Every homeowner deserves a house that meets their needs. Functional home design is a unique architectural and decorating approach that prioritizes function so residents can get the most out of their living spaces.

In this guide, we explore the definition of functional design, its benefits, and how to achieve it. Take a look to determine how this concept can improve your next home.

Key Takeaways:

• Functional design prioritizes homeowners’ needs by tailoring spaces to their lifestyles.
• Smart technology makes daily life more convenient by centralizing control of home appliances.
• Double-duty furniture is an easy way to turn a room into a multipurpose space.
• Functional storage solutions improve organization without cluttering rooms.

What Is Functional Home Design?

What does a functional home look like? If you examine 100 examples, you’ll see 100 different floor plans. No one “functional” layout exists because truly functional homes conform to the owners’ needs. A family of active kids will require different storage, furniture, and room arrangements than a single person with several crafting hobbies.

As a result, the first step in functional home design is looking at your lifestyle:

• What rooms do you spend the most time in?
• What do you spend most of your time doing?
• Who shares the residence with you?

Answering these questions helps you identify what kind of spaces you need and where to focus your renovation efforts. In older homes, you may need to rethink the layout completely.

As homebuilders in Dayton and the surrounding area, we recognize the rising functional design trend and incorporate the philosophy into our construction. The result is a house that’s easy to personalize, which can be especially beneficial for multi-generational families and homeowners planning to age in place.

What Are the Best Functional Design Tips?

Effective functional home design makes rooms multipurpose. For example, you can turn your garage into a storage space and hangout spot. The trick is choosing the right flooring, furniture, and layout.

If you work remotely but don’t have a home office, you can apply the same idea to turn a kitchen nook or living room into a workspace. In this case, you’ll need a way to create privacy, such as portable screens or strategically placed bookshelves to divide the space.

A functional design also incorporates accessibility. Individuals with disabilities often struggle to find housing that accommodates them, turning what should be a haven into a maze. Wider hallways and open floor plans are excellent examples, as they ensure individuals in wheelchairs and others with mobility issues can safely and conveniently use the space.

Of course, a functional home design doesn’t have to entail massive renovations. You can make your Washington township residence more practical with minor changes to decor and organization.

Incorporate Smart Technology

Smart technology isn’t just for phones; manufacturers now incorporate online capabilities into a variety of appliances:

• Refrigerators
• Ovens
• Dishwashers

These models can alert homeowners when they need maintenance and even adjust their functions to increase efficiency. Best of all, you can connect them all with a hub, usually a virtual assistant. With this setup, you can use voice commands to start appliances without leaving the room.

 

You can also install smart home features for similar convenience. One example is a thermostat that you can adjust on your phone. Lighting is another common upgrade due to the many features remote access offers:

• Adjust brightness
• Turn off lights in other rooms
• Set to motion-activated

Connecting all your smart technology to a single hub lets you easily monitor your home’s energy use and security. You can even check your Bellbrook property at work or on vacation as long as you have internet access.

Choose Practical Furniture

While aesthetics play a part in purchasing furniture, functional home design prioritizes practicality over looks. Choosing the right furniture is especially important when working with a small room, since you must take advantage of every inch of space.

Items that pull double duty are increasingly popular since you get more use with half the space. For example, if you have a home office you also want to utilize as a guest room, you can get a futon that converts into a bed.

Speaking of home offices, you can turn a corner of your bedroom into a professional workspace with a nightstand-desk. If you want to preserve floor space, you can opt for vertical furniture instead; plenty of companies produce shelves that fold down into tables and desks, providing both storage and workspace.

If you want to take functional home design to the next level, you can install sliding partitions with fold-down counters, tables, and shelves. These can be useful in playrooms or living rooms when family members need personal space for homework, art projects, or office over time.

Prioritize Storage Solutions

Everyone needs storage solutions, no matter the size of their house or family. The biggest issue is how much room you lose to unused belongings; without the proper infrastructure, your Sugarcreek Township residence can feel cluttered and disorganized. Fortunately, double-duty furniture and expert design can create more usable space.

One of the most common functional storage solutions is hollow ottomans, coffee tables, and couches. You can store practically anything in these models:

• Toys and games
• Blankets and pillows
• Electronics and wires

They’re just as comfortable as normal furniture and offer utility in otherwise wasted space.

Floating shelves are another way to apply functional home design to storage solutions. These wall-mounted shelves don’t take up as much space as regular bookshelves, so they won’t make rooms feel cramped. You can also place them in underutilized places, such as above:

• Doorways
• Beds and couches
• Toilets and towel racks
• Washers and dryers

If you need more storage in your kitchen, slide-out drawers may be the answer. They fit neatly under countertops, islands, and even sinks, and you can use them to store a variety of items:

• Spices
• Trash and compost cans
• Cooking utensils
• Cleaning supplies

Where Can You Find New Homes With Functional Design?

If you’re searching for functional home design in Centerville, OH, look no further than Oberer Homes properties. Our 70 years of experience means we understand the importance of versatility in a house, which is why we offer extensive customization. For more information, call 937-531-5505 or contact us online.