Owning the Original: The Rise in Demand for Art-Led Design

Owning the Original: The Rise in Demand for Art-Led Design

by Clive Wilson in News and Views

The Creative Fatigue Problem

If you’ve noticed that everything’s starting to look a bit samey lately, you’re not imagining it. Scroll through a few online shops or interior accounts and you’ll see what I mean - the same shapes, same colours, same ideas just recycled with different logos. It’s design by déjà vu.

That sameness isn’t because designers have run out of ideas. It’s because data has taken over decision-making. Algorithms know what sells, so that’s what gets made again. And again. It’s efficient, but it’s not very exciting.

Art-led design is starting to challenge that cycle. It’s design that begins with creativity - with emotion, curiosity, colour, or concept, rather than a sales brief. And that’s what people are starting to respond to again: things that feel like they’ve been imagined, not predicted.

How We Got Here — And Why It’s Boring

For years, the formula for commercial success was simple: make something popular, then make it cheaper and faster. But the faster you go, the flatter things get.

When every product is based on trend reports and analytics, you end up with safe, familiar design. The irony is that it worked too well. We trained consumers to expect what they’d already seen, and we trained brands to give it to them. No one meant to strip the joy out of design, it just happened while we were busy optimising everything.

Now, though, people are getting tired of perfect. They want texture, surprise, something that makes them feel a little more connected. That’s where the “art” part comes in.

What Art-Led Design Actually Means

The phrase “art-led” might sound lofty, but it’s really just design that starts with a creative impulse rather than a commercial one. It could begin as a painting, a digital sketch, or even a photograph that captures a particular feeling, then it becomes the foundation for a product, not an afterthought printed on top of one.

You can see this shift in every creative field. Furniture designers are collaborating with painters; textile makers are working directly with photographers; and even major fashion brands are inviting artists to create capsule collections from scratch. It’s not about decoration, it’s about collaboration.

When creativity leads, the result is more distinctive, often imperfect, but far more human. You can feel the difference immediately.

The Emotional Payoff

Here’s something you probably didn’t know: in psychology, we remember tactile experiences longer than visual ones. That’s why you can recall the feel of a particular fabric or the weight of a mug long after you’ve forgotten what it looked like. 

Art-led design taps into that. When someone buys something art-led, they’re not really buying a pattern or colour. They’re buying a connection. A tiny slice of someone else’s imagination they can live with every day. And that connection changes the relationship we have with the objects around us. They stop being background items and start becoming part of our story.

Art-Led Design in the Real World

It’s not a niche idea anymore. Interior designers are using art as the starting point for entire schemes, letting a single painting define a room’s palette and energy.

Smaller makers are building collections around original artwork, creating things that feel cohesive but personal.

Even big retailers are beginning to talk less about trends and more about creative provenance. And let’s be honest, originality sells. Not because it’s rare, but because people are bored of feeling like one of many.

The Future of Creativity

Design used to be about efficiency. Then it became about data. Now, it’s finding its way back to emotion. And that’s a good thing.

The rise of art-led design isn’t about rejecting commerce or scale; it’s about rebalancing the equation so creativity gets to speak first again. We don’t need everything to be unique.

We just need it to feel alive, and to carry a spark of imagination. Because when design starts with art, it tends to end with meaning

Previous Post Next Post

Related Posts

A Trend About Not Following Trends - The ‘Good Ick’

A Trend About Not Following Trends - The ‘Good Ick’

