Design Notes

How To Build The Base
+ Love It For Years

Cult's Head of Brand + Creative talks about getting the fundamentals right and the beauty of taking it slow.

3 min read

What do we mean "Building A Base"?

From a design perspective, it's how you create something that actually feels personal. And from a brand perspective, it's how you move away from disposable interiors. Invest properly in your anchors - sofa, dining table, lighting, etc.- and use your smaller accents to experiment.

Sometimes I find this difficult to do myself, but resisting the urge to finish everything at once can be for the best.

Getting the Fundamentals Right

Getting the Fundamentals Right

Getting the Fundamentals Right

Getting the Fundamentals Right

"The most sustainable spaces I see are the ones where people get the fundamentals right: layout, light, a key piece of furniture. Then letting the rest evolve."

Becka Cutler-Garratt, Head of Brand + Creative at Cult

Emotional Longevity

We talk a lot about product lifespan, material quality and overall durability, which are of course very important, but less about the emotional lifespan of a product. You don't always get rid of things just because they break - you get rid of them because you fall out of love with them. So the real question is “how do you design something you want to live with for longer?”

Start with HOW you want to live, not how you want it to look. Your homes aren't static - they move, grow and change. Eg do you have kids and need easy-to-care-for materials? Perhaps you love hosting dinner parties but don't have much space - so an extendable dining table will be your best friend. Do you have lots of unexpected guests? Then think sofa bed.

"By taking time to shop smartly, you'll create more emotional longevity in the design of your home.

At Cult, we're designing for emotional longevity. We want our customers to invest in beautiful, bold design that makes a statement in their home…that they will still love in a decade. It should 'feel right' - don't just buy out of convenience or make rushed decisions. Take your time.

I often find beauty in the details - it can be so subtle. We also love mixing materials and creating something more unique but still at accessible price points. We believe iconic design should be accessible to everyone, no matter their budget.

Building A Base...in Action

PERMISSION TO GO SLOW!

Layering isn't just aesthetically pleasing. It permits you to slow down and not finish your home immediately. You want each piece to have meaning. To still look at it in 5-10 years and feel that love for it; spaces feel way more authentic when they’ve evolved.

It can be an expensive game, buying into trends in the furniture, as you'll forever be redesigning your home as they evolve. Instead, get to know your own personal style and build your home around what YOU love rather than what the latest editor loves ! Design is so subjective; there is no right or wrong, and you're the one who will be living with it.

"Build your home like a story, not a snapshot."

You could say trends can be used for inspiration, but ultimately you need to buy into products that you personally love and will not tire of after a couple of years. Invest in good quality, timeless base pieces, then later, smaller, lower-impact items like cushions and vases that might add a fresh feel as and when you feel you need a revamp.

Let it develop over time and have meaning. You'll make better decisions, create less waste, and have a home that feels more like YOU.

Need even more inspiration?