It’s practically effortless to overlook how cluttered and uncomfortable your home is if you’re always on the go. But if you’re like most people, the pandemic probably changed that for you, too. Having been forced to stay at home for extended periods, deciding to beautify your home is as much a standard nowadays as indulging in a new and interesting hobby. The question is, how do you kick start your home improvement project?
Home improvement projects don’t have to be a big-time, one-off thing. You don’t necessarily need HGTV-inspired garden room interiors and the like in your home. At least, not immediately. In any case, before redesigning your living space, the first item to tick off your list is to know your design aesthetic.
Understanding aesthetics
When we talk about aesthetics, we are referring to a core design principle that underscores the pleasing qualities of your chosen look. In interior design, aesthetics is a hefty mix of balance, color, movement, pattern, scale, shape, and visual weight. To date, the trend in modern aesthetics is to incorporate functionality and usability with eye-catching designs. An entry in Britannica.com suggests that one of the more vital considerations in any design must be the question of whether a design works for its intended purpose.
Rules of design aesthetics
If truth be told, the so-called rules in design aesthetics are not set in stone. While there are best practices agreed upon by renowned architects and well-known interior designers, the design you want your home to adopt ultimately depends on your preferences. You can even use more than one design aesthetic in your living space if you wish to.
Interior design aesthetics
Are you leaning towards any specific interior design aesthetic? Choosing the overarching aesthetic for your home could be a bit challenging. To give you a good starting point, here are five design aesthetics that you might find interesting:
Minimalist
The minimalist style is one of the more traditional design aesthetics among modern families. This style suits people who don’t like bulky furniture and fussy home accessories. From the outside observer, the minimalist design may seem a bit too bland, but this Japanese-inspired aesthetic is all about uncomplicated forms and clean lines.
This design aesthetic requires a lot of space, so you also have to consider how big your area is. The choice of patterns is usually quite basic; the colors typically just black, white, and silver or gray. When done correctly and with the right elements, the Minimalist aesthetic mimics an effortlessly elegant style.
Art Deco
Though undeniably iconic, the art deco style is not as popular as the other design aesthetics. The Art Deco aesthetic was a takeoff from the industrial revolution. That is why people who have adopted this style use metal furnishings with sharp and pointed edges as well as jagged corners.
While the minimalist design is all about using the essential furniture, the Art Deco aesthetic goes the other route with oversized furniture and large armories.
Coastal
Some people love the beach so much that they put coastal elements into their homes.
The Coastal aesthetic is comparable to the rustic style in the sense that they both exude feelings of warmth and openness. But seeing both forms up close, it would be almost impossible to mistake one for the other. While both styles work best when the space has natural lighting, it also has a particular palette—mostly whites, browns, blues, and greens. Furthermore, the look and feel of the Coastal aesthetic is undeniably bright and breezy – the ultimate beach vibe.
Bohemian
Nothing says funky and eclectic better than the Bohemian aesthetic. People who go for this style have a distinct personality that is as carefree and as colorful as their chosen style. Whereas the Minimalist style aims for simplicity and quiet elegance, the Bohemian style is all about brightness and boldness. It highlights uniqueness with a funky sense of style—the more unique, the better.
To adopt the Bohemian-themed look, start with interesting pieces that have bold and funky patterns.
Rustic
Some people find the unfinished, unpolished look quite appealing. If you are among these people, then the rustic design is your cup of tea. Rustic design is inspired by raw and natural-looking elements such as wood and stone. It gives off that casual vibe as well. To pull off a rustic-themed home, you can start by using modern wood and stone accessories and furnishings which emulate warm architectural details.
Later on, when you decide to delve deeper into home redesigns, you might also want to consider adding garden home interiors that match the overall rustic theme of your living space. Most people hire specialists to get this done.
Have you decided on which aesthetic best suits your tastes and your functionality requirements? Making up your mind may take a while, as there is a myriad of factors to consider. Don’t worry! You don’t have to get too worked up over all the details just yet. Enjoy the process of exploring and designing and know that whatever style you choose, you should never compromise comfortability and functionality.
