The Rise of Instagram Homes: How Social Media is Homogenising Home Design

The real Pinterest of course, has made this process a lot easier for me, as it has done for most aspiring homeowners. Gone are the days of flipping through dusty décor catalogues— or, in my case, mentally archiving furniture from unsuspecting dinner hosts. As social media revolutionised creative industries, so too has it transformed interior design. Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have emerged as virtual design galleries, overflowing with millions of images for all design sensibilities and aesthetics. 

Interior Design Content Creation 

What turned into a digital democratisation of sorts, allowed for two prominent changes within this field. First, designers were offered a global stage to display their work and what was once confined to glossy magazines and elite clientele became accessible to anyone with an internet connection. As design enthusiasts engaged directly with top industry professionals and gained insights and inspiration that were previously out of reach, the field became a two-way street. The interactive nature of social media fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, with designers receiving immediate feedback and a front-row seat to evolving trends. 

Second, and far more prevalent now with the ‘Influencer’ title, ‘user-generated content’ emerged in full swing, continuing to challenge normative conceptions of who can produce knowledge and content. Content on interior design began to be broadcast not only by those with theoretical knowledge and fancy degrees, but by anyone who had something to say about it. With the help of TikTok especially, users have become far more in control of design narratives and have made space for a wide range of styles to co-exist instead of entire decades being dominated by a single design aesthetic. Where the 50s were marked by pastels, and the 70s were all about earthy warmth, the 2020s have made room for every niche around the sun. 

Ideas and innovation too, reach audiences in a click. Designer Saba Kapoor, co-founder of Nivasa explains, “My use of cactus leather, originating in Mexico, is a sustainable design practice I might have never heard of without the internet.” This rapid dissemination of information guarantees an ever-evolving, consistently updated design landscape that has accelerated the pace of trend evolution.  

Of course, for the most part this is a dream come true. The endless inspiration and level playing field make social media hard to bargain with. Still, social media’s influence on interior design, much like its effect on all aspects of our lives, remains a double-edged sword. While its ability to open new avenues for accessibility is undeniable, the challenges and concerns it introduces in other areas for both professionals and amateurs only grow with time.  

Trend Cycles & Decision Paralysis 

As it is the case with most industries in the digital age, consumers seem to be spoiled for choice in the online interior design space. Imagine flipping through a million home decor magazines at once – such is the dizzying effect of endless Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards. Whether it is a product, practice, or style, the sheer volume of design options available on social media can lead to a state of overstimulation, confusion and indecision. 

With every designer showcasing their own unique style and décor, the struggle for us netizens becomes less about finding inspiration and more about understanding what exactly we even want. How can we possibly forge a cohesive design vision from this cacophony of must-have furniture and gotta-get-it décor? 

And it is not only that there is a well of information, ideas, and inspiration that consumers are struggling to choose from but also, an accelerated trend cycle. We’ve all seen the influencers’ six part ‘powder room makeover’ series that seems to take place every four months. All these videos truly do is ensure that what’s the darling of the design world one moment is downright dated the next. They reiterate that even if consumers eventually do settle on what products to purchase or styles to adopt, they are bound to reach back to square one in no time at all, trying to update their home according to the most recent fad.  

Much like fashion, this pressure to keep up with the ever-shifting Joneses of design means our poor furniture barely gets a chance to settle in before it’s deemed passé, dramatically shortening the shelf life of decor items. They go viral quickly and lose their appeal just as fast.  

This fleeting sense of novelty fuels a vicious cycle of impulsive purchases. We chase the next viral trend, constantly refreshing our homes in a desperate bid to stay relevant. Not only does this encourage ecologically unsustainable overconsumption but also ultimately leaves buyers dissatisfied. With a mismatched collection of items lacking both harmony and personal identity, they are forced to stay in houses that feel less like a personal haven and more like a disjointed showroom. 

Echo Chambers and a Rigid Approach 

One would think that this space of information overload and on fast-forward would lead to a diverse landscape within this space but oddly enough, social media is also notoriously infamous for its ability to stir up widespread echo chambers. With algorithms like overzealous salespeople shoving the same trends to every user regardless of their individual tastes, these platforms can be a breeding ground for conformity.  

Smita Joshi, Vice President of Nesterra refers to this as a ‘sea of sameness’. “Imagine walking into a bustling marketplace,” she says, “Every stall overflows with beautiful fabrics, but after a while, the patterns start to blend. Drawing inspiration from social media can be like that marketplace”. From the millennials’ donut vases and mason jars to Gen Z’s checkerboard rugs and modular sofas– once it’s on social media, it’s in everyone’s homes. Invariably, these platforms create a clique of ‘in’ designs making it challenging for unconventional styles to gain traction and new ideas to flourish.” 

