When beginning the design process, there are two essential factors to consider: space and function. These two key aspects will support you in deciding every decorating choice you make for your home. Another consideration is who lives in this property, as your design will need to provide spaces where each individual’s activities have been considered and are catered for.
Begin by writing out what you want for your home. Describe the atmosphere you want to achieve when you walk into each room, the style of decoration you are most drawn to, the objects that will make you happy in that space, and how you want family and friends to feel when they walk through your front door.
For many homes, each room will have multiple functions, a dining room may also be used as a part-time home office, and a conservatory may be used as a yoga space. When assessing each room think carefully about the number of activities that take place, who uses each room and when in the day.
The function that each room provides in your home will affect every aspect of how it is designed and decorated, but in particular, it will directly impact your choice of lighting. For every successful lighting scheme, you have to decide what will happen in each room and where in each room. Appropriate lighting, whether bright task lighting in the kitchen for chopping vegetables or gentle mood lighting for relaxing in the living room in the evenings, will determine your choice of lighting.
How your home flows is also crucial when thinking about functionality and practicality. Creating a floor plan is an important tool for planning the flow of your home, as it is not only about how you physically move through and around each room but also the experience of being in that space. This sense of flow creates a sense of balance, harmony and the room’s mood.
Move about your space and think about the views between adjacent rooms. Is there a sense of coherence, or does a sudden change affect the atmosphere? This doesn’t mean you need to decorate each room in the same way, but how your decoration choices will relate to your whole home.
So when deciding on your choices for your interior design project, you will need to consider: how the design will cater to each person living in your home, what you want from each room, and the look and feel you want to create. Producing this brief will help you focus on what you want to achieve and why you made those design choices so you can create a functional space that feels like home.