As we fall back this weekend — wait, weren’t we going to do away with this time-change business? — it seems, well, timely to look at how to work timepieces into your décor
For a while, trendspotters believed that the popularity of smartphones would do away with the need for traditional analog watches and clocks. But just as wrist pieces have become in-demand luxury items, so have wall clocks made a comeback as part of contemporary décor. Indeed, Pinterest added clocks to its 2022 trend list, joining the retro-vintage-contemporary-cool return of record players, rotary phones and typewriters.
If you are going to add a wall clock to your home, here’s what you need to keep in mind.
Functionality
The reason to have a clock in the first place is to tell time, so put a clock where you need it (the kitchen, for instance) and where you can see it clearly.
Sound
Ticking, humming, chiming, bonging or cuckooing can be charming — or, depending where it is coming from, annoying and stress-inducing. Plan accordingly.
Location
Ideal places for clock décor combine design with functionality, so consider the living room, kitchen, entryways and, of course, home offices. Skip the bathroom, though, where a wall clock (or any clock) would just be weird, as well as the bedroom where the tick-tick-tick can disrupt your sleep (stick to small bedside alarm clocks) and dining room, where a looming timepiece counting the hours can seem rude.
Scale
You don’t want to hang a bitsy clock on a huge wall, or an overwhelmingly large one in a tiny space. That said, smaller wall clocks can be incorporated into larger gallery displays of photos and artwork, and smaller tabletop clocks can be placed on mantels, shelves and your bedside night table.
Style
Match the style of your clock to the style of your home — a vintage-style grandfather clock would look out of place in a contemporary condo.
Moderation
Limit yourself to one clock in a room. But if you absolutely MUST have more than one, make sure they are of different scale and placed in different locations, such as a wall clock plus a desktop clock in an office.