The lack of originality in clients can be stifling for professionals who have spent decades honing their knowledge and skills within the field. According to Amit and Preeti Porwal, the Founders of IPIPL, social media has gone so far as to completely alter the client-designer relationship when clients approach the design process with a rigid mindset because of online influence.  

Serbian, NYC based designer Ana Kraš suggests, that even mood boarding, a practice that has become the foundation of interior design, might be doing more harm than good. She asserts that they create a narrow vision, confining creativity to what’s already popular rather than encouraging original thought.  

When clients walk in with pre-conceived notions based on their online finds, it can limit the scope for innovative and personalised design solutions. Picture a designer brimming with ideas, only to be met with a client who insists on that ubiquitous jute rug and those macramé wall hangings – where is the room for their creativity and expertise? 

Impractical Expectations and Unrealistic Timelines 

In many ways, professionals feel their knowledge and experience being undermined for the sake of social media testimonies. Pratyusha Reddy, the Co-founder of Studio Dvāra makes an apt comparison to a common practice in medical consulting. She insightfully says that professionals are beginning to feel like doctors who get second-guessed by patients armed with WebMD diagnoses, only here, clients are armed with a Pinterest board and a particularly crafty influencer.  

The issue with this approach is that, like most online content, what is shown on screen represents only a fraction of a complete project. The result of this? Unrealistic timelines and standards of perfection. 

15 second home makeover videos that seemingly transform an entire home in a few weeks give viewers a skewed sense of the time and resources required to make major renovations to one’s home and achieve a quality result. The final result of these renovations also portrays a “Pinterest-perfect” idealised version of reality. The styled and cleaned rooms, immaculate furniture arrangements, and flawless colour palettes function similarly to the beauty industry. They act as the ‘filters’ and ‘makeup’ of interior design, making viewers look at their own lived-in, slightly messy homes and feel like design failures. 

On viewing such videos, clients seek to replicate what they see on the screen within their own homes, frequently making impractical demands that lack the context specific to a site or a client’s real-life needs. Reddy’s co-founder at Studio Dvāra, Dhatri Dabbara offers an anecdote on this very topic. “A client once came to us with a Pinterest board full of minimalist kitchens, completely oblivious to the fact that their family’s lifestyle required way more storage and functionality than those sleek, Instagram-ready spaces could have offered.” After discussing their daily routines and needs, the duo at Studio Dvāra proposed a design that was clean but not as minimal as they expected. The challenge essentially, lay in gently explaining the concerns of practicality in a client’s proposed design and arriving at a tailored solution.  

Way Forward 

These experiences can be pivotal learning moments for designers and clients alike to understand how social media can be used to draw inspiration and be exposed to new ideas while also discerning information and maintaining their own perspectives through the barrage of imagery.  

Recently, newer video trends have surfaced where content creators show their “ugly” home design. The value of a such a trend showcases that what might be ugly to others is actually just a space that is personalised to the owners’ sensibilities. In other words, ignoring what’s en vogue and aiming to create a space that you love and more importantly, can live in. Saba Kapoor explains the process she undergoes with her clients at Nivasa wherein they delve into clients’ daily routines, lifestyles, the materials they enjoy, and the meanings they attach to them. In such a process, social media to explore viable elements, and the aspects like comfort and convenience remain at the forefront. 

Moreover, beyond mere convenience, it is also important to keep in mind the more metaphysical elements that give the residents a feeling of homeliness and warmth. Aparna Kaushik, the founder and head architect at the Aparna Kaushik Design Group describes this perfectly as “the power of storytelling in reclaiming individuality in design.” She invites her clients to share their stories, memories, and aspirations to transform personal narratives into foundational elements of their home’s design. This method of creation takes a step away from the hyper-visual approach to design and builds a home that stands as a constant reminder of who lives there.On the same note, vintage and hand-me-down items serve a similar purpose that of course leans into sustainability but also links back to the notion of having that a unique space by adding one-of-a-kind elements.    

Evidently, the design process by nature is interactive and collaborative and must be taken forward with such an ethos. Whether one is combining social media inspiration with professional suggestions like Reddy and Dabbara, organising conceptual modelling and sketching sessions like the Porwals, or planning creative workshops like Kaushik, promoting a sense of ownership and contribution from the client’s end can broaden design possibilities far beyond aesthetic appeal. The answer lies in co-creation. 

The key at the centre of it all, is to strike a balance with social media and know when to harness other resources. Social media can sometimes stifle creativity if it leads to mere imitation, but it can also be a rich source of ideas and innovation when used mindfully. The goal is to reap the benefits of social media to inspire and inform while ensuring that the final designs remain authentic and personalised.  

Ultimately, integrating social media’s vast visual repository with professional insight and personal narratives offers a comprehensive approach to modern interior design. It is a harmonious blend that respects individuality, fosters innovation, and celebrates the unique stories that turn a house into a home.