‘Curated Clutter’ Is The Interior Design Trend We’ve All Been Waiting For

January reset not quite going to plan? If the idea of decluttering your home feels as far off as any possibility of sunny weather during this particularly gloomy month, you’ll be thrilled to find out that clutter is, in fact, the latest interior design craze. Here’s the rundown on the curated clutter trend, and how you can get involved (if you’re not already).

The Curated Clutter Trend, Explained

DFS

Ever heard of the frazzled English woman interior design aesthetic? Well, it all started with the return of Bridget Jones, and it hinges upon one simple feature: clutter. Scandi minimalism might be all the rage, but what most of us are much more familiar with is a markedly lived-in and lovingly cluttered home – which is exactly what the emerging ‘curated clutter’ trend champions.

So, mess might be trending, but how exactly do you make it look… intentional? There’s a method to the madness, according to Etsy’s trend expert, Dayna Isom Johnson. ‘Items don’t always need to be tidied away in a cupboard that’s already bursting at the seams,’ she explains. ‘This trend is about thoughtfully displaying your belongings instead.’

Rather than committing to a total overhaul of your possessions, then, you can figure out how you might put them on show – which, by extension, will help you understand what, exactly, you’d be willing to display in your home, and what you might be better off selling or donating. 

Furniture Village

To get started, Dayna suggests seeking out the trinkets and knick knacks you’d like to exhibit, and finding some creative ways to organise them. ‘Try stacking your prettiest serving bowls on your kitchen counter and using them as fruit bowls,’ she notes. ‘You can even use an aesthetic tray as a stage to place some of your favourite skincare products in your bedroom.’

From wicker baskets and antique cabinets to handmade ceramics and stoneware jugs, there are plenty of ways to show off some of your most treasured items – but the beauty of this particular trend, of course, is that it forgoes the formulaic and encourages us to embrace a bit of chaos. Forget meticulously styled shelves and coffee tables; think stacks of books, clusters of houseplants, and plenty of picture frames and mementos. 

To curate your clutter, then, is simply to express yourself using some meaningful homeware. ‘I particularly love this trend as it allows you to create an environment that feels lived-in, welcoming, and uniquely yours,’ Dayna reflects. ‘Breaking away from the uniformity of minimalism, it really celebrates individuality.’