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.
Greenbrook Design While cabinet hardware is essential for functionality, it’s also a key element in the overall look and feel of your space. When selecting hardware, there’s more to consider than just appearance. How do you want your cabinets to open? Do you prefer knobs, pulls, or a combination of both? Should you go with cup pulls for a traditional touch or sleek bar pulls for a modern edge?
These decisions may seem small, but they can have a significant impact on both the usability and aesthetic of your cabinetry. Hardware serves as the finishing touch—bringing together the design while also making everyday tasks more comfortable and intuitive.
Walker Woodworking You are ready to begin your renovation, but you are unsure whether you want to go with custom or semi-custom cabinets. While custom cabinets will provide you with the exact fit you need for your space, they are at the higher end of the price range. Semi-custom cabinets tend to be a more budget-friendly alternative while still giving you the style and function needed for your space. Many homeowners are discovering the benefits of choosing semi-custom cabinets and are learning that they can still get the look they want while staying within their budget. Let’s talk more about what semi-custom cabinets are, the benefits they bring to your project, and some of the options we offer here at Greenbrook Design.
We use it every day but hardly pay any attention to it, yet it can impact the overall design of the home. We are, of course, referring to your flooring, and its importance should not be overlooked or underestimated. It is the largest design element in the home, which means it tends to serve as the foundation of the look and feel in the room. It has the ability to make or break your space and is subconsciously the first thing we notice in a room. Since it is used consistently, it must be durable and functional for the particular area, whether slip-resistant or waterproof. Flooring should also complement the overall design style you choose and be carefully considered before finalizing your choice. Here are some aspects to remember when making your selection.
The kitchen backsplash tends to be overlooked during the planning session for a renovation, but it has a big impact on the overall look of the design, and it should not be underestimated. To many, it may seem like such a small element, but it has the power to bring style, class, and protection to the heart of the home. When walking through a model home or flipping pages in an interior design magazine, the kitchen always has a backsplash that often draws our eye. Coming in multiple sizes, styles, and shades, the kitchen backsplash has come a long way from being a simple surface to creating a glamorous highlight that immediately draws the eye.
Walker WoodworkingThis deficiency has led to a readjustment of space, a call to renovate the home, and to provide a more functional design for everyone. There are also other reasons motivating homeowners to reevaluate their current living situation, such as greater flexibility at home, an open concept, personal space, and plenty of storage. While kitchens and bathrooms are still among the most renovated areas in the home, new emphasis is being placed on four additional sections in the home, which we want to highlight today.
Walker Woodworking 
Metropolitan Woodworks Inc