From shag carpeting to shabby chick to IKEA, this interactive infographic visualises a history of interior design.

1950s interior design was characterized by modernism and influenced by the Danish design movement, with crisp, sweeping lines and vivid coloring.

During the free love movement of the 1960s, interior designers reacted to the wholesome, traditional family values of the ‘50s with post-modernist riffs on elements of the past (Victorian and Georgian-inspired furniture) and the imagined future (groovy lava lamps).

The 1970s saw the birth of DIY culture, Space Age-influenced styles (like that pod chair), and the hippie movement’s preference for rustic, “natural” furniture of teak and pine.

The 1980s saw the birth of “shabby chic” and the avant garde Memphis Group in Milan, with furniture in bold geometric shapes and colors. The decade of excess also brought plenty of chintzy, ostentatious interiors.

1990s interior design reigned in the excess of the '80s, opting for more minimalism and lots and lots of pine furniture.

The 2000s saw the Ikea flatpack furniture takeover and a bigger integration of tech into interior design, with flatscreen TVs channeling home cinema.

In the 2010s, self-expression has come to define the approach to interior design. So has economizing–the recession has led to smaller furniture with built-in storage.

Inspired by FastCoDesign; Images from Harvey Water Softeners

1. Buy the best with what you’ve got. Make sure you know the difference between good and poor quality before you buy.

2. Question yourself. Do you love it? Is it a good example of its type? How rare is this particular one? Is it by a notable maker/designer? Is it in good, original condition?

3. Be adventurous. Mix and match what you buy and avoid being limited by sticking to just one style. Good quality objects from different eras can look really good together.

4. Be selective. Collecting should be about quality, not quantity. Remember to keep your collection fluid, not set in concrete. If better examples are found, sell off the poorer ones.

5. Avoid fashion. Form your own opinions about what to collect. Don’t follow the pack; consider buying furniture that others aren’t buying.

Find out some great tips on how to redecorate your first home! 

We’ve talked to a bunch of apartment-hoppers to find out how to spruce up your new place without blowing the budget!

When trying to get rid of your hard to sell old furniture, it’s quite often that you’ll find no takers. It could be a dining table that is either too big or too small for others to use, a bookshelf that has seen better days, or a chair that needs reupholstering. At some time in our lives, we’ve experienced the painful process of dragging a piece of furniture to the local donation pick up, posting it to an online classifieds or chucking it out onto the porch and hoping (fingers crossed) that someone will snap it up before the rain does.

That’s where Couchelo comes in. We’re building a mobile platform to connect sellers of pre-loved, vintage and creative items for the home, to buyers in the area who are genuinely interested in making a deal. It’s simple. Take a photo, write a short description and set your price - expect people in your location to start contacting you and negotiating for your item! If you’re someone looking for a bargain or a unique piece for your home, this app is also for you too. We’re doing this to inspire creativity and sustainability by providing an easy-to-use mobile platform to buy and sell furniture and homewares.

So here we are. 4 months into development and looking for beta testers for our Minimum Viable Product. This week, we’re also very excited to announce the endorsement of two key reuse suppliers in Sydney who contribute to environmental sustainability and encourage community awareness of responsible design and manufacture. Couchelo is on the lookout for more Australian furniture suppliers who want to create a used furniture marketplace that is simple, convenient and fun!

Watch this space to learn of Couchelo’s exciting progress in the next few months!

Will
Co-Founder