Have you ever looked around your home and felt dissatisfied? You may see your dated wall color and think that a fresh coat of paint will turn your frustration into contentment. But, in actuality, you should look at many other factors besides color to change how you feel in your space.
After staging hundreds of homes over the years, it never ceases to amaze me how, after a few hours of moving things around and bringing in the right items, it can absolutely transform a space without touching a can of paint. We often work with existing wall colors or furnishings that are bold or dated and walk away saying, "This place is super cute!"
This is where the psychology of design comes in. Designers understand the reason you are unhappy in your space. There are many reasons why a room isn't working for you anymore. So, keep reading for the top 3 problems we see when clients no longer love their homes...
Problem #1: Substandard Spatial Planning
While color can make a room feel bigger or smaller, it does not determine whether a space is functional or not. Spatial planning has nothing to do with aesthetics or stylistic preference and everything to do with understanding how our clients live in their homes and what a room's purpose is in their daily lives.
Thoughtfully laying out foot traffic patterns through furniture, wall placement, and the functional swing of a door are all significant ways to make a massive impact in your daily life. If a home doesn't match your lifestyle needs, it will quickly become frustrating.
Problem #2: Dysfunctional Furnishings
We've often purchased or been given furnishings that just don't work from one house to another. Sometimes, we fall in love with a piece but haven't found the right home for it. This hodge-podge effect can make us dissatisfied with a room's furnishings, style, and function. For furnishings to be functional, each must be the correct scale, have a purpose, and harmonize with the other furnishings.
Taking inventory of the items in a room and weeding out ones that don't work together is the first step towards creating a happier space.
Problem #3: Mediocre Quality (at Best) Materials
Whether it's mediocre cabinets or a piece of furniture that hasn't worn well, it's not the color that's the problem. Instead, select high-quality materials that don't quit on you or create more work. It’s worth it in the end. A well-made piece of furniture will have a longer life and can be refinished or recovered if you want to make a change. It is also more environmentally friendly because it reduces the amount of products that end up in landfills, something I have become a lot more conscious of in recent years.
Investing time and energy in reimagining your home so you can love it again is well worth it in the end. Before you consider painting (a quick but disruptive fix), consider evaluating your layout and furnishings to determine if that's where the real unhappiness lies.
If you would like some support designing your perfect, happy home, we would love to help. Reach out, and let's get to know each other.
Warmly,
Carrie
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