As an interior design consultant, my main goal is to help people achieve a space they think is beautiful. But what may be beautiful to one person, may not be to another. And here lies the complexity and excitement of the job.
So what is beautiful? Is it something we think? Something we feel? Something we are conditioned to? I watched
this talk on TED this morning and it got me to thinking about beauty, achieving beauty, perceived beauty and most of all, transferring beauty into our surroundings.
What was confirmed by this talk is that beauty is relative. There is no one way to define it. You've all heard "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", or "we don't see things as they are, we see them as we are". And these are so true - that is why not all people think the same things are beautiful. Thank goodness for that (on so many levels) because otherwise, my job wouldn't exist. But what is common to defining beauty is the emotional reaction it evokes in an individual.
This notion of "to each his own" is one I live by and believe in strongly. I apply it on many different levels but I also think it helps me immensely in my job as an interior design consultant. And when I look back I realize that I really learned the importance of this during my studies in psychology. I was very in love with and involved in the scientific process. I loved thinking about questions and devising experiments whose results could shed some light on our inquires about human behaviour. What I learned there, is that so much needs to be said about individual differences, from biological and environmental standpoints equally. We try to create order by discovering certain patterns that help us understand why things are the way they are, but it's never so black and white. This is so fascinating to me and ties in so well to my work as a design consultant. I strive to help people discover what they want in a space. We talk about what they need, what they like, what makes them feel happy - like a mini therapy session ;) With this information (which is different for each and every one of us) I get to experiment and be inspired to create a space or a concept for a space that is beautiful to that individual.
Of course, there are general guidelines one should consider when designing a space. This is something I also learned during my studies in interior design, and it struck a familiar chord. Although there are certain concepts that encourage good design, they can be, and should be adapted to suit the space or the people within the space. It's all about balance - listening to people's desires, keeping an open mind, using your knowledge and skills, and not being afraid of breaking the rules or abiding by them. I believe this is how one achieves a beautiful space.
On that note, I leave you with some images of interiors I think are beautiful - ones that evoke an emotional reaction from me. Maybe you get it, maybe you don't. But that's the beauty of it ;) Feel free to comment below.
Hello there,
ReplyDeleteback home with some time to spare... (hmm, could it be that someone is simply avoiding doing tones of work waiting for her? )
anyways, to begin with, I find all these spaces extremely beautiful. Oh man! Do I adore these exposed brick walls, these wooden floors, that awesome bathroom!
This comes as no surprise of course, as I do know that our appreciation on beauty is very similar ; )
Still, with such examples, feeling involved is hard. These are highly designed architectural spaces, quite possibly not inhabited by an average middle class person.
(Here comes reality again...)
And as we are both trying to address not only wealthy people but average ones, I must say that these examples personally make me feel that beauty has to be postponed until lots of money is in store.
Having gained some experience through out the years co operating with people in planning, remaking or renovating part of their homes or all their living spaces, what strikes as a key word is e f f i c i e n c y.
Beauty might be relative but there do exist some guidelines providing a basis for good design. Personally I believe that beautiful design and spaces are p r o p e r l y designed spaces.
Good design = beautiful design to my humble opinion.
As consultants, we have to balance between assisting our clients in making a room that meets their aspirations, while being strict about some choices that will be not working for the best.
And yes it is true, having studied psychology and applied it in my precious job as a teacher, I do see the benefits of combining the knowledge gained from both professions. Meaning interior consultancy and psychology.
As for the job of an interior consultant existing thanks to the variety of approaches in beauty... hmmmm... I'm thinking about it and the more I do, I develop an approach I haven't quite realized I had ( but it's good that I do!)
Putting together spaces that are both practical, efficient, meeting an average line of aesthetics, while expressing the inhabitant's personality is something that can totally alter the q u a l i t y of everyday life of people.
It goes a lot deeper than beauty...
... here is an example. Rather than putting make up on our faces in order to be beautiful, one invests in eating healthy & being in peace with him/herself. Then this inner beauty in achieved, this special glow that might have nothing to do with typical beauty.
ReplyDeleteStill, it can hardly go unnoticed and it only brings positive effects to whomever might encounter it.
Likewise, beautiful spaces are (to me me off course!) spaces that are well designed, creating a feeling of peace & harmony (even for those who prefer more energetic spaces!). They might be typically beautiful for one and not for another, still they will be meeting some criteria.
Both the inhabitants and the visitors will be feeling comfortably there, quite often not wanting to leave. The inhabitants will be able to live healthily, happily while evolving in life.
