By Editor,Ellen Coughlan

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New interiors book slams ‘soulless’ minimalism and says surrounding ourselves with ‘stuff’ is what really makes us happy

India Knight predicts minimalism is finally on its way out

Read more: From Le Creuset to Smeg fridges and Nespresso machines, SARAH RAINEY reveals ALL the popular items that prove you’re out of style

By ELLEN COUGHLAN, ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE JOURNALIST

Published: 14:51 BST, 5 October 2025 | Updated: 15:16 BST, 5 October 2025

An interiors author has slammed the ‘soulless’ luxury that dominates modern homes, saying in her new book that surrounding ourselves with clutter and things that have personal meaning is what really makes people feel at home.

India Knight, who lives in a characterful pink and green home in West Sussex, and has penned a new book called Home, says sleek and Scandi is slowly being usurped by chintz and kitsch.

In a bold rejection of the sterile, beige-on-beige aesthetic that has dominated British homes for the past two decades, Knight is championing the return of personality, clutter, and personality into our homes.

Once banished to the attic in the name of modernity, floral fabric is making a defiant comeback, she says, along with the idea that homes shouldn’t be curated for Instagram.

Knight has taken aim at the current obsession with ‘luxury’ interiors; cold, showroom-style spaces furnished with little more than expensive appliances – as recent reports suggest, brands once considered staples of middle-class households are rapidly going out of fashion.

According to her, price tags and prestige brands don’t guarantee good taste, in fact, the more costly the interior, the more likely it is to feel ‘soulless’.

And with British brand Laura Ashley, once a symbol of floral excess, making a triumphant return to the UK high street – via a brand new 10,000sqft store – it seems the tide really is turning.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Knight said: ‘Too many of us live in a sort of stage set, a space decorated not to satisfy the yearnings of one’s private heart but instead designed to impress or awe or provoke envy in other people. That is no way to live. It’s time to break free!’

Author India Knight, from West Sussex, revealed minimalism and contemporary Scandi design is finally on its way out, as she claimed chintz is back in her new book Home (stock image)

While status-symbol items like Smeg fridges and Le Creuset casseroles once signalled domestic chic, even these are now thought to be falling out of favour with interiors fans.

Instead, Knight argues, it’s time to look backward and embrace the comfort, colour and joy of the things we genuinely love.

She wrote: ‘Individuality, spirit, confidence, eccentricity and quirk all evaporated seemingly overnight, replaced with identikit decor that would offend nobody.’

Central to her message is the idea that our homes should reflect who we are, not what trends dictate.

For Knight, that means surrounding ourselves with beloved books, treasured objects, family heirlooms and patterns with a story, the exact kind of ‘stuff’ that glossy interiors magazines have long advised us to hide away.

She said: ‘Your house isn’t for other people. It’s not for Instagram. It’s for you. I think we have really lost track of that.’

In her book, she wanted to ‘celebrate stuff’ and explain how to display it in your home to make the most of it.

She referred to a cultural shift from the mid-90s message that urged Britain to ‘chuck out your chintz.’

In a bold rejection of the sterile, beige-on-beige aesthetic that has dominated British homes for the past two decades, Knight is championing the return of personality, clutter, and identify into their homes

An IKEA campaign at the time encouraged Brits to bin their floral furnishings and embrace a stripped-back Scandinavian look (stock image)

Once banished to the attic in the name of modernity, the once-maligned floral fabric is making a defiant comeback, along with the idea that homes should be filled with character, not curated for Instagram

An IKEA campaign at the time encouraged Brits to bin their floral furnishings and embrace a stripped-back Scandinavian look.

She claimed the aim was to create order, calm, and simplicity, but in doing so, a great deal of charm and individuality was lost.

Knight revealed that now, in a twist of fate, even IKEA has started producing bold, richly patterned textiles that wouldn’t look out of place on a chintz-upholstered armchair- perhaps a sign that even the champions of minimalism are finally seeing the light.

