Home Interior Design for Smart People

1. Introduction : You ever wondered how smart people might approach their home design? What design decisions might set them apart? In this class, we'll look at redesign decisions that you can take early in the design process to make your home work smarter, not harder for you. And by the way, I'm Anna, I'm a licensed architect based in Europe and in these classes, I distill decades of architecture education and experience. Into small bite size lessons to help you design your home. This class teaches you how to think strategically about your home design because early, early good decisions will save you lots of time, energy, money, and frustration for years to come. You learn how to design with flexibility in mind, how to maximize the functionality of your furniture, and how to integrate innovative technology all while being stylish and sustainable. These skills are important because a well designed home isn't just a place to live. A foundation for the quality of your life. I know you probably think that for such a short class, if you hear the idea once, it will stay with you, but trust me, it probably won't. This is why I created a worksheet to encourage you to reflect a little longer on the ideas of the class in relationship with your space. What might you take away from the class and apply it in your home? This class is perfect for anyone looking to design or improve their living space, whether you're a homeowner, renter, or somebody dreaming about your future home. It's suitable both for beginners who want to start with the basics and for experienced individuals seeking new smart design insights. Prior design experience or tools are necessary, but I do encourage you to take notes to make the ideas stick better. If you're ready, let's start the class. 2. Lesson: Smart people approach their home design differently than normal people, and what design decisions do they take when it comes to their home that makes their life easier and more comfortable? In this video, I want to talk about three home design aspects that smart people think about. These are their home layout, the furniture type that they choose, and the home technologies they invest in. Let's get into it. The layout, smart individuals view their home as a, ever evolving organism that grows and adapts alongside their lives. Just as life isn't static but ever changing, so too, your home needs to adapt to change. Whether it's a growing family, shifting careers or evolving hobbies, a flexible home layout ensures your living space can effortlessly adapt to your changing needs, creating a home that changes and adapts with you. But what kind of home can adapt to so many changes? There are several types. One excellent approach is opting for open plan layouts, particularly in spaces designed with industrial inspired architecture. Homes often feature metallic beams that span large areas, eliminating the need for load bearing walls and pillars. This structure allows the use of lightweight partition walls, which can be easily reconfigured over time to create new spaces or merge existing ones. Such flexibility is invaluable when your spatial requirements shift. Another option is choosing a home built on a pillar based structure rather than one reliant on load bearing walls. Walls that support the structure are challenging to remove, often requiring costly reinforcements and structural adjustments. In contrast, a pillar based design supports the home's weight independently of the walls, making it far simpler to reconfigure. The structural freedom enables you to adapt your home with minimal disruption and expense. Finally, if the first two options are not available and provided you have the budget, consider a home with slightly more surface than you actually feel that you need. Having one or two additional rooms can provide invaluable flexibility. This foresight minimizes the need for major renovations, allowing your home to adjust seamlessly to life's unpredictable changes. Incorporating adaptability into your home design not only prepares you for life's inevitable shifts, but also ensures your living space remains functional and harmonious over time, providing both comfort and stability in an ever evolving world. Smart people embrace do more with less mindset and this principle carries over into their home design choices, opting for furniture or decor elements that have a high degree of versatility. Let me give you some examples. Curtains can be used in their classical form next to the window to darken a space, but they also have a dampening quality making space sound more cozy. They can also be used as flexible partitions between rooms or they hide story spaces. They have a high degree of versatility. Additionally, curtains can easily be transported and very likely they can be reused either in a new room or after a new renovation or after you moved into a new space, which is not something every piece of furniture can manage. Another piece of furniture like that is a peg board. Peck boards are incredibly versatile and can serve as a customizable storage surface for nearly any room. Entryways, kitchens, offices, garages, and more. They come with hooks and shelves. They can be rearranged offering endless possibilities for organization while maintaining a minimalist aesthetic. Finally, box like elements are also highly flexible and can be used as side tables or as stools. They can be placed together or apart. They can be stacked on top of each other or become supporting table storage elements. They can be used in the bedrooms or the living rooms or any other parts of the home. They have a high degree of flexibility built in them. Besides being able to be put anywhere, you can also easily be moved anywhere and have a function. These three types of furniture and decor can offer more than one function and you can be sure you can use them again no matter how you reconfigure your home. Number three, smart technology. Smart people think about how their home uses resources and leverage technology to minimize them without creating discomfort. They also leverage technology to increase comfort and minimize time spent on chores, but I feel like I've already discussed these two topics at length in other videos. In this video, I'm just going to focus on energy consumption. Here are some types of technology that Smarty will consider a centralized energy home hub. A centralized home hub that lets you monitor and control energy use across your entire house through a smartphone or a central monitor doesn't just save time, it inspires smarter, more conscious choices. Centralized systems that connect thermostats, lighting, security, smart plugs, and other appliances to a single hub also save time, energy, and cut down on unnecessary remote. Lighting technology has also made incredible strides. Smart lighting now mimics natural daylight adjusting colors and brightness throughout the day. Sensors can turn lights on and off automatically or while using a fraction of the energy systems required. While as this matter, lighting has a direct impact on your circadian rhythm. For example, exposure to blue light coming in the morning sunlight can disrupt your sleep if used at night. With smart bulbs that align with natural light patterns, you improve your well being while reducing energy costs. Modern thermostats are no longer just about setting a temperature, they also learn the habits of the inhabitants. Equipped with sensors and Wi Fi, these devices adapt to your household's unique rhythms. They learn which rooms are used at different times and adjust heating or cooling accordingly. This means always having optimal comfort and impressive energy savings. Smart window coverings use sensors to adjust based on sunlight helping regulate indoor temperatures. By keeping out heat in summer and letting in warm during winter, they reduce the load on your heating and cooling systems, saving energy and money. These technologies are more than just convenient gadgets. They represent a shift in how we design and live in our homes. By integrating smart solutions, you not only save resources, but also create a home that supports your well being and respects the planet. To recap, the whole of a smart individual considers change and is built on three pillars, flexible layouts, versatile furniture, and integrated smart technology. Principles ensure your home is not just functional today, but ready for whatever the future brings. For those ready to take the next steps, I've created a free worksheet to help you apply these ideas to your home. You can find the link in the video description.