Home decor is a very unique expression of a person’s personality. Sometimes it is about collecting curios from your travel sojourns and at other times, it is creating something unique for a nook or a corner in your house. Many times, it is about creating a specific vibe that enhances one’s personality or house pride.
In the previous century, most of the households in urban India were following a minimalist lifestyle. While it could be the predominant Indian culture, one of the reasons could be the non spending capacity of the household.
However, at the turn of the century, increased income, exposure to western lifestyle and the need to maintain a certain social status did get reflected in our home decor amongst other things. From luxurious furniture to antique art pieces, home decor had to have a wow factor while entertaining guests at home.
In the last few years, people are coming to terms with their new reality like traffic woes, pollution, dust, and recent awareness on climate change. This awareness is triggering a response amongst young and old and they are expressing it by making conscious decisions while decorating their homes.
Amongst those conscious decisions, the awareness on Upcycled or Sustainable home decor has been gaining ground. Some of the other recent movements especially amongst youth are veganism, planet friendly diet, shared mobility, co-living / co-working spaces.
Coming back to the topic of Upcycling, many people are not very clear on what really upcycling is. Unlike recycling and reuse, upcycling is taking the product/material that is of no current use, up the value chain. The possibilities for upcycling are as many as types of materials. And what is even more interesting is the newness or uniqueness of the final product. From tyres to used wood or scrap wood to fabric pieces to used clothes, sky is the limit.
Upcycling companies are creating a unique space for custom made products which does not exist otherwise. What you can get is a one-of-a-kind piece with no compromise on quality. Any ambiguity for purchasing upcycled products can only dissipate once you experience the purchase cycle.
Rather than opting for a cookie cutter or off the shelf purchase approach, it may be worth your while to do some research, find out what suits your style and taste, and see if there is a possibility of sourcing material for your new product from your old, unused, garage dump.
While this helps the environment, it is also a statement of your values, ethics and you may secure some bragging rights for your unique idea and initiative.
Will home decor come back to where it started?