Intelligent Interiors: Designing with Function in Mind
We all want a home that is aesthetically pleasing. However, without function, a home won’t hold a lot of value. Function is what allows you to use your home to its fullest potential, and there are many ways to ensure your interior design keeps function in mind. Read on to discover how you can build function right into your new or existing home’s design.
Consider Your Unique Needs
The ideal layout for your home isn’t an easy thing to determine. And once you’ve figured it out, you have to find the furniture, accessories, colors, and fabrics to bring it to life. It can be even more challenging if you already have a lot of furniture and a lot of people in your home. What you own and who uses it should have a significant impact on the interior design of a home. However, no floor plan or layout fits every family. It can be easy to look at someone else’s home or get ideas from design websites and magazines, but will that really meet your needs?
For instance, if you like to cook together, you need to make sure that all of your family members will be able to fit in the kitchen at once. That might mean skipping that really fancy chef cart you’ve had your eye on or redesigning your storage space. Or, if one of your family members is very young, elderly, or has health issues, you’ll need to consider a more open layout that allows for movement easier. Of course, you certainly don’t need to sacrifice a beautiful design to meet all your family’s needs.
The same is true of privacy; if your family enjoys having their own space, an open floor plan will likely be unappealing. All of these things will contribute to how comfortable your family feels when they are at home.
Remember That Things Will Change
When considering the best interior design for you, you’ll also need to consider upcoming life changes. If you have kids and don’t plan to move anytime soon, your little ones will grow up in your home and, eventually, move out. If your home is already spacious, it will be even more so once your kids have left the nest.
Don’t get us wrong; if you want a layout or are really in love with a certain piece of furniture, go for it. Don’t deny yourself what you want; there will be options aplenty for changing up your decor and re-purposing those spaces should they become available. The bottom line is to make an informed decision about your home design that takes the future into consideration. It’s also important to keep adaptability in mind so if changes do happen, your living space can change to meet your needs. That’s where a professional interior designer can help.
What to Do with Extra Space?
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could pull out a larger space just for that holiday dinner party, and then pack it back up again without doing any damage to your wallet? Unfortunately, until this becomes a reality, you’ll need to decide how you’ll deal with the space you do have in your home.
Is that extra room an office, a guest room, a den? Maybe all three? There are many ways to design that extra space with functionality in mind. The right piece of furniture can turn a single-use room into a multipurpose space. For instance, you can design a space that, let’s say, is located just off of your living room. You could perhaps place some comfortable chairs in this space with some shelving for books. When company arrives, easily moves chairs can turn this reading room into an in-law suite.
Deciding Where to Place Working Rooms
Where you cook food and wash your clothes are the “working rooms” in your home, and you may be surprised at what the experts say about their ideal locations. Many Houston interior designers will tell you that the smartest spot for a laundry room is right off of the kitchen. Of course, this should only be considered a guideline; you may find that it makes more sense for your family to have the laundry closer to another part of the house, like a bedroom.
Another kind of working room is your storage room or dedicated area. Storage capacity will add a lot of functionality to your home. However, this doesn’t mean that your storage room or area has to take up a lot of real estate. Even a small room can store several items when the right shelving units, cupboards, drawers, and other storage areas are available. And this storage space can look good too with the guidance of a design expert.
Energy Efficiency
In addition to having a functional home, you’ll also want to ensure that your home is energy-efficient. Energy-efficient homes can have many features, such as solar panels for generating electricity and heating water or energy-efficient appliances.
Air Leaks and Insulation
A home could have dozens of areas where air leak can occur. Under doors is the most common area for air leaks, as well as around windows. An energy auditor can locate leaks with something called a blower door test. Another way that air can leak out is through the roof of your home. This is especially true if you live in an older home and have not upgraded the insulation.
In addition to insulation, you’ll also want to investigate how well the exterior walls of your home are insulated, which can be accomplished with thermal imaging. Thermal imaging uses infrared, which reveals the temperature differences that indicate potential leaks.
If you decide that your home needs an upgrade to the windows or insulation, this is a perfect time to consult a designer. Why replace your home’s custom-built, crown molding windows with more energy-efficient windows that have no flare? Or if you’re getting work done to add or replace insulation, bring in an interior designer who can add that polish that makes the new work fit in seamlessly.
Appliance Maintenance
Energy efficiency also refers to the appliances in your home, which should all be maintained regularly. As well, you’ll also want to have your heating and cooling systems professionally inspected on a yearly basis. Appliances older than 15 years will likely require replacement. But did you know there are countless custom appliance options that will make any new appliance fit your home design perfectly?
The Smart Home
There is much ado about smart home technology, which can ensure your home is running at optimum efficiency around the clock. Many of today’s smart home systems can be controlled remotely via an app installed on your mobile device and allow you to have full and complete control over several systems. For instance, on a cold day, a home system can be set to warm the home to a cozy temperature in time for you to arrive from work. A professional interior designer can make energy-efficient smart home technology fit seamlessly into your home’s design. That way you can blend style with cutting-edge tech.
Professional and Contemporary Design Services
When you need assistance with achieving a functional interior design in Houston TX, look no further than Dream by MJS Interiors. Over 30 years of design experience goes into every project we complete. If you are building a new home, we can work with your contractor to ensure that the smart technology and design you desire is built right in. Our professional team is ready to help; call 713-766-4570 now to claim your free consultation.
