February 19, 2020

The Insta Styled Home

There is “The House That Pinterest Built” and then there is the home that Instagram Built. This new Insta Home is not about beautiful spaces, photography and great architecture, but about retail and merchandising concepts. Once considered only reproducible with larger budgets and an eye for styling showing this trend is showing up in our own homes. Today’s consumer has been exposed to more creative and eye catching retail and hospitality concepts. Retailers are vying to attract attention in a cluttered and competitive social media field. Instagrammable retail shout-outs and thoughtfully curated displays are now entering our homes as we showcase our collections and purchase product to intentionally make a statement. Here are a few Insta Home approaches I have seen borrowed from retail now showing up in our private residences.

Home Product Bars

What about a jean bar in your closet, or a tassel bar in your art room? A towel bar on hooks on in your laundry room, coat racks for bags on coat racks, succulent shelves, or art walls ? Collections of product are being showcased in the home similar to a “bar” concept where the item is piled, grouped, hung and displayed. We even have neon signs to name our showcases. This trend started in the early 2000’s with the eponymous jean bar made infamous by the World Denim Bar @americanragcie.

@Americanragcie

@la_closets

@orval.barcelona

@clothandkind home plant bar

@shiraleahchicago retail tassel bar

@thebeachpeople home towel

@by_hart_ hat and bag collection in the home

@aerin retail boutique

@ready.to.where boutique in a closet

Ceiling Installations

The fifth wall has moved beyond paint and wallpaper and is now creeping down to eye level. Whether through lighting or art installations the 3-D ceiling started in retail and hospitality and is now being spotted in our homes in creative ways. All worthy of an Insta Shout Out.

@bergdorffgoodman butterfly ceiling

Parisian Bistro

@studia_54 lighting

@mudaustralia

Wall Murals

This trend has been around town for quite some time but with the advent of digital printing the ease of customization and affordability has made large format wall art a staple in many of our homes. No longer just a selfie backdrop, the wall mural proves our individuality and creative prowess.

@sweatybeatty wall mural and other Insta hot goodies from neon signs to tile typeface

@koibird

@printerior custom leaf mural

@flavorpaper custom wall mural

Living Walls

I never thought this trend would find it’s roots in the 2000’s. Popular in the 70’s in corporate buildings the penchant for greenery in our homes has moved beyond planters to full wall off-gassing habitats. Terrarium and floral art now has a dedicated space in our homes and is not only green but artful.

@winkyluxnyc

the_1882_House

Typography Tile

One of my personal favorite Insta Trends, hello, smile and welcome are just a few of the greetings we have been met with in retail stores and showing up on Instagram with a pair of cute shoes. These words of gratitude plus many other personalized expressions are making their way into the home on floors and walls.

@sweatybeatty floor tile

@daltile

@d2_intereurs

@showfields

Shelfies

Our shelves no longer have family photos adorning them. Instead we see uniform color stories and collections of objects. Our bookshelves look perfectly, imperfect, picture worthy and are ready to purchase.

@salthousemercantile

@hudsongrace

TableScapes

Let’s not neglect our bare dining or kitchen table tops. The best approach is Roman and Guild’s loose and carefree styling. The idea is to stack, layer and collect like items and then set your table or not. Instead of a centerpiece we are showcasing our collected goods on our home tables or keeping them set.

@rwguild

@roseuniacke

Curiosity & Curated

How we style and showcase our curated collections and curiosities are fully retail inspired in our own homes. Worthy of Instagram posts our home surfaces boast a level of sophistication and curation that was once thought to be a coveted skillset.

@michelevarian NYC store

@jyounddesignhouse collected and curated desk

@fabulousfete interior shot