Interior architecture has begun to break the mould. This thought occurred to me at a recent braai and rugby get-together at a friend’s home when I was presented with a cardboard box that had been modelled into a house by his eight-year-old son. This was for a school project and the boy was very proud of his masterpiece. After making all the right noises and praising the boy’s creativity, I noted that the traditional idea of what a house looks like is no longer relevant, except in the minds of children.
Interior architecture no longer subscribes to the traditional idea of what a house looks like inside, but rather breaks boundaries to include a certain contemporary flair. Modern homeowners are allowing themselves to be influenced by modern trends. I see this all the time, as I am privy to many home interiors when installing window vinyl decals.
I decided to share with you some elements of interior architecture that can turn an average home into a mind-blowing abode.
Natural, organic materials can be masterfully used in the home.
Incorporating organic materials in the structure of the home inspires a sense of calm by including nature in the interior. Modern interior architecture makes use of wooden beams or pillars, rock walls and slate mantelpieces. The wooden floors chosen for the interior flooring continue onto the deck and patio areas, which are accompanied by massive glass doors. This blurs the lines between the outside and the interior.
Every room in the home is light and airy.
Natural light has become a key ingredient in contemporary interior architecture. Glass has become a popular material and many houses are built with enormous windows and expansive glass doors. Even skylights are being included in areas where it may be a little dark. The natural light spills into the home, which improves the wellbeing of family members and diminishes the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours. Frosted vinyl decals have become an increasingly popular glass treatment, as they attend to the need for privacy while still allowing natural light to penetrate into the home.
Open-plan has become the only way to go.
Nowadays, interior architecture focuses far more on the flow between areas, as opposed to the structured homes we are used to. An open-plan space that unites most of the areas in the home gives you an experience of the entire space all at once. The kitchen, living room, family room, reading nook and entertainment area have all become one expansive space for all to explore with no boundaries hankering them. The structures found inside the home are often softer, such as rounded walls that swoop around so that privacy is insinuated but not insisted upon. This works well for areas such as the dining room. Once again, glass has become the material of choice here too. The entertainment area can be cordoned off by large glass doors if necessary, but the doors can slide away and hide as if they never existed in the first place.
Where we were once displaying our silver, we now hide our gadgets.
Everything nowadays is wireless and remote. In the home, gadgetry has taken on a mysterious tone. Before, we might have seen massive flat screen TVs surrounded by a sleek home theatre system and 3D glasses ready and waiting to be used, or experience heated floors where you can adjust the temperature with the control panels near the light switch in each room. This is no longer considered stylish. Modern interior architecture gives everything a place and most times that place is tucked away. When TV is needed, it slowly appears out of a large cabinet and access control panels for lighting, security or temperature control devices are either hidden together in one stylish-looking closet or operated remotely via the iPad.
There are of course many more elements that those dabbling in modern architecture would be sure to include in this list, but these are the four key points that I see regularly. With the use of glass as a building material becoming exceptionally popular, we are often delighted by some beautiful homes that have chosen to get rid of their outdated drapes and tatty blinds and to install frosted vinyl decals instead. This was the inspiration for our free downloadable guide called ‘Home Renovations Tips and Ideas Handbook’. This guide will offer some pointers for turning your home into a living space that is mind-blowing and magical.
Image credit: http://mtabloc.com/