The reason why I'm devoting time to write here (except because you invite us & being your friend I wish to contribute) is cause the fact that there are a lot of "famous" designers out there, who though completely fail in putting together spaces like the ones mentioned,
has always provoked thinking to me.... I mean... how can it be this way?... so here is a thank you for offering a good chance to discuss it :)
Finally, there are lot of spaces which cause the "awe" factor, still I don't personally find this to be always a factor for producing well designed (or else beautiful) spaces.
Perhaps some would work well as show rooms, hotels or even stages, but not always beautiful homes.
Saying that, let me say that money and size have so little to do with the whole issue according to my opinion!
It is all a matter of taste. And however individual approaches to beauty vary, there is just good taste & bad taste, right?
Beautiful interiors should be about good taste, independently of the amount of money invested.
And here is where interior consultants come in the picture. Still not all of them have this rather unique but then so much needed ability. Likewise, there are many people totally talented in putting together fantastic spaces, despite their profession being something else.
I think I' m concluding this by saying that beauty is relative but charisma is not.
And a consultant's job should involve putting this charisma into practice, while of course elaborating on it.
I hope you' ll be able to follow some of these thoughts... at some point I though it'd be better to talk about it in person over tea & cookies, but then writing it also helps me in realizing the views that I have over years step by step developed.
Got to go!
Talk soon, xoxo
Hi Iro! Thank you for your passionate comments! I'm glad that this post has stirred some discussion.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with all you say about good (efficient) design = beautiful design and that it can be and should be acquired despite the budget you are working with. Actually, budget constraints usually promote creativity as they pose a certain challenge. And a challenge like that or of working with a layout that cannot be changed puts your skills to the test. And it is fun to make things happen, to realize a vision in the face of limitation. And sometimes these limitations may work to our advantage - so maybe they are not limitations at all, but actually opportunities.
To me these rooms are beautiful because of how they make me feel. I do not define beauty from a superficial standpoint ... to me when you say something is beautiful, it comes from a deep place within. And although these rooms do have some special architectural features that may not be common to all spaces that make them extra special, the images can still serve as inspiration for a room with 4 walls and regular height ceilings and no brick. Instead of looking at the individual features themselves, I am considering them from a purely emotional and abstract point of view. The colour schemes are probably of most importance to me - this neutral backdrop of white and black and brown and grey - it gives me such a good feeling. Second are the textures. Wood, brick, concrete, leather, metal mixed with some high gloss finishes. Seeing them side by side excite me very much. And then the style. These images depict a modern/industrial vibe with some casual rustic elements. This is what I'm attracted to mostly - the concept. That is what makes them beautiful to me. Not the high ceilings and the Eames shell chairs (although I wouldn't turn them down ;) ). And since these are images, we cannot discuss the layout of these rooms. I do not know what the floor plan looks like and therefore cannot imagine what functioning in the space would be truly like. It could be that I enter on of these spaces and after an hour spent in it, I decide it is not so beautiful to me because the layout is inefficient and this shows a lack of thought in the planning. Could be. Although the layout may work for someone else depending on their needs.
That said, some may look at these pictures and think, hmmmm, it's a bit rough, not enough colour, not refined. And that's ok, that's good actually. If everyone's definition of beauty were the same, we would all be considering the same layouts, the same furnishings, the same colours and finishings. It would all be very cookie cutter like ... and this is what I mean when I say that our jobs wouldn't exist if beauty was defined in the same way by all people. So thank goodness it is relative.
I am happy that the beauty of an interior can be discussed on so many levels. There's a lot to consider when creating a "beautiful" space and it all depends on the person or people who will be functioning and spending time there. No project will ever be the same...
oh gosh, I feel like we could go on forever about this ;)
I think we do need a tea and cookie session, lol.
Wishing you a lovely day!
xoxo
Yes to a cookie and tea session for sure!
ReplyDeleteNow let me find the time though, all right?
Both for catching up on news and perhaps also to go with such discussions/considerations about fields of interest.
A short note till then, I do see your point clearer about how these images of places make you feel. Understand. I always decide on spaces depending on how I feel about them, too. Or the feelings they evoke to me.
Still, I can appreciate a well designed space, built to serve the purposes of its inhabitants, regardless of my personal approach to aesthetics and style.
Now, to explain my view better, perhaps I'd like to see shared here some examples of beautiful spaces that you personally perceive this way, that are more affordable though?!
I have this increased need to feel involved somehow! Like simple apartments perhaps, showcasing the work an architect, interior designer/consultant did, or simply an inhabitant with a special touch in decorating?
Especially since you also wish to address to people like you and me, meaning that they would consider spending a small budget on hiring a professional [if hiring one at all]?
Do I make better sense now?
Hope I do, if not, maybe it's not the right time for such discussions. Let's just stick to cookies & tea with everyday news instead :)