The home design leaves a lot to the imagination. However, purely imagining how you would design your home isn’t exactly the best decision to make. There are a lot of factors to consider and a lot of concepts to keep in mind. Below are some essential aspects of home design that should not be neglected.
Allow Natural Light to Come In
Modern home designs often utilize natural light to give the house a more relaxing feel. Not only does natural light contribute to our mood, but it also eliminates the need for artificial lighting in the daytime, making the house energy efficient. There are many benefits to having natural light in your home, but too much of it can also be uncomfortable. To control it, you can make use of large windows accompanied by drapes or blinds. This way, you can close the drapes partly or wholly depending on how strong the sunlight hits your home. You can also strategically put a skylight in your house or a dormer window in your attic if you plan to use that space more.
Don’t Neglect Air Flow
Airflow is crucial for regulating hot and cold air in your house. Just as you want to plan where your windows are to maximize natural light, you also have to think about how air flows throughout your home. If overlooked, parts of your home can be quite dry, or there will be an inevitable draft.
Proper ventilation can ensure that your house can maintain comfortable levels of humidity and temperature. One good way to control the airflow in your home is to have an open space, or the ability to open up space in the place. This is where sliding doors can be put to good use, especially on days when the air seems a bit slow.
Your Floor Matters
The floor design is something that’s commonly overlooked. We might think that no one pays attention to flooring, but this is further from the truth. It can make the difference between bad design and good design. After all, the first and foremost physical contact we do when entering a house is a step on the floor. Its make is crucial: be it tiled or laminate flooring, it can make a room warmer or cooler, smaller or bigger. Take the time to try out which floor works best for your home.
Maximize Usable Space
While many design magazines will show you how a set of furniture looks in a given space, remember that those are only suggestions. Always consider the actual space you have in your own home before committing to buying a furniture set.
It’s better to measure the area you plan to put items on and make sure you’d have enough breathing space even with the new things in. Think about utilizing vertical space for storage so that it won’t eat up much floor space. You can also use the space under your stairs (the spandrel) as a reading nook with bookshelves, a small lounge sofa, and drawers underneath it.
Of course, it helps if you already have an idea of what you want in your space, but having a professional interior designer can also give you better insight into how you can plan your layout. This way, you’re more sure that you are using your space more efficiently and that you aren’t creating any dead space in the area.
Safety for Everyone
One of the first things a homeowner should cross out their checklist is the security of their house. And this isn’t a one-time thing either; it’s something that should be regularly checked and updated. Home security and safety do not only mean installing CCTV and changing locks. It also means considering the people living in your house and installing proper railings up to code. You can get child locks, gates, or both if you live with young toddlers and the elderly.
Home design should not sacrifice functionality and safety, so for example, the tiles in your bathroom and by your pool should be non-slip. These might be obvious for many people, but there are times when we get enamored by Instagram and Pinterest posts that we forget about these small details.
Integrate Technology to Your Home
Speaking of CCTVs, home security has come a long way, and there are now many products that integrate high-tech functionality on traditional security items. Now, CCTV cameras can be hooked up to smartphones. Homeowners can see their houses even when they’re away with the help of the Internet. Apart from security, smart homes employ various nifty things that give us comfort and convenience. You can get yourself a smart LED light, connect it to your Alexa, and control it using voice command.
With these ideas in mind, you can ensure that your first home provides the functions and safety it’s supposed to have. You can look forward to going home and spending some time with your family in this abode.
