Transform Your Home With Expert Tips For Balancing Aesthetics And Function
I’ve heard it plenty of times before: ‘What’s the point?’ In a house where things are still working—even if they’re barely hanging on—there’s a mindset that there’s no need to change them. What we sometimes don’t understand is that there’s always a delicate dance between aesthetics and function. We all want to love our homes, but they also need to work for us. In theory, our homes should be spaces where we love to spend a majority of our time. I recently renovated my own home office (slash craft room), and it was the perfect reminder of why balancing these two aspects is so crucial.
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Seemingly Aesthetic
When I decided to revamp my office, I knew I wanted it to be more than just a place to work—I wanted it to be a space that inspired creativity and productivity. The first step was removing the old carpeting that had seen better days. With that out of the way, I opted for a fresh coat of paint, choosing a color that not only brightened up the room but also set the mood for the type of work I do. Then came the fun part: decor. A few carefully chosen pieces here and there to give the room personality and warmth.
But here’s where I often hear the most comments—especially from my husband, who, like many others I encounter, has a tendency to poke fun at some of the purely aesthetic items. Vases, candles, art on the walls—these things can easily be dismissed as “just for show.” Trust me, even the most seemingly useless items can prove to have a function if you think about it.
- Candles: They provide a layer of sensory input, offering calming scents or smells that can transport you back to a favorite vacation or moment.
- Vases: a vessel to hold seasonal flowers and greenery, setting the tone of the interior of your home to match what is happening in the world around you.
- Mirrors: not only do mirrors help to make the space feel larger, they also add another element to the space. I’ve written a bit about Feng Shui {link to an old post}, and adding more materials to the room, even if you’re anti-gold or anti-mirrors, helps to add diversity in your finishes to create a well-rounded design that isn’t too matchy-matchy.
- Books: I feel like such a broken record, but in a lot of my styling jobs I find my client’s have a good base when it comes to their decor, but they don’t feel like anything is quite right. I’ll admit (my sister antagonizes me about this all the time) I do not want the clutter of a book! I read everything digitally or on audio, but I do have a small collection from my favorite series, some beautiful cookbooks, and amazing knitting and sewing books that work well a coffee table books. Including linen-covered books as part of your decor scheme works as a foundational piece in all of your vignettes.
Functional Homes
While aesthetics are essential, they can’t come at the cost of functionality. My craft room isn’t just for display—it’s a working space where I need everything to have a purpose. That’s why I upgraded my fiber art storage solution. I had to consider not just what looked good, but what actually worked for the types of materials I was storing. The old storage system worked okay for what it was, but it didn’t really serve my needs. The open cubes were easy to feel cluttered, items would fall out if not placed properly, and I couldn’t organize anything well without the bins, which just turn into doom pits if not kept well. Knowing now that I have ADHD, I feel less guilt about upgrading and changing the way I do things. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand what works for me and, more importantly, what doesn’t. Now, with a more functional setup, I can find exactly what I need when I need it, I can hide the items that I don’t need or want to view every day without dealing with disorganized bins, and the room still looks great.
Psychological Function of Aesthetics
I’ve already mentioned the seemingly useless decor that we can keep within our homes, but I want to talk about the psychology that goes behind loving your home. I’ve hated my space for a long time. Not only my office, but my entire home. I moved in in non-typical circumstances, and the home was never officially “mine” until this year.
Our home is my husband’s childhood home, he’s lived here his entire life and I didn’t feel like I had the authority or autonomy to change things. Let alone the budget. What has changed my perspective on this is having our baby girl, I’ve created a homebody (or maybe as an Aquarius, she already was), and whenever we’d return home from running errands, she’d always give a sigh of relief whenever we walked in the door.
This wasn’t something I ever felt – back to the ADHD card I’ve struggled my entire life keeping a clean space, but also even though I’ve lived here so long the home was never mine. I didn’t like the way it looked, so I didn’t care to keep it clean. (Backwards thinking—I know.)
Having completed a few renovations in the house so far, I find myself having an easier time keeping things tidy. (Meds help of course.) But also, I love the way the room looks, so I feel a sense of pride keeping it cleaner. This is where that balance comes in, first and foremost make sure your home is functional (mine still has it’s issues), and with that follows the aesthetics. Designing a space that you love and can take pride in helps you to feel relaxed, creative, and motivated. The seemingly useless choices you make aren’t just about looks.
Striking the Perfect Balance
At the end of the day, interior design is all about finding the right balance between aesthetics and function. Your home should be a place that looks good and works well for you. By making thoughtful choices we can create a space that’s not only beautiful but also highly functional.
If you’re struggling to find that perfect balance on your way to loving your home again, I can help. Click the button below to visit my services page and see how we can work together.
