Perfection is dead, says deco guru

(AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA)

"Martha Stewart is sooo over," according to Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, founder of design blog and one of Time's 50 best websites, Apartment Therapy.

Interior design blogs including ShelterPop reported that deco guru Gillingham-Ryan caused a heated debate during a conference last week when he claimed in his keynote presentation that Stewart's perfectionistic decorating style was "dead."

Organizers of interior fairs such as Maison&Objet in Paris and the Saloni in Milan have repeatedly heralded the return to basics and the expression of personal style in home decoration due to the financial crisis and the closure of glossy brands and magazines. "The result?," asks ShelterPop, "an eclectic mix of period pieces, classic furnishings and hand-me-downs from family and friends."

Here are a few sources of inspiration for how to perfect the imperfection:

Eclectic interiors from thousands of Flickr users.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/eclecticinteriors

The Wall Street Journal on interior design's current hot trend: 'authenticity.'
http://magazine.wsj.com/features/a-house-garden/rough-luxe/

Plates and bowls hung on walls is a major trend in interiors right now - Apartment Therapy shows you how to achieve the look step by step.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/how-to-hang-a-wall-of-handmade-ceramic-bowls-084738

The same site has a great guide on what else you need to know about mixing it up.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/how-to/how-to-mix-it-up-059441

For the moment, Flutter's interiors can only be found in the US but its blog and catalogue is one of the best ways to find out how to make wrong look right.
http://www.flutterclutter.com