Interior Design Process - UBC House

As designers, analyzing our clients needs, goals, and lifestyle is one of the most important things on our to do lists. In every every project, we need to assess the“Pros & Cons”  of the existing space, which we try to volume up so the pro side wins. The challenge is we also need to marry the functionality and ideal design with the client’s budget concerns.

For a recent UBC house project, we were tasked with redesigning the master bedroom. The goal was to open the cramped closet sized den to create an open, yet still functional space.The client still wanted to use the den as a more open office that could store papers and documents.  

We started the first phase of our design by measuring the existing walls, windows and furniture to understand the space and possibilities for a fresh new design.

Before the renovation, the room was crowded with furniture and the green walls gave it a closed in feeling. The den was a cold, dark room with little attraction as a workspace. 

UBC HOUSE PHOTOS - BEFORE  

In this bedroom the cons were:

1. No focal Point
2. Closed space
3. Need for built in or smaller scale furnishings
4. Not enough lighting

The first problem was that there was clearly no focal point for new elements to be arranged by, and there was too much positive volume. (Furniture and clutter).  We felt that we needed to design additional millwork for storage that could also become part of the focal point for the room.

We began the process by searching for some inspirational photos of the bedroom elevation which we could reference and present to the clients to show them how the room could be transformed.The following photo was one of the ones that caught our eyes.

 

Being able to read before  bed was a lifestyle need for the clients at UBC house, so we intended to create an optimal environment  for reading. The couple wanted to be able to store their books in a way that also left the room open. For this reason, we designed the millwork with deep shelves for storing  books and accessories. We wanted to create symmetry on either side of the bed which would help the room feel more balanced. We also wanted to create a framed millwork panel with two flush lights for reading and two pendant lights with individual switch controls for the comfort of each reader. 

After getting inspired, we started to draw some preliminary elevations. Take a look at our elevations below, and you can see how we tooled our inspiration from the photos to make them  work for this specific space.

UBC HOUSE PHOTOS - AFTER

In the end, the millwork solved the problem of the overflow of positive space and we also  painted the walls a pale oak colour to allow more reflection of the natural light. We commissioned a painter friend to provide a soothing and relaxing scene that we could use as a focal point. This focal point can be seen from all angles of the room. 

Changing the existing pot lights to higher output, warm temperature LEDS also helped to increase the volume of the light in the room, which created a sensation of openness. Around the bed we added the built in millwork as we designed in our elevation drawings.

For the office, we ran the millwork storage down the length of the north wall, adding a small space for a desk at the end. We removed the partition door to the den, and added additional millwork storage to the wall behind the desk area, for paperwork, documents etc.

       For UBC house we were able to triumph over the cons, bringing out the warmth and openness of the space. By taking away the interrupting volume and replacing it with recessed storage and long clean lines, we were able to create the open and positive space the clients were looking for. Our clients at UBC house are thrilled with their new design and we look forward to making another successful marriage in the form and function of the Tao. 

Colour and Mood in Interior Design - The Psychology of Colour

When a room is well designed, you walk in it and feel peaceful and at ease. Most of the time, we don't really pay attention to the reason why this happens. It is the interior designer's job to create the ambiance and mood of a room through a careful and selective process. Based on your preferences, you should feel both mentally and physically comfortable within your space.

There are multiple techniques the designer can use to achieve this balance in comfort. One of them, and the topic of today's post , is colour.

Being close to the water, mountains and trees, nature's presence has a huge effect on interior design choices in Vancouver and on the west coast, but nature's influence isn't the only one. Colour can interfere or influence our moods and thoughts. These feelings vary depending on the client's age, gender and culture.

Let's examine the different colours and their psychological meanings:

Blue: is a calming and serene hue, and is often used in offices because it is thought to promote productivity and enhance intuition. Be careful though, it is a also a cool colour so it can also bring a feeling of sadness to a room that is not balanced with other hues.

 

Green: is considered a restful colour on the eye. It is believed to relieve stress and promote mental relaxation so it is great when used in the bedroom, to promote tranquility.

 

Orange: stimulates creativity and enthusiasm, it is a very cheerful and energetic and promotes feelings of rejuvenation. It's a great colour for an exercise room, or as an accent colour on walls, fabrics, throws, or furnishings.

 

 

Yellow: is a happy colour, it captures the brightness of sunshine. It can be used vastly, but it can be a bit overwhelming if used as the main color scheme. Yellow encourages communication, so it is great to be used in kitchens and living rooms, but it can also cause eye strain so it's best not to use it in baby rooms.

 

Red:  is a very uplifting and energetic colour. It is great when used in kitchens or dining rooms, as it is known to increase appetite. Used in a living room, it draws and connects people together. In some cultures, red is thought to represent wealth and prosperity. It also stimulates passion.

Brown: is a classic blend of various hues and it never gets old. Brown invokes feelings of stability and grounds the room with a solid earth tone.  Brown reminds us psychologically of nature, and is thought to promote feelings of strength and security.

Purple: is an uplifting colour. It is dramatic and sophisticated and it's great when wanting to create that 'wow' factor. A lighter hue, like lavender, has a calming feel, similar to blue, but it is easier to use because it is never as "chilly".

White: White is a classic, can be used widely throughout a space. It embodies the essence of balance and purity, being comprised of  an equal balance of all the colors in the spectrum. White helps to create a bright, clean and vibrant space that maximizes available light. White is also elegant, but it needs to be accented in the right way, to avoid creating sterile, vacuous space.

Black: has the power to ground a room, and like white, is very elegant and sophisticated. Psychologically, black evokes mystery and a sense of protection. It is sometimes better to use as an accent colour, as it absorbs rather than reflects light.

 

 

If you would like to book a interior or exterior colour consultation, please contact Shima Alavi, Principal interior designer at our Vancouver office: shima.alavi@taointeriors.com, or submit a contact form on our website at www.taointeriors.com