Interior design is an art that requires an appreciation for space. Cramming your home with personal items and decor will make your house look cramped and cluttered. Conversely, empty rooms often look spartan and unfinished.
Incorporating your personal aesthetics into your design choices is a great way to give your space a sense of intentionality. Proudly displaying your personal collection of hand-thrown pottery or tryptic of watercolor paintings makes your home unique, too.
Foregrounding your hobbies and interests can be functional, too. Your easel and paints can double as decor while your passion for woodworking can help you whip up bespoke carpentry pieces that look great and serve your storage needs.
Understanding Your Personal Aesthetic
We all know what we like when we see it. However, few of us can actually name our preferred interior design style. This is entirely understandable, as interior design is not usually something that is offered as an elective in school. That said, if you want to make the most of your space and gain an appreciation for the art of space, you will need to take a deep dive into the world of interior design and architecture. Fortunately, there are plenty of well-established interior design styles to draw inspiration, including:
- Modern: Largely inspired by German and Scandinavian design, this style foregrounds bold colors, natural light, and functional design elements.
- Mid-Century: This elegant approach to design uses graphic design elements, saturated colors, and sharp angles to produce a style that is perfect for social gatherings and smooth living.
- Shabby Chic: This style blends the cool colors of minimalism with the comfort of rugs, pillows, and throws. You can use a few antiques as statement pieces around the home to bring through your personality, too.
- Boho: Big on color and patterns, this design style foregrounds indoor plants, comfortable chairs, and plenty of rugs.
- Japandi: Blending Scandinavian and Japanese design elements gives this style an earthy, minimalist feel. It is easy to keep clean, peaceful foregrounds that are functional throughout.
These aesthetics are the tip of the interior design iceberg. However, they can give you a great place to start searching online for a style that suits you. A little research can go a long way if you want to elevate your wall space with prints by do not quite know what to get. By honing in on a personal style, you can bring out design elements that reflect your personality and serve a functional role in your home.
Form and Function
Successfully blending form and function is the pinnacle of interior design. Your home should not be so tidy that it looks like a showroom, but it should not be so stuffed with storage that it looks like a warehouse. Spaces that are both functional and aesthetic can help you destress, too, as you will always have what you need close at hand.
If you are working with limited space, consider investing in modular furniture items that serve multiple functions. Practical items, like storage sofas, can keep your home clean and partner well with other design elements around the house. Buying a modular range can give you greater flexibility when laying out your space, too, as the furniture items you buy will naturally fit together in a few different ways.
Avoid the temptation to remove all personality from your home when looking for storage and functional items. Even minimalist design features a few statement pieces that reflect the personality of the home’s occupants. You can even incorporate your passions into your home design by showcasing collectible items, decorating with musical instruments, and hanging paintings based on your favorite hobbies.
Foregrounding Hobbies
Your home is more than an art gallery or a storage container. It should serve your needs and help you lead a life that brings you a sense of fulfillment. However, if you are a keen hobbyist, you may find that your equipment gets in the way of your interior design choices. Rather than trying to hide your running shoes in the closet or cramming your paints in a cabinet, create a dedicated space in your home for your hobbies.
Setting aside a room in your house for your passions is a great way to bring balance to your personal life and hobbies, too. Dedicating some extra room to your favorite pastime can also help you destress and focus on the task at hand. This is key if you work from home and need to physically move to a different room to complete your hobby.
Converting a garage or building a shed to house your equipment can look good, too. Rather than mindlessly throwing up a bike rack or setting up a pottery wheel, take a step back and try to build a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This can be a real boon if you’re a proud snowboarder or skater and have art-inspired decks and boards.
Conclusion
Effective interior design is all about understanding your personal aesthetics and how they will relate to the space you are given. By setting aside time to research interior design principles, you can hone in on a style that suits you and your family. This is key when crafting a functional, stylish space that serves your needs and reflects your interests. Do not be afraid to foreground your personal passions and hobbies, either, as painting easels and decorative tea sets can serve as powerful statement pieces that make your home feel unique.