Design Experts on Room Dynamics: 'What Keeps a Space Vibrant?' Here's Their Top 5 Strategies
In the world of interior design, creating a space that stands out and speaks to your personality is essential. Several renowned designers have shared their insights on how to avoid the "boring" category and create unique, engaging interiors.
Genevieve Bennett, the Head of Design - Interiors at Liberty, has been leading the relaunch of the category since joining in 2020. Bennett encourages playful experimentation, such as mixing unexpected colors and patterns, to create dynamic, fun spaces that feel unique and alive. She has previously collaborated with leading interior brands such as Wedgwood, Mulberry, Knoll, and Heals.
Monica Santayana, co-founder of MONIOMI Design, suggests disrupting harmony in a design to make it intriguing. This can be achieved by mixing patterns unexpectedly, placing something bold in a quiet room, or exaggerating proportion. Ronald Alvarez, Santayana's co-founder, agrees with the importance of contrast and emphasizes the energy created by the tension between hard and soft, organic and graphic, vintage and new.
Camilla Masi, an interior designer at Otto Tiles & Design, suggests incorporating contrast in interior design through colour or texture to add visual interest. Masi also highlights that layering different textures and tones prevents dullness by adding depth and visual interest.
Manuela Hamilford, creative director and founder of Hamilford Design, states that art can set the tone for a space and inject soul and individuality. Hamilford's London-based interior design studio harmonizes classic elegance with modern sensibility.
To ensure a design doesn't fall into the "boring" category, several strategies can be employed. Moving beyond traditional choices like plain paint or wallpaper by incorporating textured wall finishes such as Roman clay, plaster reliefs, or limewash can add subtle personality and movement. In open-plan layouts, using furniture, rugs, archways, partial walls, or paint colours to create well-defined zones that add visual structure and prevent monotony is also beneficial.
Layering multiple patterns and decor pieces in a thoughtful manner can build depth and warmth, rather than sticking to minimal or flat designs. Incorporating warm, organic hues and mixed materials that add richness and sophistication without overwhelming the space, such as soft earth tones and natural wood finishes alongside subtle accents, is another effective approach.
Raili Clasen, founder and creative director at Raili CA Design, suggests using a playful arched doorway idea to transform a space. Clasen also suggests tiling the archway or adding contrasting wallpaper on either side of room dividers.
In summary, the key to avoiding boring interiors is to embrace texture, contrast, layering, and creative risk-taking while thoughtfully integrating elements that add personality without chaos. This approach helps create spaces that feel lively, cohesive, and uniquely engaging. A design will never be boring if it speaks to you, sets your personality free in your space.
- Genevieve Bennett advocates playful experimentation in interior design, such as mixing unexpected colors and patterns to create dynamic, fun spaces.
- Monica Santayana suggests disrupting harmony in a design by combining patterns, placing bold items in quiet rooms, or exaggerating proportion to make it intriguing.
- Camilla Masi believes incorporating contrast through color or texture can add visual interest to interior design and prevent dullness.
- Manuela Hamilford asserts that art can set the tone for a space and inject soul and individuality, as her London-based studio harmonizes classic elegance with modern sensibility.
- To avoid monotony in open-plan layouts, use furniture, rugs, archways, partial walls, or paint colors to create well-defined zones, or use textured wall finishes like Roman clay, plaster reliefs, or limewash.
- Layering multiple patterns and decor pieces in a thoughtful manner can build depth and warmth, while incorporating warm, organic hues and mixed materials can add richness and sophistication without overwhelming the space.
- Raili Clasen suggests using a playful arched doorway idea to transform a space, or tiling an archway or adding contrasting wallpaper on either side of room dividers.
- Embrace texture, contrast, layering, and creative risk-taking while thoughtfully integrating elements that add personality without chaos to create lively, cohesive, and uniquely engaging interiors; a design will never be boring if it speaks to you and sets your personality free in your space.
