Am I a design blogger now? Is that who I have become? Anyways – I’m really sick of trends, aren’t you guys? Trendy things don’t last and, who wants to try and keep up appearances for people that don’t live with you anyways? Enough is enough, 2021 is going to be the year we acknowledge the functional home

 

What’s with the Trends

I have been very broadly browsing all of the 2021 Design Trend blogs lately – and this is what prompted me to switch gears.

I don’t believe that Multifunctional space is a trend. Having good organization isn’t a trend. Using materials that have longevity and are easier to clean and don’t take up as much space is not a trend. These are skills that we should have had all along, but we have now been put in a position where it more blatantly matters.

In short, our previous lack of organization has been exposed and now it’s time we clean up our act.

 

Multifunctional Space

So how do we go about creating multifunctional space?

Sections, sections, sections. Multifunctional space is all about sectioning out and organizing your space.

If you have more of an open floorplan that doesn’t give you much direction on where things should go, you do have the advantage of mapping out your own.

Our previous lack of organization has been exposed and now it’s time to clean up.

It would be nice to have a room for every activity that we do at home. Game room, gathering room, home theatre – but I know that I personally don’t have the space to accomplish all of that.

But by utilizing space better, I can not only keep my own home comfy, cozy, and functional, but so can you!

 

Keeping Clean Up Easy

I don’t know about you, but the less I have to clean the better. I like a nice clean area, but hate doing the actual cleaning, so anything that makes that easier for me is a win.

When it comes to the kitchen, I think it is one of the easiest areas to go from spotless to a scrubbing nightmare within a few hours. There’s cookware, and used dishes, and splatter, and spills – it’s a lot going on.

One way to help manage messes can come from your countertops. Having a top that is resistant to staining, whether glass or something synthetic, can really help save on the cleaning. If it doesn’t stain, there’s less haste and scrubbing involved.

Tiled back splashes are traditional, but cleaning grout can sometimes be a hassle – as we know with cleaning our showers. Because I’m not a tile expert, I would definitely check with your local tile company to see what they have concerning both tile and grout available for easy cleaning, but what I do know is glass and mirror.

Both back painted glass and mirror backsplashes have their advantages and disadvantages – both of which I put head to head in a blog. You can check it out HERE and determine which one is the winner.

Either way, glass surfaces are easy to clean. A splash of some sauce, a little splatter of fry oil – you can wipe that off of glass surfaces without any staining or residue. From my own personal experiences, that isn’t always the case with tile and grout. Especially grout that wasn’t sealed properly.

 

Expanding Your Space

Lately, I have had a lot of calls about removing large wall mirrors. Which I understand, some of them look super dated with bevel strips and really green mirror. But before you go removing that mirror, think about why it was installed there in the first place. It may not be there just for looks!

Mirrors help make spaces feel more open. They give off the illusion of more space. By removing a wall mirror, you may end up causing an area to feel more cramped.

Mirrors also help with brightening a room. Removing a full wall mirror may interfere with light distribution and could be the cause of a room appearing dimmer than it once was.

But fret not, there are ways to have a wall mirror without it looking like something that was installed in 1984.

First off, stay clear of bevel strips and standard clear mirror. Bevel strips are really starting to look dated, and standard clear mirror is what was literally being used back in the 80s. Modernize it with some ultra clear and be rid of the green reflection.

In lieu of bevel strips, try a wood our even custom moulding frame. If you are worried about seams in a really large mirror, why not embrace those seams and even play with them a little! Use seems to your advantage to create a mirror framed in mirror, or even a Mondrian inspired mirror display!

 

Utilizing Storage Opportunities

I’m the worst at letting things go. My garage attic? It’s been cleaner. However it is also getting cleaner!

But there are areas that we truly tend to ignore that can actually make for really good storage space.

Instead of shoving a plant in that corner, what about a corner shelf or drawer unit. These don’t have to be large or cumbersome either. Heck, you could even use glass corner shelves and create a floating storage area.

Been looking for a place to install that trendy new wine enclosure that everyone else seems to have? Try something different with installing one under your stairs. Especially if you aren’t using that space to begin with.

You could even install wine pegs into a wall niche to create a built in wine display. Take it another step further with wall racking and ultra clear mirror to create a floating wine niche display!

 

Closing

The way we go about our daily lives is constantly evolving. Change happens! The better our homes function, the better we can handle the changes that come our way.

For more ideas on how to help create the functional home, give us a call or come visit us in our showroom! It may help you get inspired.