Apparently, homes now need an “ick”. Now, an ick is not pleasant, and certainly not something anyone needs in their life. But we’re talking about a good ick here. The kind of tiny visual shock interior designers are suddenly very excited about. Something that makes you pause, frown slightly, raise an eyebrow, and then nod approvingly as you decide you love it after all. The good ick is just the latest in a long line of interior trends that present themselves as natural phenomena - as though the universe simply whispered, “Your home needs something a bit weird,” and the industry dutifully nodded and declared it a movement. Of course, trends don’t arrive by accident. They are carefully packaged, presented, pushed, reposted, and eventually absorbed until we forget where they started. The fact they’re often sold back to us as instinctive discoveries is… well, part of the fun. Fashion is famously famous for creating trends, and when the industry temporarily runs out of ideas, or enough time has passed for a new generation to fit the demographic, a previous trend is simply recycled. Bell-bottom trousers appeared in the 70s, disappeared, reappeared, vanished again, and are probably now back for another lap as if they reinvented themselves overnight. And then there are colours. Every decade or so, beige is declared “dead”, and grey becomes the new beige. Then grey reaches its sell-by date and is replaced with greige, which is later reinvented as Elephant’s Breath or Hint of Fog. It’s classic repackaging. Big brands do it brilliantly, and we happily go along with it because it’s familiar enough to feel safe, new enough to feel exciting, and right now it’s “so on trend.” An example closer to the good ick theme is dopamine décor, where bold, clashing colours and contrasting patterns that would never have been entertained in the same space, let alone on the same sofa, are suddenly considered bang on trend because someone coined the phrase and a movement was born. But here’s the thing: the thinking behind the “good ick” isn’t actually wrong. In fact, it’s really quite refreshing. It’s just not new. The Thing We Keep Pretending Is New The most memorable rooms in the world aren’t memorable because they followed a trend. They stand out because something in them feels unexpected and alive. Call it friction, contrast, tension… or yes, if you must, a good ick, but what’s interesting isn’t that it’s suddenly fashionable. It’s that we needed someone to name it before we could accept it and get on with it. Why Naming It Changes Everything The moment a trend becomes a trend, especially once it’s given a label, it stops being radical. It becomes a checklist. Add a quirky lamp. Clash a stripe with a floral. Throw in a statement wall. Read an article about how bold choices are “in” this season. None of this is bad. Trends help people join the conversation and feel comfortable using their newly found language. It’s good because it keeps movements moving and trends trending. But for us, the real joy has nothing to do with trends. We love the moment someone chooses an artwork design because it stirs an emotion in them, not because it’s trending on Instagram. It could be a piece of art that shifts the energy of a room. A velvet throw that steals attention from something “safer”, or a bold, metre-square floor cushion that shouldn’t work but absolutely does. And none of this is because it’s fashionable, but because it feels yours. A Different Way to Look at It If the “good ick” is a label that gives people permission to be braver, that’s great and it deserves to be embraced. So, if you find a piece that jars slightly or makes you wince a little, yet there’s something about it that you can’t let go and continues to draw you in, try giving in to it. Use it. Enjoy it. Twist it. Just don’t ignore it. Not because it follows a trend, but because it breaks one. And don’t let anyone convince you that individuality needs to be justified. Something to Ponder In the end, trends aren’t the enemy. They can be genuinely helpful, especially in interiors where so much of what works comes down to proportions, balance, contrast and tone. The people shaping those ideas are incredibly talented, and there’s a lot to learn from them. A trend can point you in a direction you might not otherwise have explored, and in that sense you should treat it as a guide rather than a rulebook. But the irony is that trends only feel daring at the very beginning. When you’re ahead of them, you’re seen as confident and instinctive. Once they’re everywhere, once the magazines have written about them and a couple on Grand Designs has embraced them with great enthusiasm, you’re no longer ahead of anything. You’re simply following the pack. This is why the most interesting homes are the ones where someone has trusted their own emotional responses - not in spite of trends, but beyond them. They’ve taken what’s useful, ignored what isn’t, and created something that feels unmistakably theirs. If they love it, that's all that matters. So if a piece catches your eye for reasons you can’t explain, or if something slightly off-centre makes you hesitate and lean in at the same time, give it space. Sit with it. Consider it. That’s where your taste begins. Not with what’s trending, but with what you feel. And if that happens to align with a trend, that’s fine. If it doesn’t, that’s even better. Because at that point you’re not following anything. You’re choosing.

