My Five Functional Design Rules

1. Indoor/Outdoor Rugs in the Dining Area: Sounds silly, but having an indoor/outdoor rug under my dining table has been one of the best decisions I've made for my kitchen. Prior to my current dining table and chairs I had a completely different set and a different rug as well. I had originally had a square table with a rectangular rug. It looked cute, but I didn't think through the rug at all. I had chosen a shag rug, and it was nearly impossible to keep clean. It just trapped everything from dust to food to dog hair.

Here is one from Wayfair. 

It was an absolute pain so when I went with my second table, which was a high top, I didn't use a rug at all. This was in a very small apartment in the Westport area and that worked out well for that space. Once I moved into my row home, I realized that I would eventually want a "real" table and chairs again. I really wanted a rug in there as well to add interest, texture and color, but was really hesitant to pull the trigger. I chose the indoor/outdoor primarily because it was cheaper and hoped it would be easier to clean.

I have been so happy with my purchase! The best part is I can just sweep directly over the surface and if a liquid is spilled I can absorb it easily by lifting it up, wiping what leaked through, and then lightly cleaning the top surface.  This may be more challenging with red wine, but here is a simple way to clean that up as well.

2. Functional Sofa/Sectionals: Comfort is a priority some designers tend to overlook, but really isn't functional for day to day use. I don't really know anyone who wants to lie on a Victorian couch to watch a movie. While decorative couches serve their purpose well for entertaining and look; they just aren't always that practical for a home that has one living area. Taking into consideration you and your family's height, frequency of use, and purpose of the space is important when selecting functional seating.

Couches can also be very frustrating when they are made of materials that are difficult to clean or are light colors. I absolutely love the look of white or cream couches, but would never dare to attempt to maintain one. I have a black Dachshund that would make a white couch look more like a Dalmatian. I currently have a black leather couch that I purchased from TEMA in Albuquerque, NM about eight years ago. It's maintained its shape and is very easy to maintain in terms of cleaning. Be sure to ask plenty of questions about the leather or material when purchasing a sofa. I would also recommend searching for reviews online about the material and not just rely on the knowledge of a sales representative.

This is a gorgeous, but a little higher priced leather sectional from Restoration Hardware. They have a lot of basic and comfortable sectionals like this Capri leather sofa.

3. Don't Crowd Your Walls or Floors: It's easy to get carried away with decorating and deciding what should stay in a space or go. This can be especially true for walls. You don't have to cover every inch or section of wall that is available In dorm rooms, closet spaces, and storage areas this makes more sense, but not everywhere in your home. Adding more and more decorative items to a small room can make it feel cluttered and often lose the opportunity to make the space more practical and functional. Large spaces have more freedom, but can also distract from architectural details and bog down natural existing design.

For example, every space between two windows or a window and a door does not need to be covered in pictures or decorative items. Often new apartment or home owners will be excited to decorate and plan out areas of their walls, but it just becomes too much all too quickly and defeats the purpose of design and creating a tranquil environment. Decorative clutter isn't much different than just regular clutter. Using fewer items, higher hung curtains, and mirrors can help add space, light and an overall feeling of calm in smaller spaces.

Here is an example from Ugly House Photos. Yikes!

Furniture size is also important when selecting pieces to a room. Even if you aren't adding too many items, if they are too large for the space you can still end up with a cluttered effect. This really limits your design options and opportunities to add fun items such as throw pillows, area rugs, ottoman, console tables, plants, and lamps. Choosing small items for small spaces is important and when filling a large space it's also important to not get carried away with filling every available inch. A well designed room can quickly look like a hoarders dream land if you aren't careful.

4. Organization: 

Not only do you want your walls and floors to be clutter free, you want everything to have its place and even your drawers to be organized. Most of us have at least one catch-all drawer, but do we really need that? How often do we actually use those items and can they be easily organized?

Every room in the house requires organization. The kitchen drawers can become easily cluttered messes, wires peeking out from behind TV's and nightstands can create visual clutter, and bathrooms can turn into makeup and hair product explosions if not regularly kept. Organization is also not just a one-time act of getting it together; it requires ongoing maintenance. This maintenance is really the key. One simple trick is every time you purchase something new, something old has to go. This way you won't continue to acquire (junk) while updating your closet or kitchen.

5. Lighting: This is something that is almost always overlooked in a space. Overhead lighting and most built in lighting is just plain harsh, unflattering, and hard on the eyes. Adding softer lighting that isn't blaring down on you and your guests in your home will help with ambiance and potentially avoid headaches and straining of the eyes. It also helps soften the mood and calm the feeling in the room.

Overhead lighting in most dressing rooms are terrible for example. This woman even went to several major retail stores and took selfies to prove it. You really don't want your guests (or yourself) to look horrible over dinner with lights blaring down and creating unflattering shadows! Just say no!

Energy conservation is another practical aspect of lighting that is important to take into consideration. Today most bulbs are measured differently than by watts in terms of their energy efficiency. Lumens for example can help you choose a brighter bulb for an area that you would want to have well lit, for example the bathroom, kitchen, or a room with no windows. The warmth or coolness of the bulb is also an aspect to consider when creating a specific mood or effect. The colors in the room (particularly the wall color) can also impact your decisions and selections for lighting. I personally have used the dining area the most in every home I've lived in and have really enjoyed my recently added floor lamps with soft warm bulbs. I have two flanking the table, which provides just the amount of light for a relaxing dinner or end of day glass of wine and cheese! Cheers!!