If you’ve been following my journey for some time, it won’t come as a surprise that I’m not big on trends nor am I big on re-inventing the wheel. As I take on 2025, I find myself approaching with baby steps. There are so many expectations during the first month of each year and everywhere I turn it feels like someone or something is telling me to “be a better me” or “try this new product” or “design this way or that,” anyone else? I was recently interviewed for a magazine and the first question asked me to forecast this year’s design trend. My answer is simple… A trend is subjective and it should always be influenced by your heart.
This is the journey I try my best to follow for myself and for my work. What even does the word “trend” mean anyway? My endless trend is a promise to myself to follow my passion, design with my heart and stay true to my narrative and nobody else’s. Sure I love a good skin product influence here and there, don’t get me wrong! But I am not wallpapering my walls in gingham to match my gingham bedding and gingham drapes because pattern drenching is a thing. I would absolutely do that if it felt good to me but not because it’s a trend. Make sense?
Instead let’s look back on 2024 and celebrate the many accomplishments and pat ourselves on the back for surviving (even if it’s barely!) the highs and the lows. Every failure and every success are the ingredients to our super power DNA and it’s more important than ever that we applaud the past which makes up the now and not always the “what’s next.”
You DON’T need to re-invent yourself in the new year or improve upon the person that you are. You don’t need to refresh the design in your home because it’s all you see on social media. You don’t need to write yourself a list of goals that make you feel guilty for not reaching. You don’t need to be like anyone else but you.
You DO need to be proud of who you are. You do need to stick to the design you love (there’s no shame in white walls!) and evolve it (not change it) if that’s what will make you smile when you walk into your space. You do need to follow your heart and let your passion drive you to achieve that goal you’ve always wanted to reach so long as you don’t play the comparison game. You do need to let yourself fail. You do need to believe in yourself.
So rather than give you my design insight for 2025 (sorry!), I will, instead, continue to lead you where my heart leads me which is never far from the coast. A light, bright, happy escape because IMO we all deserve a vacation! And if you find yourself writing the same goals this year as you did last year, great! Don’t give up on yourself or set yourself silly time limits. Re-write that goal as many times as you need… I promise you, your heart will lead you to the right place at the right time.
Sending you so much love.
xo, gaelle
