How Would An Interior Designer Build A Home From Scratch?

*This is a collaborative post.

We tend to think of the skills of an interior designer as, well, being solely limited to interior design. But of course, after years of careful arrangements, visual experimentation, and efforts in creating navigable, functional, and capable spaces, they learn a great deal about how residential and commercial interiors work.

That’s not to say such professionals know everything, of course, this is just a specific skill set in a wider set of disciplines focused on developing households. They may know where the power sockets are best placed in a room and how to route cables for the best aesthetic and utilitarian appeal, but not be fully qualified in full electrical work or the wider access to utilities.

But with contractors, you don’t need to know everything to get started, nor do you need a degree in architecture to consider what an ideal home built for your own purposes may look like. So - this begs a question:

How would an interior designer build a home from scratch? Well, you could write a volume of textbooks on this very question and it could make for a seriously interesting journalistic piece.

But for the purposes of this post, let’s discuss a few methodologies and practices you would be most likely to see:

Multi-Functional Spaces

Interior designers are experts at making spaces work harder without making them feel overstuffed. That’s why, if one were to design a home from scratch, you’d likely see an emphasis on multi-functional areas.

A good example might involve curating a living room that doubles as a guest bedroom with a fold-out couch and the means to ensure more privacy in an open-plan space, or a kitchen island designed as both a prep station and a casual dining space for breakfast. All of the techniques that allow for a room to make use of those measures, such as dimension room planning, would apply.

This approach also helps in future-proofing a home. A playroom can eventually morph into a home office or a quiet library if upstairs for instance, and the thought about how walls are soundproofed could contribute to that.

Sight Lines & Clear Vision

Interior designers are always considering how a home interior flows, because the more intuitive a space is, the more subtle design focus there has been. It’s similar to filmmaking in a way - if you notice the editing at all times, then the editor hasn’t performed their job correctly.

With this principle in mind, you may wish to ask a few questions. For example, are there clear paths for movement? Can a staircase that splits into two wings make it clear which is the more private and which are the more public rooms each side is leading to? Designing a home from scratch gives them the chance to control all of this and apply the more stringent tips and tricks they’ve learned from years of practice to signpost without signposting, so to speak.

Natural Light Exposure

Interior designers know, as one of the first lessons they ever learn, that natural light can define a space, both aesthetically and functionally. It also sets the stage for further lighting efforts. In a home designed from scratch, they would likely prioritise large, well-placed windows, skylights, and glass doors to increase the chance of natural light throughout the day. They might carefully position communal spaces, like living rooms or kitchens, to face the sun during peak hours, while bedrooms could be oriented for softer morning or evening light so they feel more ambient and comfortable, private even.

They’d also consider how household construction materials interact with this. For example, lighter-coloured walls and reflective surfaces like polished wood or stone can help reflect or even amplify light, which can make even smaller rooms seem more prominent and tangible. On top of that, more thoughtful window placements could reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day, perhaps even allowing for floor-to-ceiling panes if privacy can be assured throughout the day.

Craftsmanship & High-Quality Materials

Interior designers often have a deep appreciation for well-crafted, durable materials, and this preference would undoubtedly influence how they approach building a home from the ground up, and how they’d work with custom home builders to achieve the best effect. Instead of cutting corners or considering cheap applications, they’d likely invest in flooring, cabinetry, and fixtures that celebrate skilled craftsmanship. This could mean opting for solid wood over composite, natural stone countertops over synthetic options, or handmade tiles over mass-produced designs - expensive of course, but interior designers do tend to develop a preference for materials that champion local handiwork and character. It’s hard to disagree with them, even from a cold value position alone.

With this insight, we hope you can see how an interior designer might prioritise the construction of a household, and many use these techniques to apply to their own residential spaces.