The Intersection of Style and Structure: Mastering Interior Architecture
Every seasoned architect has to take art and functionality into consideration when designing and building a new home. It requires a careful balance and a trained eye to understand when to push for more aesthetic components that fit its intended space or to keep it traditional, functional, and practical. The end goal for interior architecture is that it blends these two worlds together without the homeowner or guest noticing any significant drawbacks to the functionality and beauty of the home.
We’ve seen throughout history that neglecting both elements can lead to homes that fall short in their fullest potential. For example, the interior architecture of Brutalist and Fascist styles prioritizes visual impact over functionality, which leads to unevenly created spaces that never fully incorporate factors like nature, environment, or even the individual’s living needs.
Successful interior architecture and design projects work with the client in mind. A home is a very personal space and it's up to the homeowner to decide what brings them harmony and peace. A contemporary design might be a dream for one client and a traditional American cottage might be the perfect fit for another. This is why MaMo architects embrace a collaborative approach to the design process and create a project that reflects the client's vision while also remaining functional and inviting.
The Principles of Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality
When designing the perfect home, it’s important to listen to diverse perspectives. This includes the vision from the client, but also an analysis of the surrounding landscape, the specific specs of the project, and also fostering an open and collaborative environment within the team where unique ideas can be freely exchanged. At MaMo, we look at the landscape views, the materials, and the spatial relationships needed to develop an intuitive floor plan that is also based on the client’s style. When you combine all these factors together that’s when the project really begins to develop a soul.
When the design idea or ‘soul’ has been developed, our architects build on top of this vision. This is when close collaboration with the client becomes important as it will guide all design decisions going forward. This philosophy serves as a filter for evaluating aesthetics, verifying that every design choice blends in with the client's style. By prioritizing the homeowner's vision and creating spaces that reflect their personal story, MaMo combines beauty with practicality and creates a space that truly feels like home.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Budget constraints tend to be the number #1 challenge for most projects. The homeowner might want a specific look in mind, like an expansive layout that doesn’t quite fit the overall landscape scheme or they might request luxury finishes; which would also increase the price. Unfortunately, a limited budget will require a client to face some difficult design decisions.
In cases like this, overall functionality will be the priority and the architect will use their creative problem-solving skills to bring the aesthetic designs from sketch paper into real life that is also budget-friendly. However, not all is lost. A happy medium can be achieved. This is why a detailed floor plan that outlines all of the home’s basic needs, such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and desired features helps set expectations. From there, there is a lot our architect can work with and can layer the practical requirements without sacrificing the aesthetic considerations.
Another challenge that catches a lot of first-time homeowners by surprise are the local town zoning and building code regulations. It’s important that you have a skilled architect work with you on this so that everything in your home is up to code. These regulations can create restrictions on the overall size, footprint, and height of new constructions, which could limit the design process. A good architect will help brainstorm these limitations with you and create innovative designs that will still respect these codes.
To highlight this, if you have zoning laws that have a building height requirement, we would suggest expanding the layout horizontally and work with the available space you have. Also, using interior architecture and design features that work with regulatory requirements, like installing casement windows to meet egress codes, can give the added benefit of it looking stylish, modern, and up to code. This is just some of the ways our architects can harmonize functionality with beauty.
Finally, compromise plays an important role in the architectural design process. Every client brings a unique set of priorities and project goals, and our architects dig deeper to understand the ‘why’ behind some of these requirements. For some clients, budget considerations are the priority and for others, the continuity of design is what they value the most. In the end, a home that is able to accommodate the needs of a growing family and can adapt to lifestyle changes over the decades is what’s most important, and the reason behind these particular considerations is what will help your architects create a space that feels personal to you.
Final Thoughts
No one lives a one-dimensional life. We are all trying to balance our careers, raising families, our health, and our personal relationships. This means that our home cannot also be a one-dimensional life-less building. Architectural design bridges the gap between a static museum piece on display vs. an interactive work of art. A beautiful home is able to create space for things to coexist in our imperfect lives. Architects at MaMo are passionate about crafting the right interior environment for peace and harmony, and improve overall quality of life.