"Every part of a space, whether it’s windows, flooring, furniture, or accessories, is an opportunity to bring in an element that you love and enhance your space."
Photography throughout: Sara Ligorria-Tramp, except where noted
Answering two specific questions about the room can help inform your entire project.
There’s one question I get asked all the time. “Can you design my house?” I wish I could! While I may not be able to help with every space, I am able to offer the insights, tools and tips I’ve picked up throughout my career. After hundreds of projects and just as many lessons learned along the way, I’m sharing my approach to design, and how to create a space that looks and feels like home.
When I begin to design or renovate a space, no matter the style, size, or budget, I think about two things: how will the room function and how should it feel. This becomes the starting point for the entire design process and helps dictate the direction for every decision. These two factors are crucial for creating a space that works and a place you want to spend time in.
Starting out in interior design, I was much more concerned with how a room looked. Don’t get me wrong, style is obviously a huge component of interior design. However, a room that looks good but doesn’t feel good isn’t a successful design to me. A design needs to be more than beautiful. It needs to work holistically, meaning all the elements come together for a look and feel you connect with. Over time, I also realized design is deeply personal, and that all good design is guided by your unique and specific instincts. The more you trust yourself, and follow what you love, the better the results. It’s especially true when designing your own home. Every part of a space, whether it’s windows, flooring, furniture, or accessories, is an opportunity to bring in an element that you love and enhance your space.
Where I Find Inspiration
When working on a design project, I often seek out inspiration. I’ve always been the type of person who is inspired by just about everything around me, so it’s usually easy for me to find. Travel, social media, taking my dog for a walk, watching a sunset, and even sitting at the airport are all opportunities for inspiration. I’m constantly snapping photos of what I see and using them as references for projects. Inspiration is really a crucial component of all things creative, especially interior design, and is something everyone should seek out.
I’ve also been inspired by many designers and artists. Interior designer Ward Bennett is someone whose work I always return to. His minimal but layered interiors from the 1970s are just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago. He also created some amazing furniture designs that are hugely inspiring.
As for artists, I’ve always loved the work of sculptor Isamu Noguchi. He was really the originator of organic modernism, which is a style I love and often incorporate into my own design work.
Photo by Steven Onoja How I Translate Inspiration into Design Vision
Translating your inspiration into the actual materials you use in a space can be one of the more challenging aspects of design. Besides the process of finding brands and products, you also have to take into account cost and availability. When sourcing materials, I start with the visual aspect. Does it look good and is the product in line with my design vision? I always like to look at things in person whenever possible, to see the texture, the color and how it feels to the touch. From there, I look at the logistics of getting the products, and how they fit into the overall design.
For larger components like windows and doors, you want to make sure you select options that work with the architecture of the room, as well as enhance your design style. For a renovation, I typically look at windows and doors at the same time as flooring and paint. I think of these items as the “foundation” of a design, and components that will impact all the other furnishings you add to a room. Therefore, you want them to meet your needs, work well, and be visually appealing. Regardless of the style I am working with, I always look for windows that offer options to customize, from finishes to opening styles. This versatility makes it easier to find the exact option that is ideal for any room.
For a renovation, I typically look at windows and doors at the same time as flooring and paint. I think of these items as the “foundation” of a design, and components that will impact all the other furnishings you add to a room. Therefore, you want them to meet your needs, work well, and be visually appealing.
Be it windows or doors, the materials you use will certainly reflect your style and design aesthetic, but also the quality. A “high-quality” design, by my estimation, is one that utilizes materials that are well made and thoughtfully produced, while also embracing the function, look, and feel of the space. It isn’t so much about how much you pay or the amount of labor that went into creating a design, but rather the intent and thought that went into the design.
Whether you’re tackling a home renovation, a total re-design or just making some small design changes, I hope these insights provide you with plenty of tips and serve as the next best thing to me actually designing your space!
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