Design Notes
Did you know that the atmosphere in your home has a direct tie to your health and well-being? The home creates an atmosphere, but if your kitchen layout drives you crazy, hindering you from getting the meal done, or your office is so dysfunctional you can’t be productive, your wellness will be thrown off. All of the elements in your home play a part in your health, and a good design can help you feel better.
At Greenbrook Design, we specialize in taking the dysfunctional to the functional level. Your home is meant to be a place of rest, where you can look forward to coming home and just unwinding. Today, we want to share a few of our best tips that will help you receive the wellness you and your family need.
Purposeful Design
Each room in the home has a function, a reason why it is there, but it must be brought out through the design and specified to your family. If you don’t design the room for yourself, it can result in frustration as you attempt to do your normal routines but are hindered by the lack of function in the space. This leads to a negative attitude and a fear of even entering the dysfunctional area. It is always best to take the time to sit down and mentally go through what you need to accomplish in each area of the home before meeting with your designer. Here are a few things to consider:
- How many people? If there is more than one person in an area, certain things need to be considered, such as sufficient space for movement. Irritation from constantly bumping into the other person creates a bad atmosphere and mood.
- What time of day? Will you use this space predominantly at night or during the day? Rather, during the day or night, you may need to have some additional thought given to lighting as well as window treatments.
- Is this a multifunctional space? Does your kitchen also double as the kids’ homework station? Consider including a large island where they can spread out without getting in the way of meal prep.
Planning is key to the design, but you need to know what is important first. Time spent going through your needs is never a waste.
Helpful Elements
Certain design elements can help create a relaxing atmosphere in the home, and by including them, you can create a space to unwind and look forward to coming home. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Natural light: Light influences our moods, and natural light is a must in many areas of the home, including the main living areas such as the kitchen and family room.
- Fitness: Exercise is more than just staying fit; it also allows us to relieve stress from a weary day at the office. Consider including an area with some fitness equipment.
- Comfort: We all need cozy areas in the home that have some of our favorite things, such as a reading nook, a place to watch our favorite sports game, or even a little area where we can put our feet up and rest.
We all need a little help to get back to our center, to clear our minds, and to leave the day’s business behind. This is an important part of creating the perfect home environment for the whole family. Read a few more things that are helpful to include in your home design from the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
Outdoor Spaces
Fresh air is sometimes just what we need to escape from the day’s events. Having an outdoor space gives your family a comfortable, refreshing place to gather and spend time doing something fun together.
- Outdoor kitchens are perfect for changing up the routine by having dinner outside.
- Having a back deck means you can sit around a table and talk about what everyone did, or maybe play a game or two.
- A play area allows the kids to burn some energy out in the fresh air, which means they will probably go to bed early.
Talk to your designer about adding an outdoor area so you and your family can have places both inside and outside to go and relax. We can also be your source for outdoor lighting and furniture. See outdoor spaces that the whole family enjoyed.
Walker WoodworkingUpdating your home to a place that truly feels comfortable and enjoyable for everyone doesn’t have to break the bank. By making a few adjustments here and there, you can transform your home into your favorite hangout. Our amazing team can assist you in finding just the thing or things that have been missing from your home, plus with our access to over 30 different vendors, we know our members can help. We invite you to visit our 5,000-square-foot award-winning showroom, located in beautiful Uptown Shelby, near Charlotte, NC, as well as several other cities, including Spartanburg and Asheville. We look forward to helping you rejuvenate your living space.
Walker WoodworkingWhile there are multiple standard door styles to choose from, opting for a custom look can add that special wow factor to your home that you’ve been looking for. We have been manufacturing custom pieces for over twenty years and love seeing the look of surprise and delight on our clients’ faces when they see their cabinet for the first time. Here are four unique door styles that we’ve created for our clients, which we’re particularly proud of.
Walker WoodworkingMany homeowners want the familiar touches of suburban life while enjoying the benefits that urban life has to offer. This results in a need for design to alter and adjust in order to provide exactly what is required to make someone feel perfectly at home. Let’s discuss some of the ways you can blend urban with suburban and create a style that says welcome home to you.
Walker WoodworkingOne of the best features of any bedroom is the closet. This is the place where not just your clothes go, but a myriad of other objects as well. As it is considered one of the more functional areas in the room, this means it has certain obligations to meet, including sufficient space and storage capacity. Few things frustrate a homeowner as much as a dysfunctional closet that is a hazard every time the door is opened. Having one that is designed according to your needs, with ways to keep everything organized and in its proper place, is a dream come true. Of course, while closets need to be functional, they can also be stylish and ever personalized to your particular needs. Let’s talk about what goes into designing the perfect walk-in closet.
Finishing a basement or renovating it completely can also increase the value of your home. There is also the possibility of gaining additional income by renting out the basement. A basement is a blank canvas waiting to be transformed into a useful and functional space for you and your family.
Walker Woodworking 
Metropolitan Woodworks Inc