Design, Our Sixth Sense!

By merely stating that I love interior design, I would be putting it mildly.  It is by far one of my greatest passions and a topic that I feel I could never stop learning about.  However, if I did not choose this path for my career, I can easily say that I would have chosen one in the culinary field.  You may think that these two occupations have little in common; however a lot of the way that I design a space is inspired by the techniques of my favorite chefs.  They may not be choosing window draperies and wall coverings, but they are designing a creation themselves; a masterpiece on a plate.  I have heard different chefs say you eat with your eyes, your nose, your mouth, etc.  These pros have the right idea, their design should appeal to your different senses; this is a concept that I’ve learned to incorporate with interiors.

Let’s start with touch.  Something I learned from my very first day of design school was that we are tactile beings.  We love feeling things!  As I walked into our resource room, I saw many designers-to-be having a hay day with all of the samples and swatches.  It was instinct to go into this room and touch things, and be in awe of the softness and smoothness of different materials.  When you are designing your space, keep this in mind!  Make sure that you are picking materials that feel great to you, otherwise you may buy a piece of furniture that may look great, but you’ll hate to sit on.  Who wouldn’t want to walk into a room and feel like you are surrounded by luxury?  This sense always reminds me of my mother.  I learned from her at an early age the importance of feel-good fabrics.  She has found so many beautiful towels that aesthetically are perfect; while at the same time refusing to purchase them due to their coarse feel.  This is where function meets reality; would you want to be wrapped in something that doesn’t feel as good as it could?

This does not mean that we should give up on things that look perfect however.  When it comes to interiors, one of the most important aspects is the way that it looks; this of course appealing to our sense of sight.  Before we can even notice how something feels, we notice the way it appears.  Finding the perfect balance between touch and sight can be difficult to do, but this is where we need to understand the elements behind a product.  Knowing something about the material that it is made from, it’s durability over time and a general knowledge of the basic elements and principles of design will help you spot a perfect product from a mile away.

Yankee Candle Company plays into one of our greatest senses, smell.  There are so many little things that you can do to make your space appeal to this sense as well.  If you are expecting company, why not bake a fragrant dish an hour before your guests arrive?  Not only will they have something fantastic to munch on, your home will be filled with an aromatic explosion of goodness.  Don’t have time to bake?  Grab a candle!  This is one of simplest things you can do for the greatest affect.  Put some research into the candles you’re buying however.  Did you know that there have been tests done to pin point the favorite scents of men and women?  Men seem to lean towards lavender, orange and vanilla whereas women prefer cucumber, chocolate and pumpkin pie.  Let’s also not forget about the little things you can do to make your space smell amazing.  Bath and Body Works provides products such as room spray and wall flowers.  Having a house guest for the weekend?  I highly suggest the vanilla and chamomile pillow mist for that extra touch you’ve been looking for.

It’s important to have things that smell good because it affects our sense of taste as well.  Our noses are connected to our mouths, so it makes sense that these two senses are highly related.  Have a coffee candle burning?  Why not put on a pot to feed the senses?  Think about what food you’re offering in what room.  Having people over for a gathering in a room filled with white furniture doesn’t seem like the best place to eat barbeque accompanied with a big glass of merlot.  Why not try a salmon with a thyme vinaigrette followed by some white peach sangria?  Or how about mini quiche when you’re throwing that baby shower, showing off your new nursery?  The foods you are providing should reflect the ambiance of your space for a maximum affect.

Lastly, but not least, is your sense of hearing.  There’s a reason why beach homes and wooded properties are more appealing than those right off the highway or next to airports and train stations.  This of course should be an important factor when it comes to purchasing your home.  How do you deal with the noise after you’ve already purchased your home?  Figure out your property’s strengths and weaknesses.  Can you rearrange your home to have a living area where you hear the most birds?  Do you have a technology wizard in your family?  See if they can’t set up a hidden surround sound audio player so you can have smooth jazz softly playing in the evenings while you’re reading your favorite book or during dinner.  And let’s not forget about the outside!  Wind chimes and fountains can be your greatest friend, especially placed outside of your sun room.

If you follow these guidelines and make your space appeal to all of your senses, you should get the same sort of feeling that you get once you have devoured a creation made by Chef Ramsay himself.  If the response you get to these design choices isn’t proof enough, research some of the benefits that this theory has when it comes to designing hospitals and spas.  People tend to heal better and relax more when all five senses are hit with good design!