Learn more
The Art of Buying Art: Learning to Trust Your Instincts

The Art of Buying Art: Learning to Trust Your Instincts

Buying art can feel oddly intimidating, especially when it's your first piece. It’s one of those things everyone tells you should be instinctive, yet the moment you start looking, your confidence evaporates. You start second-guessing yourself, and because art has a reputation for snobbery, many people give up before they even begin. But the truth is, you don’t need permission to buy what you love. If something draws you in, makes you stop scrolling, or pulls you across a room, that’s all the expertise you need. Taste isn’t a qualification, it’s an instinct. But there’s more to choosing a piece of art than going with your gut. It’s personal, emotional, and yes, sometimes a little egotistical. And that’s part of what makes it so interesting. The ego bit (and why it’s perfectly okay) Part of buying art is about how it makes you look. Yes, you're choosing something to hang on a wall, but you’re also making a statement about what you value. And that’s just human nature. We use art the same way we use clothes, music, or even language — to express who we are, or who we’d like to be. The only trap is buying for the wrong audience, and the moment you start worrying about what your family or friends will think, you lose the connection that made the piece special in the first place. At the very least, if a piece of art still makes you smile every time you walk past it, that’s really the only thing that counts. Why people freeze at the idea of buying art For many people, the hardest part of buying art isn’t finding what they like, it’s trusting that liking it is enough to part company with their hard-earned cash — and the fear of getting it wrong runs deep. We’ve been conditioned to believe that taste is a skill rather than a feeling. Our brains make emotional decisions about what appeals to us in a second or two. Some even say it’s within a tenth of a second. But that instant spark of attraction, whether it’s to a painting, a pattern, or a person, is almost always genuine. Everything after that is just rationalisation. So if a piece keeps catching your eye, take note of that reaction. It’s not coincidence; it’s your brain recognising something it connects with on a subconscious level. Maybe that's your "gut feeling." Who knows? The rules that don’t matter Let’s dismantle a few myths while we’re here. Matching your décor: Your décor will change, but art is a moment captured in time and doesn’t need to blend in. Art is its own exquisite piece of self-contained décor. It's a long game: Don’t overthink whether you’ll still like it in ten years. Taste evolves, and that’s fine, but the art you choose today tells the story of who you are now. Other people’s opinions: Art lives for the opinions it creates. There's no good, bad, right, or wrong. Art just is what it is, so let people have their opinions and enjoy how your art is making them feel. An opinion is a perspective, not a judgement. The point is, most of the so-called “rules” about buying art exist to make people feel safe, not happy. And the reality is, you’re buying it for you to love. The things that actually matter Some decisions about buying art do make a difference, but none of them should overshadow your emotional response. ScaleArt nearly always looks smaller in a gallery or online than it does at home, and that's primarily because photographing art in the context of a room is challenging. If you want the art to fill the photo, you lose all sense of how it feels in a room and how it lives in relation to other objects such as furniture or a fireplace. But photographing a room requires a wider-angle shot that can easily make the art disappear. Bigger pieces are generally more engaging and more impactful. As long as you’re not swamping a space, going larger than you first thought will be hugely rewarding. Big pieces add confidence; small ones add intimacy, and when placed together, they form a unique partnership — the effect can be truly powerful. LightYour home is not like a gallery with controlled, consistent lighting, so accept the fact that light changes throughout the day — all day, every day. Sunshine and clouds, morning and evening, natural light and artificial light will all impact how your piece looks. Instead of fighting against a large window, embrace it and watch how light dances across your art, changing its mood throughout the day. FramingFrameless canvases can be a statement in their own right; there’s something natural and raw about seeing the often unfinished edge. But mount the canvas in a floating frame and it comes alive. Frames are there to support and define your art, not compete with it. There was a time, of course, when frames were big, bold, hand-carved, often adorned with gold. They were masterpieces in their own right. Nowadays, and especially where space is limited, smaller, more subtle framing defines the space the art occupies, standing back and allowing it to take centre stage. Budget Spend within your comfort zone, not to impress. But remember that art with depth and meaning is, at any price point, an investment in joy. Buying art is true heart-over-head thinking: emotions first, logistics second. The balance you’re looking for is a felt connection with a touch of practicality. Training your eye Education will always increase confidence in almost any walk of life. But exposure is an education in itself. The more art you look at - whether it’s online, in galleries, in hotel lobbies, anywhere - the more you’ll understand what moves you, what lights you up, and what makes you smile. The more you look, the more you’ll start to notice the colours and shapes that draw you in, the pieces that calm you versus those that energise you. Does abstract art light up your brain, or do landscapes or still life draw you in? Spending time just looking is how taste forms; gradually, quietly, through repetition and attention. The goal isn’t to become an art expert. It’s to become fluent in your own visual language and trust what floats your boat. The moment of decision Every art purchase has its wobble point - that split second where excitement and anticipation turn to doubt. What if it doesn’t look right? It’s too big or too small? What will others say? What if I regret it? That’s fear talking, not instinct. In reality, if you get to the point where you know what you want and you’re pretty sure you’re going to buy it - but then you don’t - you’ll very likely remember those pieces longer than the ones you did. Most collectors say their biggest regrets are the artworks they walked away from when they instinctively knew at the time they should have bought them. And in any case, who wants to pass up an opportunity for continued joy? If you can afford it, and it moves you, take the leap. You’ll find the space, you’ll smile every time you see it, and you’ll probably end up wondering why you ever hesitated. A final thought: Own it Regardless of what some might want you to believe, art is not a test of sophistication; it’s an expression of personal connection. In fact, it’s just an expression - of you. We buy what we love, whether it’s cars, clothes, music, or houses. You’ve been doing it all your life with the things you really want and know you’re going to love, and mostly you don’t hesitate. Why? Because it feels right. So, keep that in mind when you’re considering buying a piece of art. Trust yourself. Ignore the noise. And when something catches your breath, don’t ask permission, just own it.

