In an era when technology appears to have a chokehold on society, it’s natural to assume everything is possible through a tap, swipe, or AI prompt. However, when it comes to a well-appointed home, designers say: Not so fast. While some crave the human touch of hand-painted murals or a masterfully planned plate wall, a growing number of people are sidestepping the smart house for a more primitive setup.
Goodbye, intelligent devices and Bluetooth-enabled everything. Welcome back, pared-back appliances and mechanical systems. Call it what you want—“dumb homes,” “analog interiors,” or “lo-fi spaces”—but many are yearning for a simpler time. Before screens and Siri, to be precise. For Bari Jerauld, founder of Blank Slate Studio, the shift is a “response to overstimulation.”
“We spend so much of our lives on screens and in fast-moving digital environments, so the home has become the one place people desperately want to feel the opposite,” the London-based designer explains.
“People are asking for warmth, character, and rooms that feel as though they have a history.”
In fact, Jerauld says she first noticed the rise of analog interiors when her clients specifically asked for spaces with a toned-down take on tech. Ditto for Thomas Jayne, an interior designer in New York City. “My clients are saying, ‘I just want to turn on one switch to turn on my lights,’” he says.
They don’t want to have to go
“They don’t want to have to go to a computer and program and push.”
While a comprehensive system seems to offer whole-home control at your fingertips, Dr. Sally Augustin, PhD, an applied environmental psychologist, says otherwise. “Having to override the lighting system, for example, degrades your feeling of control and is a hassle,” she says. “We’ve all had our laptops crash, and smart systems can also misbehave.
If your home is highly automated, you live under a cloud of potential failure.”
A tricked-out home rivaling Tony Stark’s superhero escape can elicit oohs and ahhs from guests, but Augustin says they often create an isolated atmosphere. “People are social animals,” she explains. “They really want to interact.” Designing a home around screens, she says, eliminates “the richer conversation we used to have.” “If someone has a question today, they whip out their phone and Google the answer.”
Venetia Rudebeck, co-founder of Studio Vero in London, says clients love the connectedness of old-school spaces.
“A lot of the trend is being driven by families,” she adds. “Parents are much more aware of how much time is spent on screen, so they’re actively trying to shift that.”
Plus, there’s the nostalgia factor. Think of analog interior as a walk down memory lane to the good ’ol days—and even better vibes. “When those positive memories come to mind, our mood improves, which means our cognitive performance improves,” Augustin shares.
Our ability to get along with others does
“Our ability to get along with others does as well.”
The secret, according to Houston designer Emily Spanos, is to strike a balance between “nostalgic” and “now.” “We can’t go off the grid and not have any tech in our houses, especially because lots of people work from home,” she explains. “I think back to the ‘80s and ‘90s, where there wasn’t this constant stream of being connected.”
Spanos loves to create a “drop zone” near a home’s entryway to shed superfluous screens.
“[My clients] can put their phones there, let them charge, unplug, and really focus on their family,” she says. “You can have an appliance garage with chargers or just a big basket where everyone puts their stuff.”
With smartphones and tablets out of the way, Spanos adds lo-fi alternatives such as a landline and corded phone, which she says is popular among families with young children.
“It’s a cool idea for kids,” she says. “It’s attached to the wall, so you really have to focus on the conversation and not do10 different things on your [smartphone].”
Rudebeck likes to trade in the multi-monitor home office for a simple writing desk, which dates back to the medieval period. “It’s not just functional, it’s a ritual,” she says. “In a world where everything happens on a phone, having a place where you physically sit—even briefly —feels important again.”
Instead of casting the living room as the main character of your home—and pointing all your seating to a big television—Rudebeck encourages you to create cozy spaces for screen-free activities.
We’re working on at least four projects
“We’re working on at least four projects at the moment where clients have specifically asked for spaces that encourage reading, writing, playing games, doing puzzles with their children, or simply sitting and talking,” she says. “That might include a chalkboard wall that can be constantly reinvented, a pool table for teenagers, or a beautiful stack of books that invites you to pick something up.”
Reallocating space and adding heritage furniture is important, but don’t discount the small details.
For example, Samantha Feuer of Noris Studio likes to skip the contemporary can lights. “Layers of lighting are so important to a home,” the Mayville, Tennessee designer explains. “Add surface mount fixtures, lamps, and sconces.” For a time-honored finishing touch, Feuer likes to control light fixtures with rotary dimmers and toggle switches. Speaking of which, Feuer begs you to stick with standard outlets.
“Is it USB or USB-C?” she asks. “Who knows if it’s going to change again. If you’ve already put something in the wall, you’ll just have to pull it out again.”
Hardware aside, Augustin recommends incorporating curved furniture and décor, which evoke the comfort of yesteryear, while Jayne says a handmade rug can “change a space almost immediately.”
“Dumb” homes might be having a moment then and now—but do they have staying power?
Absolutely, designers insist. Feuer points out analog touches are actually more cost-efficient than updating your home’s technology every few years. “You can’t keep up with it,” she says. “Things in a smart home break or are no longer compatible with newer technology. If you have simple switches and simple outlets and things don’t break as easily, it’s timeless.” And who are we kidding?
Classic never goes out of style.
Source: www.vogue.com
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