14 Nov 18

Staying in is the new going out

The fourth episode of our Podcast The Great Indoors is out today! (You can find it on all the podcast platforms, or follow the link here). It’s a special extended 40 minute show jam packed with interiors info, which was recorded at the Dfs pop up Staying Inn event. The event was designed to celebrate that an astonishing 60% of us would rather spend the night in at home than go out. It’s been labelled JOMO by the media “Joy of missing out” that follows hot on the heels of “FOMO” which was all about “the fear of missing out”. A term coined during the upswing in social media, supposedly making everyone feel that the most exciting things were happening in the world of instagram without them. Both Kate and I agreed that we have been signing up to JOMO for a very long time, without knowing that we were part of the trend!

The Dfs Staying Inn was the venue for our live recording of thre great indoors podcast

But what is all the relevance of this on Interior design. Well Dfs carried out some extensive research on the subject that I want to share here.

• Over half canvased said they’re now choosing to spend New Year’s Eve at home instead of going out to celebrate
• A quarter of people would prefer to celebrate their Birthday at home, rather than go out
• Almost 50% would prefer to spend a Saturday night in at home
• One in ten are even opting to spend date nights at home

So if we are using our homes as a sanctuary more and more, while also using it to throw parties and celebrations not to mention host dates then getting our homes looking and feeling fabulous has never been more crucial.

My flat in central brighton was a large open plan warehouse conversion which was the perfect home for staying in and throwing parties

Since moving out of the city, into the countryside, getting people to come and visit us has never been more important. For us part of going rural has enabled us to buy a little land and get a bigger house. We have an annual camping weekend we host for our friends and plenty of BBQ’s in summer. Then this Christmas everyone is piling around ours. I don’t stand on ceremony and don’t expect anyone else to at my house. Friends are encouraged to bring a dish (mostly because I hate cooking), kids run free range, and the overall look and feel is ‘kick back, relax and muck in’.

The trend for retro inspired bar carts has never been more popular. While Kate is a glass of red wine kind of girl, i do love a cocktail! Bar cart, Riya drinks trolley £299, John Lewis.

So I take all of this into account when I plan my rooms and decorate. Open plan spaces work really well for those who throw parties, allowing everyone to share the same space, and be together. They work especially well if you have a young family too as you can keep an eye on the kids while multi-tasking. ( There’s a handy blog post all about how to design open plane spaces here). But as Kate mentioned in the podcast, she has two teenage boys and by that stage in family life you start to want the walls to go back so that everyone can have their own space. So in short, it’s the same old chestnut- you need to think who is using the space, what are they doing there, and when are they doing it.

If your living room is more of a retreat used to watch movies at night, consider a dark and cosy scheme and a fat sofa that you can cuddle up on. Long Beach Large Chaise Sofa, £2,699, DFS

Kate’s home is more of a sanctuary. Her idea of a good night in is a favourite book and a (large) glass of wine. She’s all about the peace and quiet. So her ideal space is a quieter, more relaxed look and it’s perfectly reflected in the way she has deisgned her home. Her living room, which you can see on her instagram feed @madaboutthehouse, is painted in a delicious dark chocolate brown with deep velvet sofa. And don’t forget those saggy cushions! Then her kitchen is open plan onto the dining table which creates a more sociable family space.

The Pig Hotel,  has some of the best interiors around. Its designed to feel like home from home yet a lot more fabulous!

Another trend that I find really fascinating is how we are using our favourite bars, restaurants and hotels for inspiration. As I’d also argue that hotels are also working harder to make their spaces feel more homely. So who is leading whom on this trend I can’t decide! The SoHo House group has really led this trend I feel with their private members club approach. All their venues look amazing but have a very relaxed and homely feel and the look is so sought after they have recently launched their own range of exclusive homewares so guests can literally take the look home with them. Other hotels and bars hot on their heels in this particular home- from- fabulous-home trend are places like The Pig Hotel and The Artists Residence. But if your home looks and feels as fabulous as your favourite venues then there really is no need to ever go out!

The Soho farmhouse group has led the way in creating a private members club home from home vibe that continues to inspire