Design Using All Your Senses

Have you ever thought about how the five senses affect a room's design and function? Each of the five senses play an important role when it comes to the emotions that a room encompasses. With taste we need to think about the convenience and ease of enjoying a simple cocktail in a space, touch is accompanied by textures, smell can simply be the difference a candle makes, sound has the ability to create a relaxing evening, and lastly sight, you could have a beautiful room but the fifth picture on the left that’s slightly off center can create an undeniable eyesore.

Until you have fed all five senses your space will feel as though it’s lacking in a certain quality. These distinct characteristics are what bring emotion into a space and evokes memories, these memories that are brought to the surface, happy, sad, angry, you name it, depend on the story you are telling within the space. The best stories incorporate not just visual stimulation but smell, taste, touch, and sound.

Touch

We’ve all been to a space where we walk in and immediately want to touch everything in that room, fluffy pillow, immaculate tile backsplash, greenery that just looks so undeniably real but you just can’t tell. It is important to enjoy the touch of every element in your home. You may enjoy walking barefoot on cold tile because it combats the hot weather in Arizona, someone else may love laying on soft carpet because it’s their favorite place to read a good book. At the end of the day it truly is personal preference but touch plays a huge part in the environment you live in.

Taste

Within the element of design taste may be the most confusing one to incorporate, the goal is to think about function within a room. Is there a place to effortlessly set a drink near your seat? Will guests begin to worry immediately about that bright white rug as you hand them a glass of red wine? These are just a few ideas that should come to mind as you create the space. Always revisit this one simple question, will this design effortlessly flow into the lives of the people who will be living in this space? Don’t forget that the room needs to be functional for your lifestyle.

Smell

Scent is easily introduced in a space whether it’s on purpose, baking a cake, or on accident, a rainy day walk with the dog. As we run around in the midst of holiday craziness the scent of Frazier fir candle can take you from stressed to pleasantly relaxed within a matter of seconds.

Sound

A subtle ingredient that can help you relax from the moment you step through the door, sound for some is the difference between a productive day and a day of distraction. Incorporating music into a space or a tranquil water feature can help block the noise of the outside world.

Sight

Color, light, and aesthetic are the three major components of this driving sense. Just like a website that’s simple and elegant with a color pallet that coexists comfortably, a room needs to come together as one without distraction. Where do you want to draw attention? Often our eyes are led to a focal point as our gaze naturally trickles down and around from

one point to the next.