While collaboration is key in the home building process, there’s a deep disconnect between architects, interior designers, and merchandisers, says design firm Housing Design Matters. This disconnect can keep a good design from becoming great through minor tweaks that result in major differences. Location of the bed in the primary bedroom is one example: By collaborating with the interior designer, the architect learned that placing the bed in the center of a wall is ideal, but the original plans did not accommodate for it without crowding the sitting area. The solution? Adding bedside windows to lock down the bed wall and still leave room for two chairs.
As architects, when we walk into a furnish model without any prior dialogue with the designer, we might say – why is all the “stuff” cluttering up the kitchen while the Messy Kitchen looks like an art gallery. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Window placement is always a hot topic between architect and interior designer, especially in secondary bedrooms. First, you must agree on the bed wall, then the dresser wall. With that out of the way, where should the window go? The designer might say, “if you put the window in the far corner, the room will feel larger.” “True, but if you line the window up with doorway, the hallway will benefit from borrowed light from the bedroom.” This kind of dialogue can be useful in teasing out the greatest outcome.
What about the vibe of the interiors? Should it complement vibe of the exterior? As we often create multiple exterior styles, selecting the style of the exterior could certainly jive with the interior style. Then there’s color. Interior and exterior color palettes differ with more muted colors on the outside because of the brightness of the sun versus brighter interior colors. But certainly, there should be a thread of consistency?
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