The Hidden Cost of Poorly Planned Living Spaces

Purchasing a new house is an exciting experience. It’s also exciting to choose its furniture. You go to different shops, you look at sofas, beds, dining tables, and you imagine how it will look in your home. But what looks good in a shop is not always what works in your home. In this blog we will discuss the hidden cost of unplanned living spaces.

1. Furniture That Does Not Fit Can Cost You More

There’s a table with six chairs. It might look perfect in the shop but at home you may find it hard to pull out chairs or walk around it comfortably. You may have to move some furniture around or get a smaller table.

A king-size bed sounds great, but once you put it in the room, there might not be enough room to walk around. The doors of the wardrobe when opened could hit the bed or the bedside table. Then you have to change something in the room, or rearrange the room.

A large couch can create similar problems. It can spread across the living room, not leaving space for a coffee table or additional chairs. Your relatives might come over to visit and you might not have enough seats for everyone.

And if you change them later, it could cost you more money. You may have to pay again for delivery and installation or get another one. If the store does not take returns, then you may need to buy another piece of furniture.

So before you buy anything, measure the room to see how much room the furniture will take. Make sure there is enough room to open doors, pull out drawers and walk around without hitting anything. A little measuring before you buy can save you money later. Here are some additional tips on customising your home furniture.

2. Bad Storage Planning Can Make You Buy More Cabinets

You may initially think that your kitchen has enough cabinets. But when you begin to store your stuff inside, you might find there’s not enough space.

Imagine an Indian kitchen. You might have pressure cookers, large cooking vessels, mixer grinders, spice boxes, rice containers and grocery items. There may also be appliances that you only use once in a while.

Where are you going to put all these things?

If the cabinets are too small you may have to buy plastic racks or additional shelves. Some appliances may end up on the kitchen counter because they don’t fit inside. This can make the kitchen seem crowded, and you’ll have less space to work in.

Bedrooms need good storage as well. You got day wear, party wear, sheets, blankets, towels and suitcases. And you might want to leave room for ironing equipment and cleaning items.

If you don’t think of these things when you are planning your wardrobes you may find yourself buying another cupboard later. That means spending more money and losing some walking space in the bedroom.

List down the things that you need to keep before deciding on your storage. Consider how many people will be sharing a wardrobe, and how much room you’ll need for clothing. Do the same for kitchen appliances, utensils and groceries.

You don’t need cabinets everywhere. You just need enough space for the things that your family uses and owns. This can save you a buy of additional storage once you move in.

3. Cheap Materials Could Lead to More Repairs

The cost of your interiors doesn’t stop when the work is complete. Also think about how long the materials and fittings will last.

This is important in places like Kerala where there is a lot of rain and humidity. Often some materials are not suitable for damp areas. If not chosen properly they may wear out faster.

For example, cabinet shutters can begin to droop. Hinges may be loose and drawers may not slide open easily. You might have to get someone to fix it. If the same problem keeps coming back, eventually it can get costly to repair. You may need to replace fittings or part of the cabinet.

These areas need special care because you use them more often and expose them to moisture.

It’s obvious to go for cheaper options when planning your interiors. But the cheapest material is not always the most economical. But if you have to get it repaired or replaced soon, you could end up paying more.

Ask your interior designer what materials, finishes and fittings they intend to use. Learn whether they’re right for your home and how much care they need.

It’s better to get it right the first time rather than pay for repairs later.

4. Inefficient Kitchen Design Makes Daily Tasks Hard

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in the home. So even a small mistake in the layout can create problems in everyday work.

You’ve probably heard of the kitchen work triangle. It relates to three main areas: the refrigerator, the washbasin and the hob. These are the places you jump between when you cook. “Making sure they’re where they’re supposed to be makes your job easier.”

There are also other little things to consider. Where are you going to put the bin? Any room for drying dishes? Is your daily cutlery easily accessible to you? ‘Can two people cook in there?

When you look at a kitchen design, you may not see these issues. But they can be frustrating once you get used to using the kitchen.

Plus, it could cost more if you want to change the kitchen when it’s finished. You may need to add some more shelves, new electrical points or change the cabinets. Or you might need plumbing and electrics if the washbasin or hob is in the wrong place.

