Interior Design is more than Countertops, Curtains, and Cute Decor

There's a common misconception about Interior Design. Thanks to HGTV and Pinterest, we've seen an increase in ideas and visuals about Interior Design and Decor. We've been overwhelmed by DIYs, tips, and tricks all to make our homes look beautiful. But the common misconception about Interior Design is that its just about making an Interior or home look good. Interior Design is as much about influencing behavior and promoting well-being as it is about looking visually pleasing.

Commercial Interior Design vs. Residential Interior Design

I started my Design career working in Commercial Interior Design. We designed spaces like department stores, coffee shops, drug stores, and even hotels. What I learned from designing these spaces is that, while it was important they looked good, it was more important that they made the customer feel good. The questions we sought to answer with design weren't about what type of flooring or window treatments to suggest (although those did come up!). The real problems we were trying to solve were how to get the customer into the space, how to make them stay longer, and how to ensure they would come back. After all, the customer and their behavior were vital to the success of the business!

When I switched to Residential Design a few years back, I realized that design for the human element was missing. Everyone was focused on how high to hang their draperies or what pillow pattern to pick. It was all fluff and I was designing for the visual, not the personal. It was then that I asked myself this question, "Can Interior Design in our homes influence behavior and promote well-being just like it does in commercial design?" Absolutely!

Good design helps a child sit and study their homework rather than jumping up every two minutes. Good design reduces stress when we get home from work. Good design gives us access to social support and connection in our homes. Good design fosters positive distractions in our home by designing for our pets, promoting laughter, and giving us access to nature. In fact, this is the basis for the ever popular Holistic Design trend we see on the rise. Holistic Interior Design seeks to design an environment that best supports the individual and their needs.

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3 Key Aspects to Holistic Interior Design

As I mentioned above, most people get so focused on designing their homes to look good. But there are actually three components to Holistic Interior Design. When these three are used appropriately in our homes, we end up creating environments that can calm and heal, homes that increase connection, and rooms that help keep us productive and organized.

Design for Function

If you start designing your home or space for looks, you're starting in the wrong place. The key question we need to ask as designers and homeowners is "What do we want to accomplish in this space?" Do you want more family game nights where the TV is off and phones are put away? Then don't put your TV over the mantle because it looks good there! This makes the TV the focal point and so naturally your family will prefer to watch a show rather than drag out a card table to play a game. Instead, you should create a furniture layout that promotes conversation, connection, and game play. The design of your space - the layout, the furniture selection, the color choices - should all be selected to promote the activities you want to happen in that space.

When designing your home for function, remember that you and your family members will always do what's easiest. Think about how in the grocery store, top brands are places at eye level and cheaper brands are placed at the top and bottom of the shelves. This is because we tend to go for what's within reach and right in front of us. It's too difficult to bend down or reach up. This is design psychology that helps brands sell their products. You can do the same thing in your home by putting books or games within arm's reach. Place DVDs or remote controls up high or down low on shelves. You and your family members will gravitate toward what's within reach.

You can use this and other design psychology tricks throughout your home to produce certain behaviors. For example, put healthy food within reach in your Kitchen cabinets and refrigerator. Put junk food high up on shelves or out of the line of sight!

Design for Well-Being

A few years ago, I started struggling with Anxiety and Depression. It was then that I really started to notice how my environment affected my mood and my anxiety. Crowded grocery stores felt unbearable to be in. Open office spaces made me feel vulnerable and stressed. White walls made me feel like I was going insane. While we don't have control over most of the environments we work and play in, we do have control over our homes. And it's more important than ever that we design our homes to help us rest and restore.

A restorative home is one that not only looks visually pleasing but also helps us control the chaos and clutter that we create as human beings. Most people think that decluttering their homes will solve their problems. Or they think that decorating it will help it to look better. But these are both just one part of the solution. A restorative home is one that consistently manages clutter because it has systems set up for storage and organization. It is also one that is so visually pleasing we feel like we are escaping to paradise each night.

To get a restorative home, you have to first, declutter. Get rid of anything that you do not want to keep. Second, you have to set up systems for organization. If you just declutter and don't set up systems the clutter will simply pile back up. Set up a place for mail and schedule a day of the week to consistently go through it and sort it. Train your kids to hang up their coats and put away their shoes when they get home from school. Make sure it's super easy for them to do or even reward them when they do it for a whole week!

A home that is designed for well-being is one where you've intentionally designed each space to control clutter, function to meet your needs, and look visually pleasing.

Design for the Visual

This is the part we all love! We all love to put together beautiful things and create a fresh space! But remember not to get too focused on how to mix and match patterns or what is the best decor for your shelves. Your home is not a retail display window or movie set. It is a living, functioning, ever-changing thing. It will change as you have children and as they grow and move out. Give yourself permission to make mistakes, change things, and let your style evolve as you and your family do.

In summary, holistic interior design is one part style, two parts human (physical and emotional). Don't get hung up on decorating your home into a museum space. Rather, use your home as a tool to help you de-stress at night, connect with your husband and children, and feel like you've escaped the crazy, busy world for a moment.

What is one thing you could change today or this week that will impact you or your family's well-being? It could be small or inexpensive like changing the wall color in your living room or rearranging your pantry. Tell me in the comments what you could do to improve your well-being through your home's design!

Need help designing a functional, emotionally positive, and visually pleasing space? Let’s chat about an E-Design project and how I can help you get a more restful home environment >