This Trending Design Style Will Make Home Stagers Cringe
Home stagers strongly advise sellers to declutter when prepping their homes for sale. But a new home design trend sweeping social media likely will have stagers aghast. Meet “cluttercore”—the antithesis of decluttering.
Just as the name suggests, it’s about cluttering to the max: crowding a home with knickknacks, filling up every shelf or wall space, and showing off a lived-in space. Cluttercore is quickly gaining traction on sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. “There’s something about rooms that have pictures and paintings on the walls, books stacked, knickknacks on the surfaces,” one TikTok user wrote about cluttercore. “It just gives a space a sense of security and coziness.”
Critics of the style say it’s akin to hoarding and messiness. But cluttercore may be offering some homeowners a greater sense of comfort than other recent design styles. “Sleek, modern homes are filled with whitewashed walls inside and out, creating a cold unwelcoming environment,” the TikTok user notes.
“In all honesty, a minimalist room makes me feel a bit uncomfortable,” another user writes. “It gives me the sense of being alone and isolated. I would often find it difficult to sleep in hotel rooms or when I first moved into my house. The pictures and belongings that surround me in my room make me feel less alone.”
Stagers may compromise by offering a cozier vibe when dressing up home interiors. The "cozy” trend" has been catching on since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as more homeowners shelter in place. Home stagers say they’re using more throw blankets draped on sofas and pillows, more plants, color pops, and softer, warmer textures.
To Receive All The Latest Real Estate News and Trends!
Source: Realtor Magazine and “Cluttercore Is the New, Maximalist Aesthetic Taking Over TikTok,” i-d.vice.com (Aug. 18, 2020)
"Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission."