When it comes to decor and Interior Design,  decor enthusiasts are willing to make with its furniture a really good impression.  In this will, people tend to look for safe bets.  A safe bet, in decor, is a furniture arrangement and selection that has proven to be quite popular.

But when something is too popular, and it appears everywhere, it could turn into a cliche. And we don’t want a cliche.  And a terrifying question: Is the Barcelona Chair a cliche? Let’s take a look.

It sounds bad, but: What exactly is a cliche?

A cliche is not a mistake. It’s an overused practice that is considered boring and ultimately bad taste.

A cliche is like an old wasted song. We hear it so many times that we don’t want to listen again for a while because it played so many times on the radio, TV, and all over.  Think about “I Will always love you”, the ethereal song by Whitney Houston. Though, while it is a cliche, and we don’t want to listen to it for a while, one day we’ll want to listen to it again because in the end is a good song. Just not now. Same as music happens with Interior Design. Some trends and some particular room arrangements became so hot and profusely used in the past, that they will not be coming back any time soon. Think about the lava lamps of the 1970s.

Cliches in interior design trends

Cliches have many ways to express. They are not only about a copycat style, but they have to do with decor practices and rules that we tend to take too seriously some times. Let’s take a look.

Copycat Style clichés

We call copycat cliches to the habit of doing furniture arrangements or decor renovations strictly with the classic elements of one style, without any improvement or addition of our own personality or style. 

Scandinavian cliches

For example, in Scandinavian style, the preference for all-white, clear, profusely lightened, pristine bedrooms is a little bit overused. If you decorate your room only with whites, white sheets, and a bed of a pale wood head top, your room will be maybe peaceful, but it maybe will lack some personal touch, too. An all-clear white bedroom was something immensely popular at the beginnings of the 2000s, but 20 years later, don’t you think there should be some improvements or additions that make us think that time just doesn’t only pass away?.

Mid Century Modern clichés

The same may happen with Mid Century Modern. That executive living room,  full of leather and wood textures,  with the arch famous Eames Lounge Chair at the end of the room,  and the dark wood panels in the wall, plus the Arco Lamp in that corner, is something a little bit overused, too.  How many magazines display an image like that?

Remember you should try to give your space a touch of authenticity, and not lo look as a magazine, or even a set of the TV series Mad Men or Frasier. Your house is not a TV set, and while we certainly use its rich reservoir to find inspiration, it’s true that an authentic successful space has personalty a sense of your own.

Find your personal story, and make it counts in your space with your details: A photograph, a paint made by yourself, a musical instrument, there are so many possibilities to make your Barcelona Chair shines as personal journeys are in your own house.

In our next article, we’ll talk about practical cliches. Don’t be afraid to break some rules, and stay away from cliches. Go to  Manhattan Home Design and discover the Barcelona Chair, one of the trademarks of Interior Design.