Inside the home, the details hold a sentiment of their own. Tall white pillars stand regally on either side of the breakfast bar, demarcating the culinary expertise of those who work here, while cozy yellow halogen lighting beams down on the workspace in Old Tuscan style. White crown molding along the baseboards of an older home shows that this home owner is a person who appreciates craftsmanship and who likes lavish things. Rounded doorways carry a cozy Mediterranean feel, welcoming all who enter. Truly architecture interior design is a meaningful art that has the power to shape our moods.
When it comes to architecture and interior design, award-winning professional interior designer Russell Versaci says it is all about the “Eight Pillars of Design,” which are: invent within the rules; respect the character of the place; tell a story over time; build for the ages; detail for authenticity; craft with natural materials; create the patina of age; and incorporate modern conveniences. So what does Versaci mean by “follow the rules?” He says that custom designs can often stem from studious tradition, so it is good to use the past as a guideline.
You “respect its character” by working with the surrounding land and topography, rather than cutting down all the trees and leveling hills. To “tell a story,” architects can create a storyboard of past additions to envision what innovative designs made it what it is today. To “build for the ages,” high quality building materials should be used. Molding, roofing, windows and details should follow the old character of the house to “detail for authenticity.”
Materials like wood, stone and pine have a vibe that synthetic materials just can’t match, Versaci adds, which is what he means by “natural materials.” To “create the patina of age,” it’s okay to leave some elements of the home old and weathered or vintage-looking; weathered bricks, salvaged mantles or antique door knobs, for instance. Lastly, the home should be outfitted with modern heating, plumbing, air conditioning, computer wiring, hidden control panels and security systems.
Award-winning interior design company Fougeron Architecture understands Russell Versaci’s ideas about architecture interior design perfectly. In San Francisco, he renovated a dark warehouse office complex into a light, breezy, modern office building. To keep with the existing neighborhood, he added a glass penthouse, used high-quality building materials and built up vertically. Although, unlike his neighbors, he did so by blending private and public space by using see-through dividers, by creating a communal rooftop environment and by building around natural light. The jury felt this upgrade was one of the best contemporary designs they had seen.
Architecture interior design is an ever-evolving study. Consumers are currently looking for homes that make better use of space, that offer open main floor plans for family interaction but separated by bedroom wings for privacy. Bathroom design is leaning toward creating home spas with whirlpools, dual-head shower stalls, double vanities and saunas. Innovative designs for kitchens almost always add a utilitarian chef’s nook or breakfast bar. Living rooms make use of large windows, high ceilings and unexpected colors. The future points toward innovative designs.
