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Design2build

Author: suchitra harsha

Categories
Interior

Ideation to execution : a guide

 

Whether you’re a designer, an ideator or some form of creator, you will know the importance of having a process or a workflow when it comes to turning a concept into reality. Whether you’re doing it for yourself or a client, whether it involves interior design, furniture or product design, architecture or even the more thought based design fields where one is designing processes and protocols, a designer knows that having a great concept covers half the battle and the other half lies in the conversion of the concept and the execution of the details. 

Every designer has their own process and workflow when it comes to successful execution but a successful workflow can be broken down into a few broad steps. So that we can break this down properly without confusing the subject at hand, we will use the example of a single double wall that we designed for a project and talk you through the step by step process of executing the wall. 

1. The drawing/conceptualisation/visualisation stage : 
This stage is broken down into two parts. The first part is what sets up the future success of the design. The first job of the designer is to take the time and effort to understand the requirements of the space. This comes down to undertanding the kind of ambience the client is trying to create, the functionality of what you are trying to achieve, your clients material, colour and aesthetic preferences, etc. 
Now, armed with this information, it is time to let your creativity lose while using all the technical information that you have gathered along your design journey. Your aim is to ideate the best possible solution given your restraints. 
In the case of our example, we realised that the client wanted a feature wall that drew the eye, had graphic angular lines and an industrial feeling that wouldn’t allow the wall to impose too much. We started sketching out our concept at this stage to take to the client.  

 2. The 2D visualisation stage :
The stage of 2D visualistion is to do one thing. To check your sizes, measurements, dimensions and functionality and to make sure that you are clear that your drawings, concepts, ideas, etc, line up perfectly with the space you are trying to create them in. This is where you are essentially checking all points of functionality in your project and are trying to achieve as high a level of accuracy as possible. At this stage we measured our drawing out against the space available on site and make any major functional design changes needed by the client. No more functional changes are ideally made after this stage. 


3. By the time you come to the 3D visualisation stage you have a fair idea of all the technical details required for your execution. At this stage you can start talking to different vendors about materials and rates etc. This is an important stage when it comes to client communications as this is the stage where they will be finally able to visualise what you have been talking about. It is important to go back and forth in detail about colours, textures, materials as all of these will be locked down during this stage of the process.


4. The supervision stage : This stage just involves coordinating with your vendors, communicating drawings, checking for detailing, quantities and finishes. This stage is essentially to make sure that your vendors get the details right. For the client, this is the sit back and relax stage but for designers, it is time to keep a vigilant eye on proceedings. 



5. The handover : The handover happens to be one of the great joys in any design field. When done successfully, the handover is an extremely rewarding process for both client and designer, regardless of the type of project. 


We created this beautiful double wall as a part of a residential project in Hennur, Bangalore, India. Check out the entire project here along with our other work! 

Categories
Interior

ECLECTIC DESIGN : mix it up to get it right

You have probably heard of various interior design styles already: modern, contemporary, traditional, farmhouse, industrial, minimalism, and maximalism, just to name a few that are commonplace at the moment. We, at Design to Build Spaces, love working with absolutely any style you throw at us.

But what happens when you don’t want to stick to only one style in particular? What happens when you want to mix within these styles to create something that is unique, different, and reflective of your personality?

Is it even possible to create a coherent, cohesive interior design solution if you don’t apply a single style, a single palette, or a single thought process? In a word, yes. As long as you follow certain basic premises to keep things from going absolutely crazy, you can end up with a cohesive space that draws from multiple styles, various inspirations, and a multitude of colors.

So, in short, what happens when you apply your personality to the space and cross styles, designs, and language to tailor something to you? You end up with an eclectic space and vibrant and fun room interior design. 

The word eclectic has Greek roots and literally translates to choosing the best of all given choices. The term itself has taken a long journey, transitioning from philosophy to architecture, after which it eventually made its way to design in general, interior design specifically, and even home decor.