Learn more
The Art of Printing: How Modern Ink Technology Brings Colour to Life

The Art of Printing: How Modern Ink Technology Brings Colour to Life

The Hidden Side of Every Artwork When you look at a beautifully printed design, it’s easy to focus on the colour, texture, or composition, and forget that behind it all is a remarkable bit of science. The way inks are created and applied can completely change how a design looks, feels, and lasts. At Zanoogo, we work with producers who print using water-based inks, precision equipment, and a great deal of expertise. But even in an age of digital everything, there’s still a surprising amount of craft involved in getting colour just right. From Pigment to Print All printing starts with pigment - colour in its most concentrated form. Modern pigment inks are carefully engineered to stay vibrant, stable, and environmentally safe. Water-based inks, in particular, have become the industry standard for high-quality design printing because they contain fewer harmful chemicals and far less waste. Instead of using harsh solvents to push colour into fabric, water-based inks rely on fine pigments suspended in, quite literally, water. The result is softer, longer-lasting prints that maintain colour accuracy across everything from silk to velvet. Digital printing technology has changed the game even further. Instead of mass-producing rolls of pre-printed fabric, designs are now applied directly to order, in exact quantities. That means no overproduction, no stockpiles of unwanted material, and no compromise on detail. Different Ways to Print Colour Not all fabrics behave the same way, so neither can the inks. Modern printing uses several specialist techniques to make sure each material looks and feels exactly as it should. Dye Sublimation is the method used for many of our soft velvets and performance fabrics — the ones that form our lampshades, slipper chairs, and plush throws. It uses heat and pressure to turn ink into vapour, which bonds permanently with the fibres. The result is deep, vivid colour that won’t fade or crack, even on richly textured synthetic fabrics. For natural materials such as silk and cotton, Digital Pigment Printing achieves a similar level of precision in a different way. Water-based inks are applied directly onto the surface and then fixed using heat, preserving the fabric’s natural drape and breathability while delivering excellent colour accuracy. Both techniques have their strengths, and each one is chosen for a reason: to reproduce the artwork faithfully while keeping the character of the fabric intact. Precision, Layer by Layer Modern inkjet printers don’t “paint”,  they build. Thousands of microscopic nozzles spray the inks in carefully calculated layers, blending colours directly on the surface of the material. It’s a process that requires engineering as much as artistry. Temperature, humidity, and fabric density all affect how ink behaves. Even the weave or pile of a fabric can change the way light interacts with colour. That’s why every material, whether it's silk, leather, or velvet, requires its own tailored print settings to achieve a perfect finish. The beauty of today’s digital methods is consistency. Once those settings are tuned, every print comes out exactly as intended, colour-matched, sharp, and ready to become something remarkable. Cleaner, Safer, Smarter Older solvent-based inks were notorious for their strong odours and environmental impact. Water-based alternatives have changed that completely. They’re non-toxic, free from heavy metals and volatile compounds, and safer for the people who work with them. They also make sustainable printing genuinely possible. Because the ink sits on or within the fabric rather than soaking through it, waste water is minimal. And with print-on-demand production, nothing is printed until a customer chooses it, meaning creativity now comes with conscience built in. Why It Matters When someone buys a product for its artwork, the quality of printing defines how that art lives in their home. Fine colour gradients, texture, light — all depend on how those inks were mixed and applied. Technology may have changed the process, but the goal remains the same: to bring colour to life as beautifully and faithfully as possible. The modern difference is that we can now do it without harming the planet. Every print tells two stories: one through the artwork, and one through the technology that makes it possible. Understanding both is what turns good design into great craftsmanship, and keeps colour alive for years to come.

Learn more

Zanoogo Ltd. Registered in England & Wales. No. 15712688. | Registered Office (no correspondence): 34 Croydon Road, Surrey CR3 1QB | VAT Number: GB467997802

Ecologi The Green Web Foundation Website Carbon Calculator Good Business Charter