From Wishes to Reality - Design Schemes and Pitfalls Explored

y personal philosophy about design is that it is possible to view the home as a metaphor for our inner being. It is the sacred space where our hearts reside, where we turn away from the chaos of busy living and rejuvenate in the company of loved ones. Our home speaks volumes about who we are as individuals and families - be they disheveled, dysfunctional, peaceful or invigorating, they reveal an insight about our state of being. Philip Johnson, a great and famous architect once said, "All architecture is shelter, but all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons within that space.” When you endeavor to better your home in any manner, I believe you are also bettering yourself. Budget, needs, and preferences are paramount to healthy design and it is the responsibility of a designer to work within these boundaries.

One of the biggest problems facing my clients at the beginning of a project is a lack of inspiration or a "design concept". A design concept is a cohesive vision for a room that tells a color story and brings a sense of style and consistency to a space while allowing functionality. Ask yourself a few simple questions to start defining a concept, for instance: what will I spend the most time doing in this room? How would I like to feel while living in this space? What existing objects (however unexpected) like art pieces, throws, heirlooms or even framed love letters would I really like to emphasize and use for my inspiration? And finally, ask yourself what color/colors would evoke the feeling I desire and will also show off my inspiration pieces? I think people under estimate the importance of having an emotional connection to their spaces and the quickest way to have one - is to honor our instincts for comfort and to showcase our favorite things. We all have special trinkets, photos or keepsakes that remind us of our personal happiness and heartfelt memories. Whether they are traditional, like fine china or wedding photos or they are more unusual like an artifact from Africa or your child's rendering of a pet turtle, pieces of our history belong in our homes. They tell a story about who we are and what "colors" us. Great design can be met at every budgetary level, so when it comes to imagination and creativity, don't allow finances to dictate at this early stage, financial demands will require realistic planning soon enough but initial inspiration is completely free to those with open minds.

From these simple questions, you can begin to define the mood or "attitude" of a space which will follow throughout your design. Some rooms are sophisticated or minimalist, while others will evoke strong character or whimsy. At this point, you will also have a predominate room color defined and a selection of interesting objects to highlight. From these origins, it becomes much less overwhelming to create a new look and feel because a direction has been achieved. A proverbial stake has been thrown in the ground but the work is not nearly done! From here, the next hurdle comes from choosing a proper layout and determining the size or scale of objects. Regardless of the function of a room - be it social entertaining, working, crafting or relaxing - it's important to choose furniture selections that fit a space properly and enable a room to function as intended. Another big problem I see clients struggle with is learning what to eliminate or "edit" along the way. Some people tend to hoard or error on the side of "I might want this some day" or "my Aunt Betty gave me this awful thing and I shouldn't throw it out!" Simplifying a scheme can be as important as choosing what to enhance and build on. Overly cluttered spaces rarely work well or evoke pleasure. People don't have a place to keep things, so they pile up and disguise design styles. Often times, clients forget that choosing custom built-in cabinetry or furniture can actually be very cost effective ways to provide a solution for any problem. Not to mention the endless sources of detail that come into play with good use of mouldings and cornices, etc... Custom bookshelves can accommodate sculpture and other irregular items, providing storage while appearing still serene. Adhering to budgets can get tricky here, but in most cases, there are ways to duplicate or mimic high-end cabinetry styles with less expensive alternatives. Sacrificing beauty isn't always necessary if you have resourceful talent working for your advantage.

Once inspiration, color, functionality, storage and furniture are addressed, effective lighting becomes imperative. Obviously if you're working in an office, kitchen or bath lighting will be a key intuitive addressed early on in the process. Yet sometimes when lighting is less integral to functionality, like in bedrooms or foyers and stairways, these potential opportunities for detail are neglected in lieu of standard options. Sadly, this generic approach can cause good design to fall flat. Lighting is both essential and luxurious! Anyone involved in theater or photography knows that proper lighting can transform a subject, offering any desired illusion when applied wisely. Lamps can be artistic statements in and of themselves but the important thing to remember is the effect lighting produces as much as the light source itself. Color, texture and ambiance are set off by good lighting, not the other way around!

The finishing touches, like choosing window treatments, rugs, and artwork can be the most fun to address because they pull the entire plan together (like the perfect pair of shoes with a dress) and make the difference between hitting your design mark or unfortunately, demonstrating a lack of proper planning. Taking the time to make thoughtful choices is vital to this stage of creation. Sunlight changes the way we perceive color and fabrics, and even our own state of mind can change the way we receive a given design. Design is not a race, despite what the trendy shows like to exploit. If you've invested a substantial budget then chances are you will be living with some of these decisions for a long time to come. Having said that, there is no such thing as a fatal design mistake or style emergency. Colors can be changed and fabrics can be swapped and styles can evolve out but the point is to give enough of "yourself" and your time to any design project, even if you have hired professionals to assist with the process. There is no substitute for your final opinion and personal contribution. Design professionals extrapolate and facilitate your inner vision; and they will simplify and expedite the process. They offer talent, experience and a design eye that you may not posses but they shouldn't impose their own style or ignore your requests. Lighting designers, interior designers, builders, furniture craftsmen, seamstresses and others are all dedicated to providing clients with fine quality and lasting beauty in the home. Some aspects of design can be done alone but others do in fact require the valuable expertise true professionals.

Whether you've touched every component in a space or just tweaked the details, a finished space should bring forth an easy smile and a great sense of comfort and pride. Our homes are our castles, they are sacred spaces and they become the sanctuary to which we retreat after meeting lifes' demands. Someone once said, "we are what we eat", I would add to that that we are also where we live, but only to the extent that our homes can be creative expressions of our unique personalities. Besides our loved ones and pets, what better "welcome home" is there than being met at the door by a harmonious compilation your memories and things you find wonderful? Or being embraced by a comfortable chair and kicking your feet up to sip a glass of wine by the fire in your own personal lap of luxury? Design is not just visual; it is sensual and can be experienced with all of our senses. There could be water fountains, incense, candles or wonderful culinary delights in the oven. The textures, sounds and smells of home help round out our experience of a secure, loving environment. When we see ourselves reflected back to us in the design styles of our choosing, we are reminded of how subjective beauty is - and how beautiful we are!