The eagle-eyed among you might recall that in one of our September blogs we talked about insperiences and how rather than being a COVID-specific one-hit wonder they’re here to stay. For those of you who missed the blog or need a reminder, here’s a recap:
We’re now living in the age of insperience. This is a term coined by Barclaycard Payments in a survey which found that 88% of retailers saw increased demand for in-home experiences during lockdown. Despite the easing of restrictions, this market is predicted to grow by 32% over the next year, reaching a value of £168m.
We may ditch some of our lockdown habits as COVID-19 retreats, but reports predict that over a third of us will carry on enjoying insperiences long-term. We’ve grown attached to a whole new world of home comforts.
Futon Company says: For some of us, our lives are pretty much back to a very-nearly-the-same-as-pre-COVID new normal. Perhaps you’re working in the office again the odd day every week, maybe you have a child at school, or are regularly meeting friends in the pub or for a bite to eat (local lockdowns aside!). Yet while there’s a lot of reassuring familiarity all around us, COVID has definitely left a long-lasting impression on some areas of our lives. For example, for many, working from home at least some of the time looks set to remain with us for many months – perhaps forever. Meanwhile, the Zoom/ Facetime get together has firmly established itself as perfect for catching up with friends who don’t live close by, and now that we’ve all invested in plants/ home gym equipment a lot of us are finding that we’re doing more things at home than ever before – cue the increase of the insperience!
So when we came across the article How to Make a Wonderwall in an August issue of Sunday Times Style we were keen to find out more (not least because Wonderwall was one of our favourite songs in the 90s), but also because we want our at-home insperiences to feel special – as well as making a visual impact on Zoom or Facetime. Says write Fleur Britten: If you want to stand out for the right reasons on a video call, curate a backdrop to remember. Just don’t forget to turn the camera on!
Admit it – the best part of a Zoom meeting is the view into other people’s homes! (We won’t judge if you’ve screenshotted a few colleagues’ backgrounds for a closer look). If you’re struck with envy in such moments, it’s time to create your own wonderwall – or even better, several around your home that you show on rotation. This curated backdrop can be a gallery wall of pictures, say, or a beautifully presented bookcase; a collection of objets or one amazing wall-hanging. A wonderwall is your chance to express your personality and be remembered for your exquisite WFH taste long after that free Zoom sessions cuts out at 40 minutes.
· When you’re looking at a screen of people what stands out is pops of colour. That could be as simple as a plant pot painted yellow. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t have to live with these additions forever, says Geraldine James.
· You could mount wallpaper on board.
· Sculptural planters make a fresh, modern statement, while hanging styles work well in small spaces.
· Bookshelves are a failsafe option. Colour block your books into chunks of colour or create a checkered effect with books alternately stacked vertically and horizontally.
· If you want to be bold, combine different styles of art: typography, cityscapes, abstract prints, illustrations, 3D art and clocks. Art is easy to switch up. The only rule is that it makes you happy. Oh – and that any framed motivational quotes are donated to charity!
