Every generation brings something new to the party. Finally, Gen Z finds its design wings. Roughly defined as people born between 1995 and 2010, zoomers are the first true digital natives. They grew up on the internet and are less afraid of digital marketing than the rest of us. They know how it works for them. According to a 2018 McKinsey survey, Gen Z is motivated by the search for authenticity: “This creates greater freedom of expression and openness to understanding different types of people.”
Oomers are “radically inclusive”. You are curious too. Where previous generations were defined by traditional stereotypes, Zoomers are experimenting with different ways of being themselves. The survey refers to them as “identity nomads”. All this bodes well for interiors. Generation Z design has been associated with neon, nostalgia and natural materials. Expect a spirit of fearless personal expression and plenty of plants. Understandably, Gen Z is the generation most concerned with climate change.
Richard O’Gorman, muralist, is the poster child of Zoomer’s ingenuity and design flair. When he received the keys to his first house in January 2020, O’Gorman was working a traditional office job. The home is in Birmingham, where he grew up, but O’Gorman has Irish roots. His father is from Dublin.
Close
Interior by Richard O’Gorman from @househomo
Interior by Richard O’Gorman from @househomo
“I wanted to paint the house, so I ordered lots of test pots,” he says. “Then lockdown came and it became really difficult to get paint. I had painted the living room orange and my family thought it was a bit much, so I drew a circle on the wall above the fireplace and something clicked in my brain. Oh my God – that’s my aesthetic!” More circles followed. And bows. And interlocking circles and arcs. A couple of points. The occasional squiggle. Luckily he was well supplied with test pots.
“My friends were wondering how I was getting on with the house, so I started posting on Instagram.” Then things started to move quickly. By September he was unemployed, but his Instagram (@haushomo) had gained enough traction to establish himself as a professional muralist.
O’Gorman’s palette favors light pastels, with a particular fondness for combinations of pink and green, but his work is notable for its response to architecture. The shapes and colors are not random; They relate to the building’s internal structure and features within the space, as well as its location.
“My goal is to make people happy,” he says. “If there is a color or an epoch in the furniture, I would always try to include it.” “I would always base myself on a decision,” he says. “When you go all out, it reads as engaged, even if it’s false. Commitment is better than half measures.”
O’Gorman has not yet taken on any projects in Ireland but would like to. His murals are individually priced but start at around €2,500 with most customers wanting more than one mural.
His own home has several features associated with Gen Z design: personalized neon and multiple plants. “I currently have more than 60 systems. They really change the energy and literally breathe life into the house.” The neon artwork in his bedroom is a quote from Susan Sontag Notes on the camp (1964). The original says: “Camp is an attempt to achieve something extraordinary. But exceptionally often in the sense of special, glamorous. (The curved line, the flamboyant gesture.)” O’Gorman took the last six words and translated them into orange and pink neon. It fits like a glove.
Close
Interior by Richard O’Gorman from @househomo
Interior by Richard O’Gorman from @househomo
Looking at the broader picture of Gen Z design, it’s hard to imagine how this generation will ever be able to afford a home of their own. Many of them still live with their parents. Totally appropriate if you’re 13; more difficult when you are 28. A lot depends on how much freedom of choice they have when designing the house.
“Give them a say,” says Adele Roche, color and design consultant. “If they’re lucky enough to have their own bedroom, give them the opportunity to create their own style. If they want to paint it banana yellow and can live with that, then do it. If the room is purple and it’s your happy room, then keep it that way. Colors have personality types just like people. We are attracted to certain colors. It’s a very personal thing.”
Close
Homesense accessories
Homesense accessories
When young people have the freedom to choose how they decorate their bedroom, it gives them a sense of belonging to a space of their own. There are also strong arguments for including them in the broader design process. Design conscious zoomers can be a useful and active contributor to the look and feel of a home.
“I did a consultation for a family that had three living rooms and no dining room,” explains Roche. An architect had convinced them to make the change during lockdown and they couldn’t see a problem with it. Then her 17-year-old daughter came into the conversation. “I’d like a dining table,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we looked at each other over dinner instead of sitting in a row and looking out the window.”
Close
Furniture and accessories by Very
Furniture and accessories by Very
As Roche points out, not every young person is lucky enough to have their own room. Some don’t even have a home. Helen Wright from Cohen and Co, interior designer, has just completed a project for VOYPIC, the charity for children and young people with lived care experience in Northern Ireland.
The remodel was sponsored by sofa company DFS and included the design and furnishing of a community room and two consultation rooms for the charity. “We asked the young people how we wanted the place to feel and they had fantastic ideas,” says Wright. “It was a pleasure working with them. What they really wanted was comfort and a place to relax, so we tried to make it cozy. Everything they didn’t like mid-century, so we avoided sitting with hard armrests and opted for soft sofas and comfy chairs.”
Close
Interior design for VOYPIC by Helen Wright using DFS (Photo: Elyse Kennedy)
Interior design for VOYPIC by Helen Wright using DFS (Photo: Elyse Kennedy)
DFS furniture that achieved the grade included the DFS Zeb sofa in Sky Revive fabric (€529), the Plush Large Footstool (€449) and the Joules Hallaton sofa in pottery pink (€1,559). “They liked pink – including the boys – but hated purple!”
No one in the group had any issues with the Zain Smart Side Table (€389). It is an unobtrusive drum stand with an integrated Bluetooth speaker and USB charging function. For older generations, this type of technology is a novelty. For Gen Z, it’s standard.
See @househomo, voypic.org, cohenandco.co.uk, dfs.ie and voypic.org
https://www.independent.ie/life/home-garden/interiors/how-to-take-inspiration-from-gen-z-for-a-bright-and-beautiful-home-42314588.html How to get inspiration from Gen Z for a bright and beautiful home
Fry Electronics.com is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – admin@fry-electronics.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
