Lately, I’ve been thinking about design, and what makes good design. I think good design comes out of using an element of
restraint, choosing to carefully collate what goes into a space. Not just putting all the things in there, or back in there, or using x piece of furniture because we’ve always used that for our coffee table. Instead, re-imagining, starting with a blank canvas, questioning and trying new things…. it’s out of this that new fresh spaces are born.
So how can you carefully collate what goes into a space?
I think it comes down to taking yourself out of the physical space and sitting down with some pen and paper and start removing mindset limitations and really dig down to two thought areas:
- How does the space need to function?
- How do you want to feel in the space?
How does the space need to function?
Ask yourself what is the space going to be used for, by whom, when and how often. This will determine a lot of future decisions such as if it’s a high traffic area, you will want to ensure that the items you put in the space will be more durable. If the space will be used mainly in the evening you will want to choose your lighting accordingly. If the space is going to be used by your whole family of 6 and you only have seating for 3 then you will need to get more chairs and re-think the furniture layout.
How do you want to feel in the space?
Basically you want to think through how you want to feel when you walk into and use that room. Is it a family room that you hope to retire to and relax in after dinner is done? You’ve had a busy day at work so maybe the last thing you want to do is sit in a room that has crazy stimulating wallpaper that you once loved but now are very tired of seeing. Or maybe you have a terracotta feature wall that was incredibly in once (in the 90’s) but just makes you feel too hot and bothered when you look at it now.
Once you have this worked out you can make your decisions about style, colour, furniture, furnishings and decorator items a lot easier.
One last tip, be sure to allow white space. Good design has plenty of white space added in, it’s important to allow the room to breathe.
Happy Decorating!
Prue
P.S. If you would like assistance in creating a good design space for your home or even just one room, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to assist you.
P.S.S. Have you accessed our Style Guide yet? It’s free. It’s a PDF that will help you determine your unique Interior Style that you can then use as a guide when making all your decorator decisions be it buying furniture, choosing a paint colour, picking a rug this guide will help you save time and money by giving you the know how to confidently create your dream space. Get it here: http://eepurl.com/cEqrHL