The following contribution is from another author.
When we talk about ‘the home of the future,’ many of us consider the technology that has, undeniably, transformed our households. Yet, while Smart homes that incorporate everything from voice recognition systems through to automated appliances and beyond are most certainly changing home design for the better, homeowners looking to truly embrace a futuristic style also need to consider a less obvious addition that’s been slowly coming to the fore. Largely off the back of the industrial and minimalist styles that have long held sway in the home decor landscape, natural materials are increasingly making a surprising appearance in futuristic design choices and, according to the experts, that isn’t set to change anytime soon.
As well as exposed beams and bare brick walls, this has led to an age where additions like natural wood kitchen counters and custom made wooden roman blinds for windows are quite literally transforming the home of the future. Here, we consider why keen modern homeowners could benefit from investing in this unexpected, but fantastic, path towards a futuristic finish.
Longevity
While it’s true to say that plastics like uPVC will last a lot longer than, say, wooden window frames, you could also argue that the true longevity rests more firmly in nature’s hands. This is becoming increasingly the case as environmental damage, and concern, rise ever further in the public consciousness. The often unsustainable practices behind man-made home decors have certainly come under some fire of late, and natural alternatives to a range of key home additions, including potato chipboard and mushroom insulation, are quickly increasing in popularity as a result. Carbon-heavy processes like cement creation and plastics face an especially questionable future, meaning that, in the long-term, a shift back towards a more natural home is not only for the best, but may actually be inevitable.
Timeless classics
Home styles come and go, but when you consider trends that have stood the test of time, most of them have at least one foot in the natural well. Wooden home additions like beams, blinds, and even floors are perhaps a prime example of this and are once again facing a resurgence that has never really gone away. By comparison, man-made alternatives like plastic laminate tend not to offer such long-lasting solutions or styles, as well as being at significant risk of going out of style as new discoveries and technologies arise. All of this means that anyone investing in natural home features can rest pretty easily that nothing will come along to outshine them, no matter how technology continues to develop!
A color palette you can trust
Color palettes, too, are worth considering in this sense, with even the bright color choices of recent years not really offering the longevity that homeowners expected. Even the black and white decor styles that have previously punctuated a ‘futuristic’ finish have struggled to stand the true test of time, meaning that they aren’t so fit for the future after all. In fact, when you consider color choices that do actually last more than a few years, you’ll almost always come back to neutrals which, incidentally, often revolve around earthy tones. And, guess what? Those earthy tones are never easier to come by than when you’re integrating natural materials into your decor style! From the soft brown of wood through to the cool finish of a stone floor, these additions are adaptable, striking, and more importantly easy to integrate into a home that’s fit to last.
Straightforward finishes
In times of old, futuristic depictions of bubbly, spaceship-style decor made it seem like the future would be all curving lines and quirky finishes. In reality, however, the true future of home decor is very much moving in the direction of straightforward finishes and straight lines, which natural materials offer in spades. Straight wooden beams, clear-cut stone tiles, and even slabs of granite most certainly offer a geometric finish that fits well with this straight-lined focus. When paired with the sparse, and also naturally based, decor additions that we’re seeing in more and more homes, they certainly stand to provide a sustainable and sleek home for the future.
A final word
Home decor trends come and go, meaning that truly achieving the ‘home of the future’ has felt like an impossible feat. While natural materials might not entirely solve that setback altogether, their proven longevity, and their power to immediately transform a space, means that natural additions, even more than traditionally future-centric man-made solutions, most certainly deserve their place in your home both now, and moving forward.
