The design of a house can have a profound effect on how we feel, but we often attribute this to aesthetics. In fact, it’s about so much more including creating a well-functioning house. Good design should enhance our experience of a space, and the way a room looks is almost the icing on the cake. Here are 10 key tips for achieving a comfortable, well-thought-out home.
Craig O’Connell Architecture
TIPS FOR A WELL-FUNCTIONING HOUSE
- Get the Layout Right The starting point for any kind of change in your home should be the layout and the way the space functions. Spend time looking at how you use and move around your home. Try to establish what is and isn’t working to get a clear picture of what you need to alter. If the space doesn’t work well and you’re finding it difficult to move around or be comfortable, the interior decoration isn’t going to make much of an improvement. Rather, you may need to knock down a wall between a kitchen and a family or dining room, for example, or steal space from a bedroom to create an en suite.
- Be Practical A well-designed home is one that makes things easy for you, so it pays to make room for those everyday tasks like laundry. Not all of us have space for a separate utility area, but clever design may enable you to maximize the space you do have. A washer and dryer can be stacked and concealed behind closet doors, making them easy to access when required.
- Use the Awkward Space Do you have an area you don’t know what to do with? Challenging spaces are often left bare, and bare spaces tend to attract clutter. If an unused corner in your home has become messy, it may take away from the enjoyment of the room. Think about how you can transform the space, as there are clever ways of putting these awkward areas to good use. A nook at the top of a staircase can have a window seat that’s both functional and cozy.
Melanie Stewart Designs
- Future-Proof It Make sure that your design addresses more than just your immediate needs. It’s very easy to focus your attention on how you want to live right now, especially if you have young children. However, your needs will change over time, so it’s vital that you build in some flexibility. For instance, the opportunity to create a separate living space in an open-plan home may be a good idea for when the children get older, since family members may eventually desire a calm room away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the home.
Barcci Builders
- Designate Storage “A place for everything and everything in its place” really is the mantra for a well-functioning home. When it comes to choosing the right kind of storage, you should let what you need to store dictate the kind of storage that you select. Designated storage is far more efficient and useful than general storage. By having a specific place for each item, you’ll avoid the possibility of everything being thrown in haphazardly.
Glas Associates
- Plan the Lighting Lighting is one of the most important design aspects of a home and is something many people struggle with. It has such a powerful effect on the ambiance of a room that it is worth taking the time to get it absolutely right. The trick is to get the proper balance of artificial and natural light. Too much artificial light results in a space that feels clinical, but if a room is underlit, everything appears gloomy and uninviting.
123 Remodeling Inc.
- Make Rooms Work Hard When you’re designing a room, try to see where you can utilize spaces more effectively. Can you give a design feature multiple functions, for example? Can you build in more storage?
Bilotta Kitchen and Home
- Pick Finishes Wisely Choose finishes that are appropriate for the room. Tiles in a kitchen are a practical, durable choice for flooring. Spend time researching the finishes for your home, and ask about upkeep and suitability for the space where you plan to use them. Even if you love the look of an item, it’s important to think about whether it’s a practical choice for your room.
Kalaa Chakra Interiors
- Layer With Color Your choice of color isn’t important only for how it looks; it also will have a big impact on how you feel in the space. Get it wrong and the color will shout at you every time you enter the room. Get it right, and you won’t even notice the color — you’ll just love spending time in the space. A good tip is to layer your color palette: Start with a neutral backdrop and build on color carefully by adding bolder shades through accessories and art. However, neutral doesn’t mean painting your walls a bland shade. You can create a neutral version of practically any color by going either very light or very dark. Think grays, caramels, and sandy tones, all of which work in any version from light to dark as a neutral backdrop that you can combine with any other accent color.
Christopher Patrick Interiors
- Let Your Personality Shine Most importantly, your home should reflect the personality of those who live in it. Choose design elements that you love and that help you feel healthy and happy. This living room features a personal art collection and re-upholstered slipper chairs that have an emotional connection for the homeowner.
Blog by Denise O’Connor, Houzz Contributor
Denise holds a degree in architecture from Richview School of Architecture at UCD. After graduating in Dublin she moved to London where she worked on residential, healthcare, and office schemes including the award-winning headquarters for Holiday Extras for which she was a project architect at Walker and Martin. In 2005 she returned to Dublin and set up architecture and interior design consultancy Optimize Design. Denise is an architecture and interiors columnist for the Irish Times and a contributor for HOUZZ. She is also a regular contributor to various other publications and also gives lectures on a range of topics. She was a presenter for the first series of the RTE TV show ‘The Design Doctors’ and is the creator and name behind the successful paint collection for Dulux called Signature Collection.
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