not one furniture one and say please). Live with the white paint for a year then decide which colurs. By then you will have seen the rooms in all seasons and at all times of the day.

Save money and get the furniture you want when you know how the rooms work for you.

It depends what platform you are using but for example the algorithm on Pinterest thinks that you like the stuff that you have clicked on and will offer you more of the same. What sorts of things do you like? You’ve already had some good suggestions for Instagram accounts but I’m sure we can give you more.

Ha ha about the dog naming trend! If I had a £1 for every “Luna” and “Lola” I hear being shouted in the dog park! We have a good old fashioned Pip

OP I’ve given up on Pinterest all it every shows me is grey,grey, and grey.

You've reminded me of a house i found for sale, i'm surprised they have green grass and allowed that kids slide in the garden!!
www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/55921197?search_identifier=cacfdabce32ed257029a5be0fb188d0d

I had to scroll through to realise that they weren't black and white photographs. Bet the grass is astroturf.

This is a subject close to my heart right now. We're renovating/redecorating a big ol' house at the moment.

I'm trying to stay reasonably faithful to a Georgian theme. (All the decor at the mo is a horrible mix of the worst of the 60s, 70s and 80s) I spend a lot of time googling genuine Georgian interiors and working out how to copy them within our budget but without being completely slavish to it. I sprinkle in a bit of Arts and Crafts as well 'cos it goes together well and i love it. It's a big help with narrowing down my choices and keeping me on track with 'a look'.

Currently looking at what the hell to do with the staircase ... (yesterday we removed the grubby pale green fluffy bedroom carpet which was all over it including the nice round step at the bottom!).

So to sum up my advice would be to pick an era or a 'movement' and take inspiration from that rather than cruising round The Range in despair at all the choice :)