Choosing the best in this case is a subjective set of choices as “the best” will be determined differently based on the specific situation, client, and space.

Eclectic design hinges on the sensibilities of the interior designer being in line with those of the client and drawing from various inspiration points in a client’s life like their experiences, travels, and exposure to create an amalgam that works uniquely for the client and the space.

A good eclectic living room design, for instance, will tell you a lot about the users. Their influences, their lifestyle, where they like to travel, and cultures that they have been inspired by. 

Eclectic design comes with its own set of challenges which is why designers are weary of going anywhere near it. There is a fine line between an eclectic space and an absolute mess, and it all comes down to an eye for detail.

The designer has to follow certain principles to keep things cohesive and keep the space livable. When it comes down to residentials specifically, it is becoming the norm to opt for a ‘less is more’ approach and skew towards the minimalist aesthetic. If that’s truly reflective of your personality, by all means, go for it.

But there is a school of thought, not as popular, that embraces the ‘more is more’ lifestyle and we know that it is indicative of many great personalities we’ve met as well. Design to Build spaces loves to design for the maximalist as well.

So how does one go about creating an eclectic space that works in the context of residential interior design? How does one do ‘more’ without it becoming ‘too much’? This is what we will go on to talk about. There are certain things to keep in mind to keep an eclectic design soothing while still embracing the vibrant notion of the style. 

1.  Maintaining a cohesive color palette beforehand: One of the things to have the largest impact on a space is color. Eclectic design hinges on using many colors to create vibrance, life, and dynamic energy but in order to prevent clashing, it is important to maintain a cohesive color palette beforehand. The color palette itself can be as eccentric as the client chooses but the cohesion between the colors and color theory itself must be applied to keep the room from becoming an eye-sore.

2. Mixed textures, colors, and print: After the designer sets the color palette, the room to truly go wild begins. Now the designer can add a cohesive mix of color, pattern, print, and texture that are all from the chosen color family. The success of the design hinges on playing with the massing of these elements to create something emblematic of your client. 

3. Combining decor that is both old-world and modern: As we have talked about earlier, eclectic design doesn’t resign you to any single time period of design. The client can bring in vintage decor that the designer can marry with newer-designed pieces in order to create a harmonious space that is relevant in today’s context but filled with pieces from different times. It’s a fun place to explore bedroom interior design ideas. 

4. Influences from all over the world: Just like there are no constraints when it comes to time period, design language, or interior style, there are no geographical lines either. Eclectic design allows the designer to draw from any culture that the client resonates with and bring in the culture’s art, ornamentation, and motifs into the space. Again, an eye for balance from the designer is important to make sure the space isn’t incoherent. 

5. Feature walls or gallery walls: These are a great way to show multiple experiences or mix multiple influences on the same wall. The impact of a gallery wall depends on the visuals chosen and the balance, symmetry, and contrast maintained between these. 

6. Balancing furnishings with wall finishings and vice versa: The point of an eclectic design isn’t to go crazy. A good thumb rule to follow is that if you’re going for a bright pattern/texture/color/print on the wall, you keep your furnishings in a complimentary neutral palette and vice versa. 

7. Remembering to watch out for overcrowding: The last tip we could give you is one that comes from one of the oldest standing mantras in fashion. Right after you feel you have hit the perfect cohesion, take one element out. With this design language specifically, clutter is very easily what you will end up with so one thing you will have to be extra watchful of is keeping the space from becoming overcrowded. 

Reach out to us at Design to Build Spaces to have an eclectic space designed for your home in Bangalore, India today! Come and book your consultation with young, fresh interior designers in Bangalore.

