Design with Intention – Unlocking the full potential of our spaces
I often meet people who say: “Something is missing in this room. It just doesn’t feel quite right.”
I’m never surprised. Most of us design our homes pragmatically, guided by trends or status symbols.
But a USM shelf or a designer chair alone does not make a room feel harmonious.
A space only feels right when it supports the life we actually live.
Design doesn’t start with plans. It starts with people
If a stranger handed me a floor plan and asked me to optimise it within 24 hours, I could deliver a great result… for my life.
For my client, it would probably not be ideal.
A thoughtful design concept doesn’t come from experience alone, but from listening, reflecting and analysing.
I am not a decorator. I am a strategist.
The often unused potential of our spaces
The world of work has been changing rapidly for years. We experiment with new ways of working, rethink spatial concepts, create focus rooms, collaboration zones and areas for rest.
Our homes, however, remain trapped in the traditional “3-bedroom-kitchen-bathroom” mindset. Yet at home we have the same needs as in the office: security, retreat, energy, belonging and personal growth.
Still, we mostly think in functions: bedroom, bathroom, living room, children’s room. But what if we started by asking what we need?
Two examples that show what is possible
- A bathroom can become a place of careif we stop defining it by its functions (shower, toilet, washbasin) and instead by needs: caring, cleansing, relaxing. This might lead to seating options, different heights at the washbasin or sensory elements like scent, temperature and light. The room begins to support us instead of merely functioning.
- A bedroom can become a true retreat when it takes the needs for calm, reflection and energy seriously. A spot for yoga or reading, natural materials that calm the senses, lighting that soothes in the evening and activates in the morning. Then a simple bedroom becomes a space for regeneration.
Many people are not aware of their needs. Looking inward is worth it. Often small changes can noticeably improve our wellbeing.
Giving space to your needs
This is not about revolutionising residential architecture.
It is about making our spaces friendlier, more social and more human.
We let go of rigid functional categories and design according to needs instead.
The perfect room looks different for everyone. We all have individual lifestyles and different spatial conditions. So I cannot create a catalogue for people to simply choose their needs from.
What I can do is help you uncover your needs and develop a concept that reflects them — so your spaces feel right for you.
Trends are temporary — and so is our present
At the end of each year, new interior trends appear everywhere. Pantone announces a new colour, and I’ve already heard whispers that silver is making a comeback.
I am neutral about trends. If something fits the client and the concept, I am happy to include it.
What matters is that a room as a whole has the potential to evolve. Because not only do trends change, we change too.
Our goals, routines and interests today may look completely different in five years. A good concept anticipates this, for example through multifunctional zones or an electrical and lighting plan that already considers possible future uses.
Conclusion: Spaces hold unused value waiting to be discovered
Zoning, materials, colours, light and furniture are our tools.
With them, we can create functional rooms… or meaningful ones.
But to give meaning to our space, we must first recognise our needs.
When a bathroom becomes a place of care and a dining room becomes a space for connection, new possibilities suddenly emerge, ones that were previously invisible.
It’s worth allowing the physical boundaries of a room not to turn into mental boundaries. Beyond what’s obvious often lies untapped potential, waiting to be uncovered.
If you want to think outside the box, reach out to lisannco Interior Designto discover the true value your spaces can hold for you.