Spaces That Connect People & Why

Spaces That Connect People & Why

When it comes to designing and building your home, an important thought to consider is “how do I spend quality time and connect with others in my home?” For example, some enjoy entertaining around their bar area. They love to mix cocktails for people or enjoy a glass of wine while catching up. Others may gravitate towards the kitchen where they love to cook together or snack on appetizers around the island. Maybe you prefer a more casual connection like pulling out some board games and playing them at your dining room table. Or maybe your group loves a high energy hangout and that means having a game room or an outdoor space where you can cheer on your favorite sports team together. All of these examples look different so it’s a great idea to think about what fits you. This way the spaces in your home can be designed to effortlessly connect you with your people and make it easy to enjoy time together in a way that is perfect for you.

Everyone is different and there are many design options for creating connection. However, here are some core design elements that you can implement to create spaces that help you connect.

It All Starts With the Space

Think of this like building a house. You must create a solid foundation to build everything else on. If the space is not the right size, height, or does not have the right sight lines to the outside or adjoining spaces, it will be more difficult to create a space that connects. You’ll want a space large enough to fit your people while not being too big to where it doesn’t feel cozy. Creating an open concept layout can also allow for connection between multiple spaces. It doesn’t have to be one big open room to achieve this (although it can be). The key is that the spaces allow for connection to happen naturally. Get this element right and all the other elements will come together much easier.

Let There Be Light

Once the foundation  has been laid with the right space, the next step is lighting. The lighting in a room can completely change the look and feel of the space. Natural lighting is the first and most important type of lighting in any space. Without it, you will have to rely completely on artificial light which can work well in spaces like a home theater but can make many other spaces feel dark and uninviting. In spaces like a living room, game room, kitchen or dining room adding large windows or doors to at least one wall will make the room feel bright, airy and will draw people in. Along with natural lighting, the artificial light you use in a space is also important. For example, bright and stark lighting from above won’t feel as comfortable as warm, low lighting. It’s not just the type of light but also where it is placed and how it shines. Some great warm, low lighting options would be built in lights in cabinets and lamps that will cast a soft warm light. These options will create coziness in the space and will help to keep the space feeling warm even as day turns into night. 

Every Space Has a Background

Just like a great painting, a great space needs a solid background. A room’s background is the flooring and the walls. Rather than feeling stark and cold, you want these elements to exude warmth. You also want these elements to mostly blend into the background and not overpower the layers to come. Selecting neutral warm materials and colors for the flooring and walls will help the space to feel more calming and will not conflict with the additional layers to be added.

The Icing on the Cake

The last element in creating spaces that connect is the finishing touches. Add a rug, a plush couch, wooden accents, a fireplace, and details such as side tables or a coffee table to place your drinks or snacks on. Too many finishing touches can make the space feel cluttered but too few can make the space feel empty and unfinished. These additions should be determined by the size of the space. Finding the right balance with your finishing touches will help bring everything and everyone together in a space that truly connects.