Happy Design!

‘Elle Deco’ magazine is my bible these days. Of course, it could be that it is so mega-expensive to buy UK interiors magazines in Cyprus, that I only buy the one….. However, my ‘bible’ says that the current trend is ‘happy design’, and the decorating maxim to live for this season is to BE BOLD.

I’m sure we’d all agree our homes should have a lot of ‘happy’ – and a little ‘bold’ would do every home interior a favour. The fact that Elle Deco’s October pages fairly zing with colour and texture is very inspiring, so I think we could go along with that.

Elle didn’t exactly define ‘happy’ but if our homes are too plain, too beige – or in Cyprus – too white, with everything spick and span, or totally untidy, the overall impression is probably not ‘happy design’. What to do?

Ruthless de-cluttering is an obvious first step to get you a clean canvas – even if you just put all the stuff in a box to pick over again later. Oh yes, we know you will! A not-so-obvious step is to look at your pictures to check they have been hung at the right level, and if the background wall colour sets them off, or makes them disappear…or even if they are hanging in the right place at all. We often add pictures to what we already have without ever thinking about re-arranging them. This fairly radical (bold) step could indeed produce happier design. And doesn’t cost a penny.

However, if you’re adventurous and you’d like to spend a little money on an unusual feature, the possibilities of wall art on the exterior of your home or an external art installation would certainly push the boat out for happy design. You’re not going with the crowd and you’re creating something unique. Pebbles, mosaics, plain tiles, mirror tiles – and yes, BOLD colour. Persian Glazes perhaps?

There’s a French saying that money doesn’t buy happiness, but it is better to cry in the back seat of a Rolls Royce than sitting on a moped. It’s a good laugh but we all know happiness is a state of mind. Enjoy your home!