According to research, 92% of people in the UK spend their leisure time indoors. A functional interior design might be ideal if you spend most of your time indoors. Functionality enhances comfortable living and can help you enjoy your home even more. If you’re wondering how to achieve functional interior design, here are three simple steps to guide you.
- Consider the flow of your internal space
Your home’s floor layout will determine how much space you have to play around with. A functional interior design in any home primarily makes efficient use of floor space to create a desired look. It doesn’t matter whether the layout is spacious; the most important thing is knowing how to utilise the space to enhance function and comfort. While you consider the flow of your internal space, another critical area to look at is your furniture arrangement. If it restricts movement, you can rearrange the place to create a semblance of an open floor plan for easy movement and convenience. Every floor layout requires great planning to determine how to use each area for a specific purpose. This way, anybody who walks into your space can immediately tell what each area is reserved for. You can also make the most of your space and enjoy it, using it for your preferred activities.
- Pay attention to functional lighting
Your lighting pieces can highlight desirable features of your home, improve the mood and even make a smaller space look larger. All these are attainable with the help of functional lighting. You can also use natural lighting efficiently during the day, but that is possible only if your home’s window placements are favourable. Usually, south and north-facing windows are believed to help draw more natural light indoors, helping you use less artificial lighting during daylight hours. When it gets darker, however, you can rely on other artificial lighting sources to add functionality to your space. You can complement your lighting with an electric fireplace to create ambience and a warm atmosphere. Although this is meant to be a heat source, some are installed with LED lights that automatically create a welcoming indoor space.
- Use functional furniture
Your furniture can serve many purposes in your home, from providing a seating space to giving you a place to relax after a long day. It can also add a unique touch to your interior design. All it takes is to read about them to decide which suits your home best. Usually, multipurpose options come top of the list when people look for functional furniture. The functionality of these pieces will also depend on whether you have young kids or pets at home. It is better to have easy-to-clean and durable pieces when you have children and pets at home.
Furthermore, storage is a critical part of functional furniture, providing several benefits, including convenience and good use of space. For example, you can use a storage ottoman as a footrest and a place to keep your magazines. Owning a sofa bed with more than one function is also useful. Additionally, functional furniture can help you use your immediate space well. Therefore, avoid buying big-sized furniture pieces if the area you intend to place them in is small.