As interior designers, we meet people from all walks of life with a variety of needs. The meaning of “home” is different for everyone and what works for one household may not work for another. Oftentimes, when people think of what home feels like, though, they think of comfort and relaxation. But how do you achieve that when the members of your family are always on the go?
Making Room for Everyone
Designated spaces
Assess your family’s needs. Do you need a home office? A room for kids to study in? And everyone could always use extra storage space! Having a clear idea of your household’s needs will make it a lot easier to create a home that eases potential day-to-day frustrations.
Open floor plans
A lot of people love the idea of open floor plans because it usually means more space and light in your home. When it comes to large households or busy families, having more open spaces can also help everyone feel more connected, even when things are a little busy.
Rearranging Furniture
You don’t have to call a construction crew to create a more ergonomic space for your family. In fact, simply rearranging furniture or changing the purpose of a specific room can impact the way your home functions. This could be as simple as adding storage in your foyer for everyone to organize belongings. It could also mean turning a bedroom into a home office or finding a better dining table that can double as a study area for kids.
Utilizing Virtual Assistants
These days, everyone has a preferred virtual assistant to help make life easier at home. You’ve probably heard of Apple’s Siri, Alexa from Amazon, and Google Assistant. All of these assistants can be integrated with other devices so that you can use voice commands to operate your home. One major example is connecting your respective device to a smart plug, which turns your electrical outlets into a “smart socket”. This allows you to turn small appliances on and off using your voice or your phone. Home security systems, thermostats, and media devices are all different parts of your home that can also be connected and controlled through virtual assistants and mobile devices.
Design a Smart Home System
For the busiest of families, you can make every room work for you with smart home design. Or, at least the rooms that are often the busiest and most used in your house. Top brands that offer a variety of smart home appliances include Samsung, LG, Wolf, Subzero, Bosch, Kohler, and more.
In the kitchen, Samsung and LG both offer smart refrigerators. They let you see what’s inside without having to even open the door. They can also be connected to your preferred virtual assistant to help keep track of your groceries. For your living room, consider a TV that disguises itself as a piece of artwork. When not in use, it turns itself off. Or maybe your life can be greatly improved by a laundry machine that can be remotely started through your smartphone and will automatically adjust its own time and temperature to avoid damaging your clothing.
These are just a few examples of how a few smart appliances can help you and your family navigate through daily routines a little more easily. Instead of worrying about keeping your house in order, your home can be designed to take care of you. Now, you can take time and truly relax at home and enjoy time off with loved ones.
