Why 'Handmade' is More Popular Among Interior Designers Than Ever Before

Why 'Handmade' is More Popular Among Interior Designers Than Ever Before

Ever since the industrial revolution, the emphasis has been on fast production – on high volume production for high volume markets. Particularly since around the 1960s, the trend for mass production, and for getting food, clothing, home décor, fabric, and art at the lowest possible price as fast as possible.

We don’t need to tell you what sort of impacts this ethos for production has had on the world. There are the obvious, surface-level benefits, but there are also big downsides – downsides that are now pushing interior designers and customers in the opposite direction.

Handmade, unique, artisanal elements are being drawn upon more than ever – or, at least, more than they have been in over a century – and, at Penny Morrison, we couldn’t be more excited to see the world of interior design coming full circle.

Artisanal skill is valuable, and, most importantly, valued

This is most important thing to us at Penny Morrison. We have always been committed to celebrating the skills and talents of craftsmen and women around the world – cultural art styles like no other, that still demand that generational knowledge to pull off. The vibrancy of a collection of works created by artisans, rather than reproductions put out by a machine, is felt in every corner of the home.

Part of the magic of items obtained from around the world, whether ceramics or block prints or any other piece, is that it takes you somewhere each time you stop to appreciate it. Even the fabrics that we weave here in the United Kingdom are imbued with that passion and skill that we look for in every piece we add to our collection. 

Slow production and better quality beats the trends

The internet is a great place for getting ideas. Pinterest, Instagram, blogs – they’ve all helped us to realise what we want in our homes, and how to get it. The downside? The internet has given way to trend after trend – a vicious circle that seems to be turning faster and faster with each year that passes. Décor is in one minute, out the next, and it’s very easy to be drawn into that cycle.

When we focus on the quality and beauty, the specialness of the items, fabrics, and artworks we bring into our homes, we don’t need to worry about what’s in fashion and what’s on its way out. Fabrics, ceramics, furniture – anything created with long-term beauty and usefulness in mind is built to withstand the trend cycles.

Handmade means unique

When we create anything by hand, it takes on its own personality. Little deviations and flourishes, or slight inconsistencies within a pattern, may be subtle, but they mark the difference between time, effort, and skill, and between a rapid turnaround – usually, these days, by a machine.

Seeing those little features is special. It reminds you of the story behind the pieces – the person who was chatting, listening to music, thinking things through as they dipped the paintbrush and picked up just a little too much paint, or made a couple of extra, improvised embroidery stitches in the fabric. You can see brushstrokes, minor deviations in colour and, most importantly, personality.

Interior designers are embracing a sort of ‘cultural antidote’ to uniformity.

Quality means pieces that will last

The beauty and uniqueness of handmade pieces is not the only reason the world of interior design is moving further and further away from trends and mass production. Beyond the look and feel of the pieces, there is also a rapidly growing need for the average individual to curb their habits, and to think about the longevity of the items they invest into.

Sustainability, environmental concern and mindful habits are all far more easily realised when the pieces you’re investing into were made by hand, at a realistic pace and level of consistency. Artisans can work with tools and materials local to them, and they can use their skills – rather than an insatiable drive for profit – to sell to customers.

At Penny Morrison, this is what we prioritise. Slow production defined by skill and passion is a tangible quality in the beautiful pieces we create and source. We work with artisans around the world, all while paying careful attention to our impact on the environment, and the ways in which we source our pieces. For us, this is what separates classical, time-tested interior design from passing trends. It means we can love our interior design for decades, rather than feeling the need to start anew every few years.