If you want to design your home to your own taste without making major structural changes, conscious planning is essential. In this blog post, we'll take you step-by-step through how to get started on redesigning an apartment or house, with three key considerations: site survey, functional needs and design directions. This is illustrated by the example of a specific project where a The aim is to design a living room-kitchen of 28 m² for a family with two children who don't want to compromise on practicality and style.
1. Field survey - Survey of the foundations
The first and one of the most important steps in the planning process is to on-site survey, as it determines the options available for the design of the space.
What to consider?
✅ The environment: The style of your home should be in harmony with the environment. A house next to a forest would need natural, warm tones, while a coastal style might feel alien.
✅ External and internal character of the property: If the exterior of a house has already been given a brown or beige tone, it's worth continuing this trend in the interior.
✅ Weighing every detail: Walls, ceilings, sills, windows and doors, mechanical elements - all have an impact on the final organisation of the space.
Example project: our project is a new-build house near a forest, with a wood-effect façade and darker-toned interior finishes. The living-kitchen space is only 28 m², so every centimetre counts.
2. Functional needs - Real use of space
Before we start choosing furniture, it is important to understand that what functions the space should serve.
What questions should be asked?
✅ What are we going to do here? Reading, relaxing, working, eating? Each activity requires a different layout and lighting.
✅ Who uses the space and when? A family with three children has a different lifestyle from a university student, and this needs to be taken into account when planning.
✅ What storage solutions are needed? It's a good idea to be selective first and then find a place for everything that matters. It starts with a centimetre survey, yes. In other words, how much space will all our plates fit into? How much storage do we need for our books? And, of course, let's top it all off with a 10-20%.
Example project: a family with two children insists on a kitchen island, but this leaves no space for the dining room. The solution: convert the terrace into a conservatory to accommodate the dining area. Other practical solutions include:
- Dining for 4 at the kitchen island
- Pull-out sofa bed with linen holder for guests and bed linen
- TV wall, which can also be used to store coats and children's toys
- Lighting design for different functions (reading, relaxing, cooking)
3. Design needs - Defining the style and use of materials
When we already know that what the space should serve, and what its characteristics are, then comes the choice of style and use of materials.
How to develop the design concept?
✅ Gathering inspiration: Pinterest, Instagram, home decor magazines - but only save photos that are harmonise with the characteristics of the space.
✅ Finding common points: If all saved inspiration pictures bright kitchen countertop included, it's not worth looking any further for dark or grey versions.
✅ Stick to the direction we have set: A deviation from the style defined by the inspiration images can easily confuse the coherence of the interior.
Example project:
The owners want a classic, elegant yet modern home, which:
- Dark wood cladding and marble cold tiles employed in the kitchen
- With gold accessories, chandeliers and glass decorations will be inserted
- With wall-panelled TV wall becomes special
- Easy to clean and durable materials contains for everyday use
Summary
The transformation of an apartment or house will be truly successful if it is adapts to the property, takes into account functional needs and consciously builds the design concept. As you can see from our example, every detail counts, and a carefully designed home will not only be beautiful, but also practical.
💡 If you're planning to transform your own home, consider these three basic steps to create a truly livable and harmonious space! And if you need expert help, check out MM Interiors, where we help you create the home of your dreams with personalised interior design solutions. ✨