 

Categories
Interior

JAPANDI : new design language

Japandi is a style that mashes up both Japanese and Scandinavian design principles. It is becoming very popular globally and that is because these philosophies can be contextualized to be used anywhere in the world. Both these individual interior design languages go back centuries and are rooted in very similar places logically. In essence of their logic, both design styles emphasize revolving the design purely around a high quality of life. They both rely on using calming, soothing palettes and clean lines combined with natural elements to form a beautiful home. Japandi and its causal relationship with the happiness of the users cannot be ignored. We at D2B Spaces deeply believe that the magic, or greatness, in a design will shine through when the design is able to improve the quality of life of the users. There are several design languages, techniques, materials that can better the quality of life, user experience and overall impact that a space can have and Japandi is one of them. 

Japandi mainly draws from two concepts, the Japanese, Wabi-Sabi, and the Scandinavian concept, Hygge. We will talk about both these concepts a little bit, so that we can contextualize what merging these two styles would mean and learn a little bit about where they come from. Wabi-Sabi is a philosophy or way of living that has been translated into a set of design philosophies and hence a language as well. Wabi-Sabi throws out a lot of notions that western design clings to for comfort like symmetry, perfection. It has origins from Zen Buddhism in Japan and has been practiced for centuries. Wabi-Sabi hinges on three main notions: nothing is perfect, nothing is complete, nothing lasts. It acknowledges these as simple realities and translates them into a simple acceptance of the cycle of birth and decay that life takes naturally. How does one take these notions forward with design? Find beauty in the smallest details, embrace the imperfections, allow for wear and tear and enjoy the aging process, celebrate impermanence. Intentionality is a big thing in Wabi-Sabi. Everything you do must be well-intentioned and with purpose and this is a great philosophy to develop for any style of design. Focus on every little detail, place every object, furniture unit, surface treatment with intention and remember that less is more. Wabi-Sabi essentially tells you to ignore perfect symmetry, clean lines and go with what feels good and natural to the eye. When it comes to Hygge, the word is originally used to describe a feeling or a state of mind. Very much like Wabi-Sabi, the principles of Hygge have been extended to design as well. The feeling of Hygge comes from comfort and coziness and originated from the need of Scandinavian states to provide some form of respite or haven from the harsh winters of the region. This part of the world has more cold, gloomy days than warm and bright ones and so the entire mindset of Hygge relies on creating beauty out of small rituals, creating warm and comforting spaces indoors, and being present in the moment. Therefore, Hygge is not so much about a particular style, but very user specific. Hygge is about what brings the feeling of comfort and coziness to each client specifically. Hygge dictates that you pay attention to specific details like touch and feel and how they add to the comfort level of the client. Hygge and Wabi-Sabi are married in the style that we call Japandi. The new language draws on the philosophies of both these two age-old philosophies and comes up with a new set of principles that are based around quality of life and optimized living. We will talk about how to go about creating a Japandi design philosophy in any atmosphere. 

Japandi relies on the following concepts being followed: 

  1. Minimal clutter 
  2. Clean lines 
  3. Emphasis on natural, organic materials
  4. A color palette that emphasizes neutral tones with a special focus on whites and browns.
  5. Lots of natural light 

Japandi essentially focuses on interior design that is centered around the quality of life of the user, whether it comes down to color palette, use of material, intentionality in the placement of objects. The principles that Japandi brings to residential interior design can be applied to any design style and can be easily contextualized for interior design in homes in Bangalore, India.

You can buy products designed on the principles of Japandi from our product line here. 

Categories
Interior

BIOPHILIC INTERIOR DESIGN

Home Interior

Biophilia is humans’ natural affinity for nature and nature’s ability to create calm and peace in a human being’s life. Biophilic interior design translates to bringing in as much of natural life, natural light, ventilation as well as maintaining as much organic form as you can in the interiors of a space.

Biophilic design works more keeping well and being in mind, rather than aesthetic. As human beings, we seek closeness to nature subconsciously. Interior designers in Bangalore can take special advantage of biophilic interior design given that we come from the garden city, and those in Bangalore who are looking for great design will already have an affinity for nature, greenery, and the outdoors.