Tell your designer what your cooking habits are and the appliances you use. Discuss these before the kitchen layout is finalised. It’s a lot easier to change things on paper than when the job’s finished. Read this guide to understand the common kitchen island mistakes people make during the planning stage.

5. Not Considering Your Family’s Needs Can Mean Redesigning Rooms Later

Every family uses something different at home. In many Indian homes, parents, children, and grandparents live together. We are all different, and our needs may change with time.

Older parents may want to have clothes and daily items within easy reach. Children need space for their books, school bags and toys. A person working at home might require a quiet spot to hold meetings.

If you don’t consider these needs when designing your interiors, you may have to make changes later. You may need to buy another study table, add more storage space or find another place to work.

Some thought must be given to the living and dining areas too. You’ll often find that apartments have the living and dining rooms together as one large room. These arrangements can make a home seem more spacious, but the furniture should not take up too much space.

If you have relatives coming for Onam or Christmas, you might need additional chairs as well. Folding chairs and small stools are useful because you can store them away when you don’t need them.

You can also plan a room for two purposes. For example, a spare bedroom can double as a home office during the week and a guest room when relatives come to town. A sofa bed, study table and some storage can assist in this.

Also, think about your family’s needs before you start the interiors so that you don’t have to buy more furniture or change rooms later on.

6. Space That Is Poorly Used Can Make Your Home Look Smaller

When you buy a house, you pay for every square foot. So it is important to make the most of your space.

Bad planning can leave some corners empty or make some areas hard to use. For example, a big wardrobe in a small bedroom may leave very little room to walk around. You might also have an empty corner that could have been used for storage.

Occasionally you buy more furniture because you don’t know how to use the space you’ve already got. A window seat with storage underneath can provide you with seating plus extra storage. Narrow kitchen cabinets are easier to use with pull-out baskets. If you work from home, a small study table in an extra bedroom will suffice.

But you don’t have to copy every single idea you see in a showroom or on social media. What works in a big flat doesn’t work in a small flat. Consider the size of your rooms and what your family really needs.

A bigger house does not automatically mean it is more comfortable. Sometimes a small home, well-planned, can be easier to live in. Another way to stop yourself from buying more furniture is to make good use of the space you already have.

5 Things To Check Before Starting Home Interiors

Take a little time to check these five things before finalising your home interiors.

1. Room to Walk

Are you able to move around the dining table, bed and sofa without any difficulty? Can you open doors and pull out chairs without having to move other furniture?

2. Lagerung

Will there be enough space for clothes, kitchen items, spare bedding, blankets and suitcases? Have you thought about appliances that you don’t use every day?

3. Access to Furniture and Cabinet

Can you fully open doors on wardrobes, kitchen shutters and drawers? Is there enough room to use your appliances and reach the things you need?

4. Light and Air

Are your rooms well lighted and well ventilated? Is the kitchen well lighted for work? Have you worked out where you will need electrical points?

5. Needs for the Future

Does the layout still work if you have more children or your needs change? Do you have a spare bedroom for something else? Will you need more storage in the future?

If something doesn’t look right, speak to your designer before the work starts. It is usually easier to make changes at this point than after installation.

Don’t Spend Extra; Plan Well for Your Home

When you move into your home, you may not know all the problems it has. But when you use the kitchen, bedrooms, and living areas every day, you may begin to see what isn’t working.

You may not have enough room in your kitchen cabinets for your vessels. You might find that your wardrobe is too small for all your clothes. The dining table might be too big for the room. Then you may have to buy extra racks, shift furniture or do modifications to the interiors.

They seem like little costs at first. But they accumulate over a lifetime. You waste time trying to make things fit and live with a layout that isn’t right for your family.

Fine interior design is not about expensive furniture or filling every corner with cabinets. It’s about understanding your family’s needs and creating every room around them.

At DLIFE Home Interiors, we believe that a home should be comfortable to live in, not just look appealing. With the right layout, the right materials and storage designed around you, you can make better use of your space.

Chat with the DLIFE Home Interiors team about modular interior solutions for your home and your family.