The Neighbor Syndrome
I am approached with many design opportunities with lovely individuals who truly want a unique space. They come to First Creek Interiors to have a space that is curated so that it may “speak” straight to their souls. The interior of your home should feel like a reflection of who you are… because each and every one of us is truly unique. We live day in and day out doing different daily routines, we have different families, we have different interests, and are attracted to different aesthetics.
All of us want a home that is timeless that you won’t feel like you have to change out every year because the decor feels dated. However, if you find a style for your interiors that “hugs” you and welcomes you each time that you get home… why would you want to change that?
I challenge each and every one of my clients to reach outside of the realm of what you see done on HGTV, Instagram, or your neighbors. What happens is that we all start copying each other. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? True in most cases, but it shouldn’t be like that in interior design. Interior design is a chance to be expressive, artistic, and create a visceral feeling in a home.
From my experience, there are two reasons “the neighbor syndrome” happens.
The first reason is that, when you shop retail, you are experiencing the current trends. For example, if you are shopping for tile and go to the big box stores, the aisles are filled with grey, white and black. These are the on-trend colors for tile this season. So naturally, if you and your neighbor are both re-doing the bathroom at the same time, and those are your only options, then of course you are going to feel like those are the best choices at your disposal. Furthermore, social media backs up these choices, by showing us all sorts of pictures with these elements. White subway tile is a great example. It is an inexpensive and classic choice for most homes, but I don’t feel it belongs in every home, and certainly, there are better choices on the market than reverting to the white subway for all bathrooms in the 2020’s.
The second reason “neighbor syndrome” happens is due to fear or lack of trust in the homeowner and designer relationship. Why does one hire an interior designer or decorator? Often it is to get a fresh perspective on your space so that it can be the best possible version. I’ve discovered that most homeowners retreat into the land of “white and neutral” because they have seen it done before, and they are scared of doing anything that they could not visualize for their space. The great advantage to hiring an interior designer is that often they have sources for more unusual items that are further reaching than the big box stores. This allows for your shopping options to be more wide spread and so you are guaranteed to acquire a look that is totally unique!
Luckily, with First Creek Interiors, we have the capabilities to create life-like 3D renders of your artistic, totally fresh, colorful, and totally unique to your space! We are here to hold your hand and make sure you don’t fall victim to the “neighbor syndrome”. Welcome to the other side, it feels great here!