The Evolution of Interior Design

Misty memories of the plastic-covered sofas;
Scattered pictures of linoleum left behind;
Formica, passed on to one another
for the way we lived.
Was the shag carpet so awful then?
Or were plastic flowers so wrong?
If we had the chance to do it all again –
Tell me would we? Could we?
Crocheted doilies may be interesting…yet
So painful to remember;
We simply choose to forget.
So it’s the whatnot we will remember
and the white Jesus,
whenever we remember
the way we were.

Well as they say, that was then…

Today, the options of decorating are vast for many reasons: extensive travel, education, decorating shows on cable TV, magazines and most certainly the internet just to name a few.

One of our first influences of decorating styles was the British – heavily carved and colossal pieces, then came the French with similar aesthetics including the carved look but a little more sophisticated. In later years the younger travellers Western World took over with simpler styles, In the 60’s and 70’s the European mid-century modern craze hit Jamaica and begun the movement to decorate using simpler furnishings. Pieces from Africa, China and India arrived as well and travelers brought back the spoils of their activities overseas.

Every Jamaican should be familiar with a number of identifiable furniture or decorative accessories that we grew up seeing in the homes of our grandparents in the 60’s, some of us still even hang on to these pieces for they are considered precious memories. Some of these decorative tastes, were brought from rural to urban settlements but still had a strong influence island-wide.

Let’s jog your memory a bit… You remember those square or round looking seats that normally come with the settee? Does the name hassock ring a bell? Daddy would relax in the brightly coloured floral sofa with a matching hassock to rest his feet while listening to cricket on the radio. Take a stroll through the house and see if you recall the doilies thrown on the arm and back of the chair- they were either knitted or crocheted and came in several colours. Linoleum in those times was the crème de la crème and were the equivalent of the exquisite wood floors or ceramic tiles that we now put on our floors.

I dread to reincarnate the memory of the whatnot, that strapping wooden structure that was placed in the living room to house memorabilia, trophies, and dare I mention it, figurines. This same massive structure had storage funtions at the base either enclosed or made of glass. Which are more dreadful the what-not or the figurines and ornaments that adorned the hideous mass? No offence to those who still maintain these ‘historic monuments’ that should only be preserved in a time capsule. But make way for more sleek, sophisticated and edgy décor that will have your interior looking more modern and appealing.

Today the Jamaican interior has a definite “look”. Our homes are filled with personality and spirit.

We appreciate colour, so our walls are usually vibrant with a livelier accent wall. Paint retailers have a heck of a time keeping up with special mixes during Christmas time. Our tiled floors have evolved from terrazzo to porcelain, and we are right up there with up-to-the-minute trends in wall and floor tiles. Jamaica’s sought after climate lends itself to natural woods and uncomplicated furnishings so the lines of our upholstered pieces are clean and size appropriate for the homes being built. Artwork runs the gamut from museum quality masterpieces to contemporary pop art. The local art scene has exploded with creativity and originality. So much for those for those generic plaques with scriptures and mass produced pictures of the Crucifix – we now have an eye for abstract pieces, bold sculptures and pottery than all dig graves for the ceramic animals that transformed our homes into Hindu shrines.

The demand for home furnishings is so great that retailers have been challenged to look at the Jamaican consumer differently.  Along with prescription items, Pharmacies widened their scope and now sell home accessories.  Home Improvement  and Furniture Stores have raised the bar in store design and selection, they  now offer affordable, quality home furnishings in an environment that rivals any superstore in a first world economy.  We can now take a breath of fresh air; our décor can stand beside the world and not feel inferior to the global taste for exquisiteness.

The demand for home furnishing is so great that retailers have been challenged to look at the Jamaican consumer differently. Along with prescription items, Pharmacies widened their scope and now sell home accessories. Home Improvement and Furniture Stores have raised the bar in store design and selection, they now offer affordable, quality home furnishings in an environment that rivals any superstore in a first world economy. We can now take a breath of fresh air; our décor can stand beside the world and not feel inferior the global taste of exquisiteness.