Mar 26 2009
Fit and flow mean fabulous
When it comes time for homeowners to start the interior design process, most focus on the color of paint, whether to select carpet over hardwoods and how to match the window treatments to the furniture style, but those elements don’t mean as much if you haven’t had an architect keeping tabs on the interior design from the beginning.
Interior architecture is about those little details, those finishing touches that give a house that “wow” factor. As architects, we don’t just figure out where to place the bedrooms and how to make the best use of closet space. We focus on continuity and the proportions. Often, in our work, we define spaces with interesting beams and ceiling design, but unless the details are harmonious and the proportions are correct, the entire balance of the space can get out of whack. A comfortable summer cottage can lose its charm with heavy-handed formal beams and trim.
Coordination among the architectural beams, the cabinetry, the lighting and the plumbing were critical to the success of this kitchen. Had any one element been ignored, the focus would immediately shift to the element that was not symmetrical. Instead the balance achieved creates a harmonious and welcoming space.
In simple terms, our job is to make sure a house fits and flows. Dozens of hands touch a house during the building process. The builder handles the construction of the entire house, but then there’s a trim carpenter, a plumber, an electrician and a whole team just to put in the kitchen cabinets. It’s the job of the architect to bring consistency to all those various pieces.
For example, we pay attention to how the details of the wainscot in the living room complements the style of the cabinetry; whether a room’s sense of balance is thrown off-kilter by beams that are misaligned; and how the lighting works in the entire room. We’re coordinating all those efforts, so the end result is a beautiful home.
We architects first look at each room and make sure the interior design fits together in that one room. Then we look at each room in relationship to the other rooms and the house as a whole.
If we do our job right, you’ll never notice. But if we do it wrong, you can’t miss it.
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As pictured below, an old Sullivan’s Island cottage is transformed to a bright comfortable space well suited to today’s lifestyle. Though undergoing a major change, the basic comfortable cottage feel was retained by the use of simple trim details that stay true to the home’s island character.
