Creating a space that supports your lifestyle has never been more important. With many of us having busy schedules in a fast paced and ever changing world, having a space that provides comfort, boosts productivity, and promotes connection is essential. Designing with intention allows us to create spaces that not only reflect our personal styles, but make our everyday lives easier! While designing with intention may look different for everyone, we have come up with three fool proof ways to achieve our design goals — Prioritizing Functionality, Creating Thoughtful Rooms Layouts, and Considering Color Psychology.
Functional Design: The Foundation of Intentional Spaces
I am always telling my clients the importance of the functionality in their designs. If we create a space and it is beautiful, but not functional, then all we have done is wasted time and money. I was recently on our podcast Designing in 5D and couldn’t help but emphasize the importance of functional designs! Every part of our designs should be purposeful and functional.
For example, if you work from home, your office space should be more than just a desk and a chair. Creating a space that allows you to feel comfortable, be free of distractions and promotes focus will allow you to thrive and perform even better at work! A few things we recommend our clients focus on in their designs would be investing in comfortable pieces for those long meetings, utilizing beautiful but also functional storage solutions, and to prioritize incorporating ample lighting. Once we have nailed down the important aspects of the design, we can incorporate their personal style into the color palette, accents, and decor.
Another example is in the living room. We often start designing these spaces by getting a good understanding of how our clients live and how they intend to use the space. What types of furniture best suits their needs, and what fabrics will perform well for their lifestyle. Generally if a living room is serving a more formal function, we will utilize sofas and accent chairs to create a conversation focused layout. If they want to design a space that is extremely family oriented and perfect for movie night and everyday comfort, we typically go for something a little different. I love to anchor a living room with a big comfortable sectional and then utilize swivel chairs that allow for great conversation, but also allow our clients to swivel around for great tv viewing! In any living space regardless of the activity, it is important to include storage solutions that add to the overall design aesthetic but help keep clutter at bay. We love creating built in storage to get the most out of our clients’ spaces.
Thoughtful Room Layouts: Flow and Accessibility
Room layout plays a crucial role in how we interact with our spaces.Taking time to think about how we want to live and utilize our home by discussing layouts is extremely important to make sure our spaces encourage family interaction, making it easier for everyone to gather for meals or activities and maintain balance in our busy lives.
When it comes to layouts, the most important thing to consider is the placement of furniture and the pathways we will be using to move through spaces on a daily basis. As designers, we are trained to use furniture to promote conversation and well as create division between space when needed. When designing your home, think about how you move through the space. Each room should invite you to engage with it and also promote convenience for whatever tasks will take place in those spaces.
Just to speak lightly on accessibility in the home, it is really important to understand how spacing affects the flow and how you maneuver throughout your spaces. Having ample room between furniture and walls is extremely important. Think about how you live in a space and make sure your furniture and layout promote accessible living. For example, let’s discuss the dining room. In this space, we typically have a dining table and chairs centered in a room with a sideboard or bar cart on an outer wall. We can very easily arrange a floor plan in 2D with all of these items and make them seem like they fit and allow for flow. But, if you think about when your friends and family are sitting at the table and have their chairs pushed out, things may start to feel tight if clearance is not considered when laying out the room.
Color Psychology: Influencing Mood and Behavior
Now more than ever, psychologists are exploring how the colors we use in our spaces affect our moods and behavior. Understanding their findings and utilizing them to guide us in selecting color palettes that align with our desired atmosphere is a crucial part of designing with intention. A lot of times when designing homes for our clients, we tend to use neutral colors with pops of soft blues and greens. These colors are known to promote calmness and relaxation, making them ideal for bedrooms and other spaces within the home where those feelings are our goals. We tend to stay away from bright punchy colors (reds and oranges) in most of our designs, unless it is specifically requested by our clients because they are known to create feelings of intensity and stress. That is not to say they should never be used, but generally we leave it to the decorations and artwork for those colors to make their debuts if so desired.
When designing your home, consider how different colors can complement the functions of each room. Accent walls, decor, and even artwork can be strategically chosen to evoke the desired emotional response, creating an environment that truly supports your lifestyle.
Bringing It All Together
Designing with intention requires thoughtful consideration of your unique needs and preferences. By prioritizing functional design, creating thoughtful layouts, and utilizing color psychology, you can achieve designs that enhance your daily life.
At Elizabeth Erin Designs, we are committed to helping you understand how you live best in your home. Check out our website and other past blogs for more design inspiration and tips on how to achieve your vision!