Designing a home specifically with entertainment in mind requires a completely different approach and introduces another layer of consideration for the end-user and end result. Some people love elegant cocktail parties, others like a cozy space that exudes comfort. If you are a homeowner who loves entertaining and you’re about to remodel your home, you will have the perfect opportunity to really incorporate everything you need to make the space more enjoyable for yourself and your guests.
Founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares some of her tips and tricks to consider to make your home design more equipped for guests and gatherings!
The kitchen. The open plan nature of modern kitchens means that having guests, family and friends round for get-togethers has become a prime function of the space and is top of the list of requirements in most briefs. It’s important to balance the essential elements and day-to-day needs of a family kitchen with the desire to entertain. Regardless of the kitchen size, the key to making it work for entertaining is to consider how people will move around it. As well as thinking about where and how you’ll be cooking, you need to plan where to serve food and if you want your guests to gather around a breakfast bar, sit at a table or make use of more casual seating.The open floor plan trend means a kitchen space often also includes a comfortable seating area and fireplace as well.
Flexibility is the single biggest thing that an entertainment-friendly home should have. The multi-use trend extends outside as well. Outdoor kitchens are becoming increasingly popular, in part because they serve to keep guests and hosts together. There are other, less structurally invasive ways of making a home ready for entertainment. Music is one way to bring energy to a party and to tie several different spaces together, so investing in a sound system that connects rooms inside and outside is a great idea. Also, introducing both direct and indirect lighting with dimmers can help achieve a multitude of desired 'atmospheric' effects to set different moods, inside and outside.
If you’re entertaining, especially frequently, it’s important to have ample space to store items, such as platters and serving ware (either in a separate room, a pantry or a sideboard), but also provide some storage for your guests, even if they’re staying with you just for a night or two.
You can also make small changes that will make a big difference to how welcome your guests will feel in your home; think about providing a set of fresh guest towels or ways to fragrance your home that’s not too overpowering!
About the Author
Katie Malik, founder & creative director of Katie Malik Interiors built her career in residential interior design, assisting on projects in New York, Chicago and London before setting up her practice in 2014. Inspired by colours, the interplay between symmetry and asymmetry and wellbeing, Katie’s aim is to bring authenticity to each project.
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Many homes tend to look similar because they share similar features, such as plain white coloured walls, simple neutral furniture, and wall to wall carpeting to name a few. To achieve a 'wow factor' in the design of your home, you must have something that is unexpected… There are things that you can do both structurally and internally - depending on your budget. The sky really is the limit, but SBID Accredited designer and founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares some of her expert ideas for simple ways to add that extra 'wow' to your interiors.
If you’re looking to create an architectural statement, add value and space to your existing property, you can definitely get creative with an extension. Instead of opting for simple rectangular roof lights and a standard flat ceiling, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce an angular ceiling-scape to complement or highlight the shape of your kitchen for example.
Adding something different in the structure of your extension with a unique ceiling design can really help add that extra dimension and visual intrigue. A combination of sloped, angled and vertical elements can definitely enhance the drama of a room! If you do decide to extend or rebuild, opt for a double-height. Not only does it provide an impressive vastness of space, but seeing it from different viewpoints can create multiple ‘wow' moments.
If building up is not an option, consider adding skylights or even an octagonal roof lantern for a similar effect; adding glass to low ceilings you can make it feel higher, flood the room with natural light and create the illusion of bringing the outside in!
If you’d like to work within the existing space, there’s still a lot you can do. The right mirror, in the right size, in the right finish, can add a touch of glamour as well as make the interior space look and feel bigger and brighter. If you experiment with different shapes, sizes and even positions of a mirror, this could certainly help you achieve wow factor. You can also add unique features such as oversized artwork to a hallway or entrance walls - really going big will create an eye-catching statement with a contemporary, gallery-esque feel.
Another trick is to introduce shiny surfaces; reflective surfaces such as mirrors, metal and high gloss is sure to add an expensive edge to any space. For an additional wow effect, lighting is a key consideration too! Pick statement lights, for example a feature lamp; choose the one that is spangly and oversized for the ultimate look-at-me designer luxury.
Don’t be afraid to get experimental with dark colours, or any colour for that matter! The use of bold colours in the right amount, can definitely give a room some extra punch - whether dark and moody or bright and playful. You can also try using luxury, patterned or textured wallpaper - it will give your walls a more opulent and intimate look. If you’d rather not wallpaper the whole room or even just one wall (which is not recommended for certain rooms), you can always frame a piece of wallpaper instead!
Adding a stand-out headboard is a simple way to take your bedroom design to the next level, and look much more luxurious - like a boutique hotel! If you have a headboard already, why not re-upholster it in a bold fabric with interesting patterns or colours? If you decide to have one made, go big! Instant designer look guaranteed!
