As families expand and new additions join the party, so do the homes they live in. Rooms are added or reassigned, kitchens are upgraded and decor and furnishings are changed. New demands are placed on once redundant spaces and everything adapts to fit. Things can easily become disjointed and inharmonious, with each room requiring a tweak here and there.
When the time comes to reassert your control over your houses interior design, you will be able to plan how you want each space to look with a better idea of how you live within it. Getting all of the occupants input will give you a good platform to start the design process. Consider who and how everyone will use the space and what features you have to include to accommodate their needs. You may be a minimalist who craves sleek, uncluttered space, so putting concealed cupboards might be the solution to containing all of the toys and games that build up over time. Or maybe you have always longed to recreate the look and feel of a Moroccan Riad and could use elements particular to the architectural style in the kitchen and bathroom tiles and fittings. If you are lucky enough to have enough rooms to dedicate one for playthings, another as a study area etc., each room needs to work as part of the whole picture as well as on its own. Choosing a pallet that allows for dramatic colour differences, whilst still being complimentary of one another creates a story that will be able to run throughout the house.
Bravery is another key factor when contemplating giving your house an overhaul. Not letting sentimentality stand in the way of change can be hard. There is a certain amount of ruthless decision making that has to take place in order to restore the fine balance between function and style. Having said that, you could use a beloved piece of furniture as a starting point from which the rest of that room spirals outward from. This will also provide a narrative to the project, giving warmth and background which can’t be brought in the shops. You don’t want to end up living in a show home that bears no resemblance to who you are any more. Decide in the early stages what you can’t live without, and what you can’t wait to get rid of and be practical about everything that falls outside of those boxes.
For some, the idea of having builders descending upon their sanctuary and unleashing dust, mess and chaos into their lives is too much to bear. Living through a build of any sort can be hell, particularly if you are working with a number of contractors. The easiest, and by far the most successful way to approach redesigning your living space, is to get the experts in, who will manage everything from the design to the insulation. It won’t be the cheapest way of going about it, but you will be more likely to get the results you deserve.
Abby Wilkinson is a freelance writer and mother of three exuberant children. Having only recently moved to a new house she is excitedly planning on which room to decorate next!
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