I often tell my clients that there is no such thing as a perfect space and there’s always a compromise to be made through the interior design process. But there are certainly some things not to compromise on in your own space, I’ll share my thoughts on what these things are in this post.
Function
I’m working on a home renovation project in Burwood and the client has asked me to review the architectural plans. The house has a deck in the front yard and there will be an extension adjacent to this deck. At the moment the extension will be the living room but I suggested to my client the extension should be the kitchen.
They asked me if this meant the kitchen would be too far from where the dining zone is. I said maybe but in the new kitchen there will a breakfast bar and if you make the deck an all weather space, the function of dining can happen there more often.
Here the compromise is having the kitchen a little further away from dining to take advantage of all the natural light offered by the deck bearing in mind the new breakfast bar.
In any project there are opportunities and in this instance I saw the opportunity of the breakfast bar being used by a family of three more often than a dining table on a daily basis. While taking advantage of the natural light and landscaping aspect offered by the deck.
Another client wanted a double bed in his second room. But he also wanted a desk and bookshelf in this space. Based on the guest room functionality being low, we opted for a single bed instead.
Aesthetics
Every project has a budget. Even the more expensive and elaborate projects and there is always something you can compromise on when it comes to style, furniture and furnishings. But one thing not to compromise on is quality.
Always buy the best quality you can afford. And remember a space is made up of individual items. So while you make not like one thing in a space the compromise is that as part of whole the one item will be inconsequential.
For example a Glen Iris client wants a light marble look for their kitchen countertop and is happy to have a laminate countertop instead of stone. Stone is more expensive and as part of the entire design this alternative will not bring the space down. This is a good compromise.
The key to finding out what not to compromise in your own space is having an interior design strategy. For me a design strategy has two components. An interior style goal and a colour scheme. When you keep this big picture in mind, making compromises along the way becomes easier.
Ultimately, when I work with clients I tend to look for low cost complementary pieces such as coffee tables and bedside tables. Preferring to spend more on the focal pieces such as beds and lounges. I think this is a good rule of thumb when thinking about what not to compromise on in your own space.
