Has it gone too far?

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 2 of 13, A24 *
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The ease of sharing photos nowadays has led to rampant styling of almost everything. To some, it's a cornucopia of creativity – and to others, it's an annoying plea for attention that just needs to stop.

Earlier this month, I came across a New York Times article about a recent social media trend that entails a twist on documenting your travels. Those grey plastic bins for depositing your personal items while going through security are now a prime venue for arranging and photographing your stuff:

I had to grin reading the piece because it seems like a natural extension of decorating's ever-moving frontier. In our last issue of the summer, we highlighted a similar article about styling fridge interiors.

On a second read, I realized the trend is more interesting than I thought. Some are taking inspiration from real-life travel snapshots and making their own staged equivalents at home. For example, graphic designer Piper Taich set up arrangements on her living room floor:

On my initial scan of the article, I thought these artful tableaus were the real thing. I could hardly believe that a high-pressure situation like a security line could include such thoughtful placements.

Instead, these are more aspirational. Life is constantly tilting us towards chaos, and it takes enormous stamina to establish little islands of decorum. Why not make the effort, using these images to inspire?

Grey plastic bins are really just another form of framing. Earlier this year, we studied the curious power of this micro-decorating move. In our efforts to build a comfy nest, we're often framing without realizing it.

Take a closer look at Piper's arrangements. They're pleasing and at the same time slightly haphazard. Some items are in tight perpendiculars, others are hastily angled. There's a rushed sensation as well as serendipity. Maybe if we up our attention levels, take care with details, our days can become impromptu objects of design.

But does every nook, every crevice, every unattended corner need to be fussed over? The limits of your aesthetic ambition are yours to set. In my view, it's great we live in a world where design avenues are so readily shared.

Over to you

What's your take on styling and its fast-expanding boundaries? Is it a harmless pleasure in a disorganized world? Or a risky form of ego gratification? Share your ideas in the Comments section below.

Is there an area of your home you feel compelled to arrange and rearrange, even though it's a bit over-the-top? Let me know and it may spark a future issue of the newsletter. Until next Wednesday...

Thank you for reading.