Designing a functional living space
Everyone has a dream home. People imagine living in an incredible space that reflects their personality and style, has been tailored specifically for them and complements the way they live their life. But this ideal house does not happen by chance. It takes careful planning and remarkable creativity to create beautiful, functional spaces. A good interior designer can help to realize this goal.
“Many people get intimidated by the idea of hiring an interior designer. Some people want to save money and attempt to design their homes themselves. Others are concerned about the process of working with a designer. But unless they are incredibly skilled or born prodigies, they probably will hit trial upon expensive trial while they piece their dream home together. Having an excellent interior designer at the helm is never a bad idea,” says multi-awarded Filipino interior designer IDr. Jigs Adefuin.
Hiring an interior designer, Adefuin explains, will help illuminate people on the intricacies and realities of their dream home. A good interior designer will tell his clients what is possible and not, what are the prevailing trends, and what design fits their lifestyle.
In designing a living space, communication between the client and the designer is the key. Both the client and designer should have the same goal and vision.
“When clients visit my office, I always converse with them on different topics, mostly not related to house design, just to give me an insight on their personality. Once I realize and make connections between their desires and established styles, I often show them books featuring designs that will fit their profile,” shares Adefuin who earned his masters in interior and living design at the prestigious Nuova Academia di Belle Arti Milano's Domus Academy in Milan.
Aside from doing interiors, Adefuin also engages in furniture designing. For his designs, what matters is the objective, the vision, to make the creative process spontaneous and organic. His design ideas can come from the materials themselves.
In both interior and furniture, Adefuin believes that functionality is very important. “When designing, budding designers should always first consider the function of the space or the furniture. Function will always trump form. No matter how nice the design is, if it doesn't serve a purpose, it is essen- tially useless,” Adefuin points out.
Once he has the function down, Adefuin would then start designing the space or the furniture to fit the purpose.
“The design style is usually dictated by the client's likes, experiences and interests. I usually pick pieces of furniture that fit their style, mixing and matching them while preserving the sense of balance throughout the design space. Color and texture harmony should also be considered. The design must achieve an overall cohesiveness, regardless of the variation and disparity in colors, textures and sizes. Last, I believe that a well-designed interior must be admired, so good lighting is a must,” enthuses Adefuin.
In the past few years, there has been a movement toward rustic and artisanal. Adefuin thinks that if this continues, there will be a resurgence of glass-blown and wrought copper or bronze sculptures and accessories. There is also a growing interest in sustainable design, a principle that aims to minimize the negative impact of certain designs by consciously incorporating materials that are low-impact, renewable, non-toxic, and locally produced. It is a culmination of intelligent design with the intention of avoiding waste.
With the thriving condo living in the metro, Adefuin takes the challenge of designing small spaces. “Working in small spaces requires flexible thinking. One has to decide and situate all of the functions the clients need within the space, and then bring in the aesthetics. Whether the space is huge or small, comfort and function are the major considerations. A room is a space to live— it's a shelter. It has to contain the things one needs for subsistence and sustenance both physical and spiritual, and provide a level of ease and security.”