It comes after recent reports revealed brands once considered staples of middle-class households are rapidly going out of fashion.

Luxury appliance brand Smeg – maker of pastel-hued retro fridges and food mixers – has warned of a slump, amid a ‘challenging economic landscape’.

Aga Rangemaster, the parent company of Aga, has seen a sharp drop in UK sales of its iconic cookers.

Le Creuset, which saw a surge in demand during the pandemic, is also fading – fast. You’ll find its crockery going cheap at John Lewis and TK Maxx, as well as £50 Le Creuset ‘mystery boxes’– a clever way to get rid of old stock, direct from the warehouse – going viral on TikTok.

Top chefs now prefer trendier ovenware from brands such as Our Place and HexClad instead.

So why are the middle classes turning their backs on classic cookware? In a cost-of-living crisis, most of us can’t justify splurging £14,000 on an Aga or £300 on a saucepan.

Meanwhile British brand Laura Ashley, known for its floral designs, returned to the high street last week, five years after falling into administration and shutting 150 stores.

The retailer opened a flagship 10,000sq ft store at Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock, Essex, which offers a ‘comprehensive lifestyle destination under one roof’, Retail Week reported.

Shoppers can browse homeware, decor, women’s fashion, sleepwear and children’s clothes – and all nearing the brand’s trademark floral designs.

A dedicated design hub features Laura Ashley’s signature made-to-measure fabrics, alongside wallpaper and paint collections. The store is operated in partnership with Next.

Laura Ashley’s revival comes just eight months after it was sold to Marquee Brands, the US owner of Ben Sherman.

The new owner said it was looking to reintroduce Laura Ashley as a ‘refreshed retail concept’.

Marquee Brands chief commercial and growth officer Rachel Terrace said: ‘Laura Ashley stores have always been destinations of inspiration, where consumers could explore and immerse themselves in the brands’s world of design.

‘This opening represents a significant milestone in Laura Ashley’s return to the UK retail market and signals the next phase of growth for the brand.’

A spokesperson for Next said it was ‘excited’ to be partnering on bringing the brand back to the high street.

The firm had been a favourite on UK high streets and counted Princess Diana and Holly Willoughby among its fans.

But it ran into financial difficulties at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and forced to close all its stores, leaving hundreds of employees out of a job.

The business came from humble beginnings.

Welsh designer Laura Ashley started out by sewing headscarves and napkins on her kitchen table in Pimlico, London in 1953.

Having gained quilting experience with her local Women’s Institute, she would make garments while her husband Bernard printed them and they would take mail orders and sell to High Street retailers such as John Lewis.

The business moved to Kent and then her native Wales in the late 1950s and early 1960s, as the brand established itself and gained momentum.

Its signature flowing, floral dress became a staple of the late 1970s all around the world.

Diana was often seen in her dresses and unwittingly shut down production once after she wore a £50 granddad collar gown to a photo call, with staff unable to cope with demand.

But after the ‘Diana effect’ died down, the brand had to rely increasingly on its homeware to make money.

Heath Golden, chief executive officer of Marquee Brands, said at the time of the acquisition: ‘Laura Ashley’s licensed business model and robust group of high-quality partners makes the brand a seamless addition to Marquee Brands.

‘We are excited to harness the strong affinity for this iconic brand and drive expansion across new platforms and partnerships.

‘With the existing UK team in place, we are primed and ready to leverage Laura Ashley’s seven-decade legacy to unlock its future potential as a full lifestyle brand innovating new products and categories, offering unique collaborations and engaging multi-generational audiences in key markets worldwide.’

Laura Ashley is the latest brand name to enjoy a return to the high street, following Topshop which has opened a concession in Liberty London.

Home by India Knight (Penguin £22) is published on October 16th

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New interiors book slams ‘soulless’ minimalism and says surrounding ourselves with ‘stuff’ is what really makes us happy

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