Decorating Ideas — Loft interior designer
Interior Design Singapore
Interior design is the turning of a space into a home.
No, it is not an art; no, it is not a science. So often interior design is defined to be the “art” or “science” of space planning. Sure, it comprises artistic ideas, and its implementation benefits from methodologies or scientific innovations. However, interior design is not to turn your apartment into a gallery, nor to create a apartment with strict adherence to some scientific methodologies. It is about turning your new condo into a home.
Interior design is everything about taking a space that has no character and turn it into a place that you can call your own, so that you can use it for your purposes, and enhance your enjoyment living in it.
These are the 3Ys:
Your own: infusing your character and personality
Your purposes: creating structures and spaces for your functionalities
Your enjoyment: adding something that simply pleases you
With the 3Ys in mind, here are the questions we need to ask ourselves when we are about to renovate our home:
- What is your perfect home style?
It is important to have a very rough idea of the style you aspire to have for your new home. That said, you don’t have to have an exact replica; it is good though to have a picture or two that shows the interior designer what kind of styles you like. Pictures tell a thousand words – even the word “resort” can mean very different things; a Balinese resort is vastly different from a W resort hotel.
Here are some search words: “minimalist”, “modern vintage”, “modern country”, “industrial”, “Scandinavian” etc.
- What is your lifestyle?
It is important to consider whether home is to you more of a place for rest or a place for activity. If it is a place of rest, then what would give you a good rest? Is it a tucked away daybed in the corner? If it is a place for activity, does it mean having a big coffee table for your puzzles?
It is important also to consider whether you are likely to have family members or friends over at your new home often, and whether you are likely to spend time with them over TV or over dinner.
- What are your hobbies and favourite pasttimes?
If you like to watch TV and it is your favourite pasttime, then consider how your multimedia will be set up e.g. whether you would like a projector screen. Or if you like to read, consider whether you would like to have a full length bookshelf. Or if you like to cook, consider whether you need a mobile island attached to your kitchen.
- What is your family structure?
Needless to say, you need to consider whether how many people are going to live in the apartment. Whilst this is obvious, it is good to consider the likely changes in the coming years. For example, if your parents will likely live with you in the future, or if you are going to hire a domestic helper.
- How much storage do you need?
This is probably what most people ignore or underestimate. Most people think they do not have a lot of stuff and they assume whatever comes with the apartment when they buy it from the develper is sufficient. This is especially so when they are young and living on their own for the first time. In reality as time passes, anyone and everyone accumulates things and possessions. In time to come, without sufficient storage, you will tend to find your apartment becoming cluttered. So do consider it seriously your storage requirements and there is no hard in having some stylish extra space for storage.
- How tidy or messy are you?
Do you like to have everything “off the surface”? No newspaper lying on the table, no juicer on the kitchen top, no magazines lying around, or toothbrushes sitting on the vanity top? This is a personal choice – if you like to have everything “off the surface”, then it is advisable to plan carefully before starting out your renovation – go through your day mentally and think of every item you use on a daily or regular basis, and start consider how you would them to be kept “off the surface”.
- Which part of the apartment are you most likely to spend more time?
Is this the living room, or the study, or the entertainment room, or the master bedroom? This will help you to allocate your budget and direct your priorities accordingly.
- Is there something that has always irked you in your parents’ home?
Sometimes it is not having the thing you want, but not having the thing that you do not want, that makes you most happy. Was it a lack of a dishwasher in the kitchen, or was it poor lighting, or was it a noise from the TV when you are trying to sleep?
- Is there something you always dream to have in your own home?
To some, it is a staircase, or a fireplace mantle, a large mirror, a projector screen, or a dining side board, a large comfortable sofa, a beautiful credenza, an unique dining table with gorgeous dining chairs or anything at all, there is no better time to have them included in your interior design.
- What is your budget?
Having a clear idea of your budget helps you plan how much to do, and how to execute a given plan. Whilst we don’t want to burn a hole in our pockets, it is important to set the right budget as we are going to live in it, and having a properly designed home gives us the quality of life not even a splashy car can.
Enjoy embarking on making your apartment home!
