What Are All the Ways You Envision Using This Space?

In my last post I talked about finding your home feeling words and how that can help you with finding your home style and when decorating your home. Another question I find important to ask is, “What are all the ways you envision using and living in this space?”. What are the main function goals for this space and how do you ideally see yourself and your family living in it? Be sure to think outside the box on this a little bit and create moments of enjoyment in your space. That could be a cozy spot to read, a special setup for a beloved pet or a table and storage to easily engage in a hobby.

Why is knowing how we want to use a space important in the decorating process?

The answer to this question will help guide you as to how the rooms in your home are set up and what furniture and decorations are best for your current season of life. If you want to use a certain room for entertaining and hanging out with guests, you may make seating a priority and make sure there are enough surfaces to place glasses down on, whereas that same space, if wanted for mostly cozy immediate family time, you may opt for a cozy sectional and more floor space, a large, soft area rug and maybe a larger coffee table for board games. It can really help kick off the decorating process if you’re feeling stuck by giving you an overall picture of how you want this space to ideally be.

How do I figure out what I want to use this room for?

First ask yourself, “what is the main function of this room?” Is it a living space, laundry room, bedroom, etc.? Once you have that answered, try to then think beyond the obvious use of this space. What do you want more of? Solitude relaxation time could mean setting up a cozy reading or meditation area. Space to engage in a hobby could mean setting up a table in a corner of a room. Tidiness could mean incorporating some storage units, built ins or baskets.

Just as with the feeling you want, take time to truly think about how you will use your space and write it all down. Then think about what you will need and how the room needs to be set up in order for you to live how you want in that space.

Let’s break down the steps:

Write down all the ways you want the space you are decorating to be used. What’s important for you and your family members to be able to do in this space?
Now jot down all the things you would need to create those moments in your space. Don’t worry yet about what’s possible or affordable, just write down what’s ideal to you.
Now is the time to get a little more real with what you can do with the space. What do you have room for in this space? How can you incorporate these moments within your space? If you need to cull down your list of wants, choose what’s most important.
When you’re purchasing items and setting up the space keep these ideas and wants in mind. Purchase in accordance with your home feeling words and how you want to use the space.

Example

Let’s talk about our playroom. The main function of this space was to create an area where our kids can play and their toys can be stored, but we had some other wants for this room.

Some other ways we wanted this space to be used and the solution:

An area that can grow with the kids and be used later on as a space to draw, do schoolwork or computer play/work. If we wanted this to eventually have the ability to be changed into an office, a space to work.
Solution: Adding a built-in desk between the shelves.
Ample storage for toys of various sizes.
Solution: floor to ceiling built-in shelving and cubbies of differing sizes.
An area for train play and building.
Solution: A low table set in the middle of the room.
A cozy spot to sit and read.
Solution: A bean bag chair and custom book rack in the corner.