Photo Credit David Giles
Whilst catching up on a few things recently, I stumbled across a Homebuilding & Renovating article I'd contributed to about family living rooms.
Reading it again got me thinking about something I see time and time again when working with homeowners.
The family homes that feel the most successful aren't necessarily the biggest. They're not always the newest or the most expensive either. They're the homes that have been designed around the people who live there.
As an interior designer, I often meet families who think they need a new sofa, a different paint colour or a complete redesign and sometimes they do. But more often than not, what they're really looking for is a home that works better for the way they live.
Every Family Lives Differently
One of the things I've learnt over the years is that every family lives differently.
Some families spend hours gathered around the kitchen island chatting about their day.
Others love curling up together for a film night in the living room.
Some need a home that can cope with muddy dogs, teenagers and endless sports kit. Others are looking for a calm sanctuary away from busy lives.
That's why I always start with the people rather than the room.
Before we talk about paint colours, wallpaper or furniture, I want to understand how my clients live, what frustrates them about their home and how they want it to feel.
Because good design isn't just about creating a beautiful room.
It's about creating a home that works for the people living in it.
Open Plan Family Living - Wallingford Project
The Rooms That Work Hardest Often Matter Most
When you think about it, family homes ask a lot of certain rooms.
Living rooms need to be somewhere you can relax at the end of the day, entertain friends, enjoy family film nights and sometimes even work from.
Kitchen tables become places to eat, work, study, craft and catch up on the day. One family I visited even played football in theirs!
Bedrooms need to help us sleep, recharge and escape from a busy day and for teenagers some need to fit in a work space, creative area, reading nook and dressing table!
It's no wonder so many homeowners tell me their rooms aren't quite working for them.
The reality is that most rooms need to do more than one job.
The homes that work best are the ones that embrace this rather than trying to create a picture-perfect space that doesn't fit real life.
Whenever I start a new project, I'm always thinking about how a room needs to function before I think about how it should look.
Because when a room works well, it naturally feels better too.
One of my favourite examples is this teenage bedroom. The room isn't huge, so every inch needs to work hard. It needed space for studying, relaxing, getting ready for the day and displaying the things that make the room feel personal. By thinking about how the room would be used first, we were able to create a space that is both practical and beautiful.
A teenage bedroom designed to provide space for studying, relaxing, sleeping and displaying the things she loves. Photo David Giles
David Giles Photography
Function Before Decoration
One thing I've noticed over the years is that homeowners often jump straight to paint colours, furniture and accessories.
I completely understand why. They're the exciting parts.
But if the layout isn't working, no amount of beautiful furniture or carefully chosen cushions will fix it.
That's why I always encourage clients to take a step back and ask themselves a few simple questions:
• Where do we naturally gravitate as a family?
• Which parts of the room hardly ever get used?
• What's frustrating us on a daily basis?
• What would make life easier?
The answers are often surprisingly revealing.
Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn't come from spending thousands of pounds.
It comes from improving the layout, creating better flow or introducing smarter storage solutions.
Open plan living space with lots of built in storage for toys, games and family life.
A Home Should Make You Feel Something
One of my favourite projects involved transforming a hallway.
Now, a hallway isn't usually the room clients get most excited about.
But it's the first thing you see when you walk through the front door and the last thing you see when you leave.
It sets the tone for the whole house.
After the project was finished, when I went back to visit one client I noticed myself taking a deep breath when I walked through the front door.
This perfectly sums up what good design can do.
A home should make you feel something.
It should feel welcoming.
It should feel comfortable.
It should feel like somewhere you want to be.
For me, that's always been far more important than creating a room that simply looks beautiful in a photograph.
Hallway project like a breath of fresh air.
Personality Matters More Than Perfection
One thing I've learnt over the years is that the homes people love the most are rarely the perfect ones.
They're not the homes where everything matches or where nobody is allowed to sit on the sofa.
They're the homes that feel personal.
The homes where you can get a sense of the people who live there as soon as you walk through the door.
Maybe it's a collection of books that have been gathered over the years.
Family photographs that bring back happy memories.
Artwork chosen because someone genuinely loves it rather than because it was fashionable.
A favourite armchair that's seen better days but nobody wants to part with it.
These are often the things that clients worry aren't stylish enough.
Yet they're usually the very things that give a home its character.
I always say that your home should tell your story.
It should reflect your personality, your experiences and the things that make you happy.
Because when you surround yourself with things you love, your home feels more welcoming, more comfortable and ultimately more like you.
And that's something no trend can ever achieve. I always ask my clients what is staying and what artwork they have and work the design with this as the starting point.
Personality filled shelves at my Shiplake project
Three Questions to Ask Before Starting Any Project
If you're planning to update a room this year, start by asking yourself:
What isn't working right now?
How do I want this room to feel?
How do I want this room to support my family and lifestyle?
Answer those questions first.
The colours, furniture and finishing touches become much easier once you understand the purpose behind them.
Because the best family homes aren't designed around trends.
They're designed around real life.
Ready to Create a Home That Works Better for You?
If you've been reading this and finding yourself nodding along, it might be time to stop trying to figure it all out on your own.
Whether you're moving house, renovating, extending or simply want your home to feel more like you, sometimes an outside perspective can make all the difference.
My Design Consultation is designed to help you move forward with confidence.
Together we'll look at your home, identify what's working, what's not, and create a clear plan to help you achieve a home that feels beautiful, practical and personal to you.
You don't need a huge budget or a complete renovation.
Sometimes a few thoughtful changes can have the biggest impact.
If you'd like my help creating a home that works for your family and your lifestyle, I'd love to hear from you.
