House Proud – Glam is Back, Baby!

It’s a skin-tight, shimmering gown on the runways of Paris. It’s the ornate, metallic detail on an imposing cabinet. It’s the mirrored finish surrounding a well-stocked bar. Glam is back, baby, and if it’s not kicking minimalist to the curb, it’s entering the room like a showy cousin. 

Even just a touch of glam decor brings a little old-style Hollywood to serene surroundings. It introduces the wow factor in one piece, one corner or an entire room. Mylène Gévry, marketing manager for SICO paint, says the company’s new line of opulent shades is more than a return to a beloved decor style. It’s actually a business barometer and a signal that consumer confidence is rebounding.

“Glam décor has largely been removed from the spotlight of design since the onset of the recession in 2008, but the return of more embellished, glamorous looks demonstrates that consumers are slowly but surely renewing their interest in spending.”

Plush velvet and suede sofa and large round ottoman, with antique gold accents and a lavish, deep-smoke wall colour
photo courtesy Sico Paints

The SICO line includes rich metallics, deep darks and luxurious-looking gem tones, designed to give a regal look to walls, trims, ceilings or furniture. With proper preparation, floors can also benefit from the glam look of polished ebony. Unless you’re a true fan of dictator style, it’s not necessary to bathe your entire castle in these lavish looks when, for example, a ruby-hued side table and thick damask curtains would be quite enough to bring the trend home.

Glamourous decor isn’t just shiny or metallic but that’s certainly part of it. Plush, sumptuous fabrics exude an air of glam whether they’re used for drapes, throw pillows or to upholster a chaise lounge, perfect to kick back on while the director waits for his close-up. Crushed or smooth velvets, brocades and silks all contribute to the look. You’re supposed to see a glam piece and think, wow that must be expensive.

In old Hollywood the stars were not shy about flashing their wealth and in many of their homes the philosophy was, the more ornate the better. While some ridiculously well-off celebrities of today fall all over themselves trying to appear “just like us”, a mega-movie-star of the 1930’s would put just as much effort into setting themselves, and their surroundings, apart. Take the excesses of Kim Kardashian but with talent and taste and you’re on the right track. The trend is a little overstated and never shy.

Elvis Presley’s Memphis home Graceland, preserved since the death of The King in 1977, has one such glam room. Although the wall paneling and green shag carpet of the Jungle Room look fairly tacky today, the repetition of burnt orange fabrics on lampshades, velvet stool seats, wet bar panels and other accents are all glam. So are the liberal use of animal prints and the yards and yards of heavy, patterned drapery. Elvis was clearly a better singer than a decorator but the room exudes money and you can be sure that was his goal.

If your personal style tends to gravitate toward bamboo mats and cotton slipcovers, you can still go a little glitzy. A tall glass vase of roses is traditional but a short, metallic vessel bursting with huge hydrangea blooms is glam and it’s low commitment. A frameless mirror will perform its function but one with a wide, gold-leaf frame is more fashionable. Maybe you’re not into wearing sequins on your body but put them on a throw pillow and they will jazz up a boring couch. Your personality doesn’t fit neatly into just one tiny category, so why should your decor? Glam brings out the little diva in you.