Contemporary Home Design Is For the People Who Live There
by Lance Filbertlance.filbert@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Strangers I meet at parties sometimes remark that my profession will probably be replaced by home design software. I usually try to spill my drink on them before giving my answer and walking away. No, there is no home design software program that will ever replace the human touch in home interior design. I don't just say that because I want to protect my career. I say it because I have had the misfortune of "rescuing" residences that were created through home design software.
People have differing home interior design needs
One of the important principles of contemporary home design is the fitting of the space and its contents to the specific needs of the people who live in the space. For example, home design software can't find ways of dealing with the special requirements of an elderly homeowner. It takes a human interior designer to make the adjustments needed in that situation. In the same way, a home design program can't adjust furniture and spaces to accommodate a resident who is extremely tall, or short, or fat. These specialized home interior designs require the sensitivity and intelligence of a real, live interior designer.The interior designer of the future will care about people
Of course, you'll learn about all these special needs when you study contemporary home design in interior design school. In the meantime, it might be fun to challenge yourself with a little game. Make a list in your notebook (What—you don't carry a design notebook with you at all times? Run out and get one right now.) Every time you enter a space, list all the types of people who would not be comfortable in that space. Is the home interior design friendly to old people? To disabled people? Could you live there in a wheelchair? What if you were blind?Now make a second list of all the ways that you would improve the space to make it usable by a wide variety of people. That little list might just become the first step towards making you an interior designer of the future.
About the Author
Lance Filbert is known for his witty and innovative design ideas. He has an extensive arts background and has an arts degree from the City University of New York. He lives in San Francisco with his partner, Bertram, and their cairn terriers, Toto and Toklas.
Previous: Architecture and Interior Design Magazines
Next: Success with Stone in Interior Design
Back to News Archive
Want to suggest interior design news or links?
