Designing spaces that truly feel like home
For Filipinos, homes are not just places for family activities, rest, and protection from the outside environment.
In designing spaces, we must recognize that beyond physical needs, home dwellers also have various aspects of well-being to nurture like comfort, security, and love. As such, proper residential interior design practices are essential in helping homes become spaces of self-expression, inspiration, healing, and growth.
Here are some tips new homeowners can consider.
PLANNING
This is the part where all requirements are sorted out so that the right strategies may be provided. Homeowners need to look into the individual needs of the people who will be using the spaces.
For instance, non-glossy floor finishes might be better for homes with children and senior family members to help ensure their safety. The use of gadgets and the need to charge them also demand planning for more electrical outlets in every room.
COLOR
Color is psychological. It has the ability to influence our emotions. Living areas may have neutral colors to help them look neat and spacious. Bedrooms may be painted with dark hues, to help induce sleep.
Applying color on walls to establish a focal point is also one of the most budget-friendly strategies that a homeowner may consider for their interior spaces. This allows a homeowner to concentrate on just one area to fully accessorize while keeping the other areas to the minimum.
MATERIALS
The choice of materials enhances our experience of spaces as they may also invoke certain perceptions such as warmth and comfort.
Materials are also carefully chosen based on their function. Acoustic materials such as fabrics and other soft materials help manage and enhance the sound in a room.
LIGHTING
Often underestimated, lighting is the element that determines how all other design choices—color, texture and furniture—are perceived. Choosing the right type of lighting, in fact, helps elevate the experience in a room.
The lighting design in a room may vary based on these categories: ambient, task and accent lighting.
Ambient lighting is used to provide general lighting for a room such as ceiling lights and natural light. Task lighting is used for specific activities such as cooking, reading and working. Accent lighting helps set the mood in a space.
FURNITURE PIECES
In choosing furniture pieces, consider the size and proportion of each furniture piece. Homeowners need to ensure that their chosen furniture pieces will fit in their space.
It is also important to consider multi-purpose furniture. But while function is a priority, furniture pieces that are unique and fun are also a good addition to any space.
PERSONALIZATION
The “you” in your home is also important. Bring a sense of personality in a home by accessorizing the spaces with art and decors. An economical way to do this is to bring some old stuff from your previous home and allow nostalgia to set in.
Living in a new environment can sometimes be overwhelming for new homeowners. A carefully planned, beautifully designed interior helps individuals and families create moments in spaces in a place they call home.
The author has more than 20 years of designing interiors for homes, offices and retail spaces. Experience his designs by contacting him at (0917) 886-0983
