Have you noticed that more and more people are being conscious about every decision they are making and not only in relation to their home? Have you found yourself wanting to acquire less and have a shift in mentality to reuse, repurpose, revive? It is not the main topic of today’s blog – (should it be?!) Definitely, something to think about, no? In the meantime, we think one of the positives that have come from this pandemic is humans' desire to think a lot more about the decisions they are making and how it is impacting them and the people around them.
Now, back to the main topic for today we hear more and more people trying to figure out how to make the best out of their spaces especially since 2020 has brought with itself a lot of WFH, TFH/LFH, and I think any other letter can be added from the alphabet because we are pretty much doing everything FH. We thought we could carve some time and write about the way you can make the most of your spaces without having to move out and look for a new one. After all, it is an opportunity to make changes that will benefit you now that you spend all of your time at home and will also benefit you even when we will spend less time at home.
How to make our spaces multi-functional. Space planning is the fundamental element of the process. You want to analyze how the space is to be used. This will provide the definition of the zones of the space and the activities that will take place in them. You will also determine the circulation patterns that show how people will move through the spaces.
You can then move on to the structure of the room and determine the focal points. These could be windows, fireplaces, doors, etc. Make sure to think about what you can add to the space that will help balance the structure of the space.
Tip: When entering a room the human eye is drawn to focal points.
The circulation through a room needs to follow an easy pathway from the door to all the other main activities that take place.
Tip: Subdivide different activity zones in order to define each part of the room.
Like clothing decoration and lighting work with the same principles – vertical lines draw our eyes up and horizontal lines draw them across which as a result extend or reduce the proportions of a room. Keep that in mind when putting the last touches on your space.
Prospect and Refuge – in a space you want both a prospect (view) and a refuge (shelter). When possible incorporate this theory into your spaces - this is key to making a comfortable human experience.
Using the same flooring (especially in small spaces) is one of the most effective ways to make spaces feel larger. You can also combine space from outside that will have a similar effect. Also, with small rooms you can blur the edges of the space to break up the lines between the wall and floors; drawing furniture a couple of inches away from the walls. Plan furniture in proportion to the room.
Tip: You can adjoin rooms by using the same flooring materials. ++ Furniture with legs give the illusion of more space.
