Kenyan interior designers need to be aware of the factors that create successful internal spaces vis a vis interior spaces that are not as interesting. Interior design has a lot to do with the tastes of clients, and often will reflect a client’s corporate image, individual taste and perception and most importantly, their culture. The space must be able to say something about who they are in order for it to be “their” space.

Tips On Cultural And Artistic Design For The Kenyan Interior Designer

artworks tastefully integrated on internal walls

Integration of culture and personal taste is a matter of preference and background. People who come from a more conservative background will more often than not seek a conservative interior expression in their buildings. This may be reflected through choice of neutral colors, simple fittings and fixtures and clean simple and straightforward finishes. More adventurous clients however may opt for something that is more opulent and out of the box that may be more reflective of their preferences.

This notwithstanding, everyone has a particular affinity to a type of interior environment, and is interested in something about their space that is reflective of their identity. Cultural interests are reflected in the tastes of users, whether corporate or individual. Companies will insist on particular types of furniture, wall hangings and fittings during their fit out process as they move into a space. Individuals aspire to buy certain types of furniture such as antiques to reflect their taste similarly.

Interior Designers must demonstrate sensitivity to user culture

Kenyan Interior designers who are able to integrate this aspect of individual cultural taste are more likely to create signature interiors to the spaces they design. As much as the exterior form of a building requires to be iconic, the interior spaces as well require to create a signature feel of place even within the building. Spaces without this defining feature can end up being universal in context and largely anonymous.

We are all familiar with the feel of museums and art galleries, and associate our experiences of them with the particular exhibitions or artistic setups that we encountered when visiting them. This was a function of the artistic elements that we experienced first hand in the course of that exhibition. Our subconscious mind recorded the feel of the spaces during that exhibition and became a benchmark regarding our spatial experience as regards that space.

This example demonstrates the power of artwork in creating an iconic interior space. Interior designers can select artistic emblems and motifs to create signature patterns on internal surfaces. These emblems create a theme in the design of the internal space that becomes a reference point to users experiencing the space. In addition these emblems can be created using various materials and artistic mediums to further design and define the quality of a space.

An interior designer can fashion a wall sconce using metals like copper, stainless steel and aluminium. This can be again shaped in form of an cultural element such as a shield, spear or pot that are commonplace in African material culture. Other materials that can be used include leather, timber and stone that can be artistically molded into a design element. Use of patterned textiles can also be intermingled with harder materials to ensure that they are long lasting yet elegant to behold.

Sculptural elements can also be molded from these materials in either free standing fashion or  using bas-relief panels that can be mounted at focal points within a space, and these can be further enhanced by creatively lighting them. It is preferable that such a focal sculptural element or texture be highlighted through using lighting to accent their presence.

Even use of light through creatively employing spot lighting, general lighting and decorative lighting can create an artistic feel to an internal space. This is well achieved during concerts and performance stage sets. Use of LED lights mixed with halogen, fluorescent or filament lamps can create an interesting mix of patterns and feel all created using lighting.

Creative use of artistic elements shall assist a Kenyan Interior Designer create iconic spaces.

Well-placed artworks in an interior space go a long way towards creating identity in a space. The  end user’s interest can be taken care of in this manner. A client’s imprint can be embedded in a building’s makeup through creatively integrating artworks that are of value to them. The inspiration behind these artworks can be found by searching for aspects of material culture that are relevant to the developer or end user. These are then incorporated into a design or abstracted to form a built element.

It is imperative that an interior designer seeks to customize a space to a developer’s needs. The options for accomplishing this are limitless. It just requires the will of an informed client developer and the mind and heart of a good Kenyan interior designer.