Living spaces are such a crucial area to design well as they are the central core of the home where we spend most of our time both with family and with friends. Beautiful, usable living spaces are a real asset to any home and will always lift the spirits
Firstly it is important to assess the space and see how it can be used to most suit your lifestyle. At the beginning of a project, I always ask as many questions as possible as to how my clients are going to live in the space. Time spent planning a design and a home is never time wasted.
When starting a scheme it is helpful to have an overall feel of how the end result will look. It can be beneficial to create a mood board comprising lots of different inspiring images such as the ideal style of sofa or the texture and materials to be used. This mood board can then be a point of reference along the way so the design goals are not lost amongst the myriad of decisions that need to be made when designing a room. If you are using an interior designer it is their role to make sure that the choices made always tie in with the original brief so the design dream is reached.
A home is most livable when there is a flow from room to room. This does not necessarily mean that the whole layout should be open-plan but it helps to have a similar style or thread running through a home. This will create a well-balanced feel and make the design more effective. This flow is especially important in the living areas. There are various ways to create this effect such as using a similar colour palette throughout, using a certain fabric or choosing artwork from the same artist for each room, something which will tie the whole design together and make the home feel as one.
Symmetry is also an effective design tool. This is particularly relevant in living rooms where sofa positioning is key to the overall appearance and “look” of the room. Our eyes are naturally attracted to spaces which have some degree of symmetry. This does not mean the room has to be a mirror image but simply by having one sofa placed opposite the other will make the room appear more inviting than if the sofa is placed next to the other sofa at right angles. Including statement lamps on either side of a fireplace can also increase the effectiveness of the design and immediately make it more balanced.
Fabrics and textures play a key role in any design and should be chosen carefully depending on the use of the areas. If you have children and pets more durable, resilient and possibly darker fabrics should be chosen while if the living area is a more elegant entertaining space for adults, beautiful velvets and silks might be more appropriate.
Whatever way you use your living space just ensure that it is designed to suit your personal lifestyle. A beautiful but practical area designed bespoke to your family’s requirements will bring a really positive vibe to the home.
For more information on Jenny Allan, please click here
You must be logged in to post a comment.