Choose a statement rug or a cowhide - this should instantly pull a room together and tie in the whole scheme. The size of your rug is quite important too - make sure it’s big enough to cover the area between the sofas or under the bed. If it’s too small, it might look out of place and you definitely won’t achieve the designer look.
Latest figures estimate that 12 million households (44 per cent) in the UK have pets. According to the CDC, owning an animal can “increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialise”. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can also help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship. In return, we can certainly make our homes friendly for them!
Katie Malik, SBID Accredited designer and founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares her top tips on how to design a pet-friendly home.
The most straightforward way to make our homes pet sanctuaries is to make an investment in pet furniture. As with any home furnishings, the cheaper the purchase, the less likely it will last and provide comfort for your four-legged loved ones.
Carefully weigh your furniture choices when decorating for a pet-friendly house; leather or leather- like materials that are easy to wipe clean, often durable, and can help keep a fluffy pet cool in warmer months. Try to avoid materials that might be tempting for your pet to scratch or chew!
If you are considering new flooring, you may want to opt for a wooden floor over a light coloured carpet! Wood floors are much easier to clean if our furry friends come home with muddy paws! It's also worth considering the colour. For instance, you might want chose the colour of your flooring that matches go the fur colour of your pet, so those stray hairs around the house are less noticeable.
A pet friendly home must make special considerations for just how many accidents can happen around bushy tails and clumsy paws, and one solution could be a dog-gate. Especially if you have or are thinking of getting a puppy, you might want to create a friendly separation, so that you can, for example, eat dinner without being disturbed!
Finding the right builder for a project can seem like a daunting task, however, it doesn’t need to be difficult. SBID Accredited Designer, Katie Malik, founder and creative director of Katie Malik Interiors talks us through her tips for deciding which builder to work with. Most reputable contractors will be quite happy to show off their previous work and provide all of the things she recommends below...
In the studio, we never ask for any quotes unless we have a detailed Schedule of Work (SOW) and a drawing package ready. This ensures everything that we want a contractor to do is going to be quoted for and executed. Also, this gives us and the client a chance to compare the quotes like for like. If you’re going to execute the project by yourself, we strongly recommend preparing a list of jobs by yourself instead of leaving it to the builder to interpret. This means you won’t have to check each quote for what’s included and what’s excluded, making the final decision much easier.
There’s a common belief that there is nothing better than a recommendation from a friend or a family member, and in most cases, this is true. Nevertheless, it’s also useful to do your own research by reading reviews, checking previous projects and references of builders whose work you like. A contractor should offer you a contract, guarantees, proof of insurance, and a clear schedule of payment. All of this combined with a recommendation from someone you know who’s used this builder, such as your architect and/or interior designer, will put your mind at rest.
We recommend taking similar steps when choosing a builder to those when choosing an interior designer. Since you’ll be engaging your builder to work on/in your home for an extended period of time, you want to ensure you like their previous work and you like them as a person.
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Your home should reflect your personality and taste and be attuned to your unique needs. However, achieving this on our own can be a real challenge, especially when your work and family commitments place so many demands on your time. When investing both time and money into a project, it’s important to know how to choose the best designer for it. You want your designer to unlock the space's full potential by doing this in a creative yet practical manner. So how do you choose the right interior designer for you? SBID Accredited Designer, Katie Malik, founder and creative director of Katie Malik Interiors outlines some important considerations.
It’s absolutely essential that you research the designer’s portfolio to see whether you like their style and completed projects. Don’t approach designer’s based solely on their proximity to you or how high they come up in google search. You have to like what you see, so number one criterion when choosing a designer is the style match.
A good interior designer will have the perfect balance between focusing on the bigger picture ultimately leading up to the final outcome, whilst also focusing on the immediate jobs which need to be done. Therefore, look for reviews and recommendations of the company. It's important to understand the quality of work and the team you're hiring before you fully commit.
Also, check whether the designer is accredited by or a member of a professional body, such as SBID - this would give you an added security that the work will be completed to the highest industry standards.
A good brief and a full and open discussion about what the job entails is the best way for your designer to work out a fee and a project timeline. Experienced interior designers have an abundance of planning experience when it comes to undergoing a design project, and they can provide a step by step plan of action with a start and end date. This takes the stress away from you, so you don’t have to this about the logistics so when choosing an interior designer, ask whether they can provide a detailed plan of the project and the space.
An experienced designer will have a wealth of knowledge and contacts that they’ve built up over their career to enable them to collaborate with other professionals, such as lighting designers, landscape and garden designers, and architects. A good interior designer will take an interest in the architect’s vision for the building too.
You want a designer who is fully invested in the project - someone who's passionate and willing to ensure your project is complete to the highest quality possible. You want someone who will take all of your own ideas on board and develop them in the best possible way, adding their own professional opinion. Look for an interior designer who will push you completely out of your own comfort zone, encouraging you to go for an original and refreshing design.
Click here to discover how to choose the right builder for a project.
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