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| An open space plan: Kitchen and Great Room |
We may have even leafed through a magazine while waiting at the doctors office and saw fabulous photographs of stunning interiors; and were equally impressed. There was something there that made it appear special and memorable.
As an exercise, next time you happen to
visit a "great" space, try to jot down afterwards its idiosyncratic qualities: What
made the interiors so special? How they surpass other spaces? What makes this
space memorable?
Trying to qualify the unique
prerequisites present in “wow interiors”, we may put together the following
informative list, which is not meant to be exhaustive, but mainly capturing the
essence of the matter.
HOW TO WOW!
- First and foremost, the particular interior space has an aura or energy of its own, evoking a feeling, such as, joy, serenity, excitement, or appearing mysterious, etc.
- Its aesthetics are undeniably superior and noticeable even to the novice or those normally indifferent about design (Are there really any such folks today?).
- There is cohesion in the application of the design concept. And a perceived harmony in the totality of the scheme.
- Last, but not least, a resourceful use of function or application of materials is observed; a new way of doing things is apparent. Eliciting responses like “wow!”, “look at that!”, “why I didn’t think of that?”, or even the simpler, “interesting”. For example, it could be a new way to create a bench that’s truly aesthetic, yet very economical. Or, an enchanting bar, with concealed lighting.
When your design elicits wow responses, you've attained design excellence; plain and simple. The success of the design is verified,
when others start copying various elements of your project. However, let’s be more
specific, examining the pragmatics of this in the following Case Study.
CASE STUDY: Paul Boulangerie – Patisserie
The famous bakery and café serving
French products, was established in 1889 in France and is now present in 29
countries. Their signature black is expressed in the façade, in awnings as well
as inside (chandeliers with black lamp shades, etc.), while the founding year
is depicted on a metal plate by the entrance. Real wood and old black-and-white
photographs, complete the picture. The tone is that of casual French elegance,
an antipode to the wave of laid back or more casual coffee houses of the U.S.
or U.K., namely Starbucks and Costa Coffee, respectively, both founded in 1971.
The establishment began operations in
Greece as well, while soon thereafter, some local bakeries and cafés tried to
imitate their design approach, superficially we may say, essentially adorning
black awnings across their facades with their name on them, in white letters.
Ironically, Greece had already some of
the most interesting cafés in the world, whether contemporary or traditional,
in Athens or by the Aegean; so there was no need to copy or reinvent an
imported identity.
Summing up, meet the four conditions
prescribed above and you’ll produce impressable interiors that will definitely
wow. The recipe is deceptively simple: It essentially involves the relentless
pursuit of excellence and a labour of love. Not to forget education and
training. Dare to be great.
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| A simple, straight-forward, yet elegant, Living Room. |
Read my #1 rated Amazon Book on Interior Design (2-2019), just out as a 2nd. ed. Get a FREE preview by Amazon HERE
#interiorarchitecture #architecture #interiordesign #aesthetics #furniture #art #architect #interiors
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For specifics, or ideas about your own
project, get in touch; we can work together. It's fun, easy and
affordable. You'll be surprised! We'll do everything by email ! Phone contact
is also available. Feel free to CONTACT: interior.design.easy@gmail.com
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