If the floor mattress is the symbol of an austere (if fulfilling) life, the Boy Room is the product of a more indulgent lifestyle, one that produces a clutter of empty beer cans, crumpled tissues (overflowing a rarely emptied wastebasket), and bunched-up bedsheets.

Can I Come In?

Sarah Bahbah’s series exploring the complexity of women’s stories

Eagle-eyed creators like Valois and Ashcraft believe the trend reflects a rejection of Minimalism and productivity culture, while signaling a desire for depth, humor and human messiness—the kind that resists optimization.

As Valois put it: "It's not just aesthetic fatigue; it's cultural realignment."