By Belinda Silbert
The onset of the Invasion of Ukraine has brought the prospect of a world-wide recession becoming unavoidable. The world's supply- chains are already being affected as a result of the domino-effect of sanctions on Russia.
The ethos of austerity that accompanies all wars will make itself felt in the way we decorate and furnish our environments, writes futurist Belinda Silbert.
Human beings have the need for home and hearth and a place to retreat to in comfort and safety. As the world watches the plight of the Ukrainian refugees, the stark contrast between our homes and the experience of those who are now homeless within the space of a couple of weeks has shocked us viscerally.
As the war progresses, there will be those who will respond with embarrassment at their own lavish lifestyles in comparison to those who have nothing but bomb-shelters and refugee camps. They will start to think of toning down the plushness of their own environments.
“This paring down of luxury will become a more widespread practice if the war spreads to other countries. Austerity will not be a decor choice, it will be an unwelcome reality since we will be spending most of our money on food and fuel.
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Human beings are very influenced by colour and furnishings will become starker and decor will shift to the "cooler" palettes with greys and blues dominating. Comfort items will be soft-furnishings and bed-linen that is cuddly but not pricey
The shapes will be more functional . Chairs and tables will have squarer lines . There will be an emphasis on form following function- the necessity for being able to "lock and go" will influence furnishings so that they become simpler and organised storage will be of prime importance. People will want to know where their documents are so that they can leave rapidly if necessary.
The growth of the upcycling movement will be astronomical as increasing numbers of the population repurpose furniture and decor rather than buying new items. Repairing and refurbishing will become invaluable skills in this economy.
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There is a very small section of the population who are ultra -wealthy and these people will have the opposite reaction to those who make up ninety-nine percent of the nation. The ultra-rich will "feel the pinch" but will backlash by making their environments ultra-luxurious so that they feel that they have a haven.
Those who are able to may indulge their paranoia of a nuclear holocaust by building new homes that include dual-purpose basements and cellars that are stocked with survival rations in addition to being areas that are for recreation when not needed as bomb-shelters.
What will change is that the ultra-rich will close their doors so that their luxurious life-styles are not seen by the rest of the populace. They will no longer entertain and thus the kitchen and dining room areas will become more utilitarian, no longer to be displayed as show pieces.