As designers, we engage with this need of the human condition by creating biophilic design wherever possible. There are ways to do this without overwhelming a space. Over the last two centuries, the human connection to the natural world has diverged more and more to a point where we now engage with our indoor spaces far more than we ever have as a species.

Biophilia points us in the direction of our ancestry. Human beings, more than ever, crave natural materials, forms, and colors in our spaces. Indian interior design and architecture have always had a close relationship with nature and even our architecture has always allowed the outdoors into our spaces!

There must be ways for the modern interior designer and clients in Bangalore to evoke some of these concepts and bring them into our current spaces, whether it’s living room design, bedroom design, or something as small as the design of your products. The move back to concepts that are naturally soothing for us allows for the marriage of good design, great architecture, and a perfect overall ambiance for residences. Let us talk about ways to bring nature into the various spaces of your home and embrace biophilic interior design.

1. Creating visual relationships with nature: As any interior designer or architect practicing in Bangalore already knows, Bangalore as a city is full of natural elements, lakes, trees, etc. The focus of any interior design would be to keep as much of the natural elements as possible, bring in as many new ones as you can and create soothing organic shapes that one would see in nature, wherever one has the opportunity to play with form.

2. The use of sensory elements to create multi-dimensional space: If you’ve ever been in a forest you will know that it is not just one sense that overwhelms you. You could close your eyes in the forest and still know exactly where you are. Biophilic interior design requires the use of multiple sensory elements (olfactory, auditory, visual, etc) to create an experience that leaves you feeling fulfilled in more ways than one. One can bring this in via the furnishings, decor, etc.

3. The intentional use of dynamic lighting: One of the key features of biophilia is using light, and specifically filtered light, in a way that is similar to natural ambient light, in order to create the feeling of being as close to nature as possible.

4. Presence of water : Architecturally we know that water is an element that not only causes a literal cooling effect but an emotional one as well. When in nature, especially in dense vegetation, one will notice that a congregated source of water is never too far away. It is how animals and plants survive and as humans as well, we gravitate towards the water. Whether it’s the ocean, lake or rivers, it’s no surprise that we will travel long distances just to connect and be one with water. Bringing water into your home gives this effect constantly and keeps the energy of the space light and calming.

5. The use of natural elements themselves : A home and it’s energy are largely dictated by the materials that go into the kitchens, bedrooms, common spaces, etc. Bangalore is very lucky as it’s architects and interior designers have vast access to natural materials and love using them. The experience level your designers will have with natural elements in Bangalore is likely to be very high.

This is why we suggest that if you’re looking for home decor ideas, or interior design tips, biophilia is a good place to start and a great new design language to explore, especially if you are as obsessed with designing the perfect quality of living, just like we are. For great home interiors and architecture please contact us at Design 2 Build Spaces, and we will show you how you can create a biophilic space, right here in Bangalore, India!

Shop our range of biophilic products here.


Categories
Foyer

Vastu Tips for your Pooja Room

Whether one is religiously oriented or not, we need that serene corner in the home to retreat to for a few minutes every day to slow down and quieten the mind. The benefits of having a dedicated  pooja room / mandirin the home to connect with oneself and be in harmony cannot be stressed more.

This blog outlines few important vastu rules you’ll ever need to design a pooja room from a spatial perspective.

• Have two shutters for the doors instead of a single door.

• Position of pooja room should be north-east corner of the home foyer ideas. You can also look for the next best alternatives, which is North or East.

• Do not place it under a staircase, in the first floor, in the kitchen, or in the bedroom. If there is a real short on space, kitchen is acceptable but not bedrooms or under the staircase.

• Now the direction of the doors of the pooja room opening and which direction will you face while praying is the most important thing. facing east while praying is preferred while some are okay with facing West. The logical reasoning is that you are facing the direction of the sunlight in the morning when praying.

• Preferred colors for the pooja room should be white marble on the floor and white, light yellow or light blue.