The five senses

The Five Senses

A lovely room has depth to it. The look alone isn't what makes the space beautiful. In this lesson, Alidad explains how to engage with the five senses to create a room.

When I decorate I am always concerned with the five senses. When you say it's a lovely room you think it's just because it looks nice. But in reality, it's your brain engaging with the five senses. The sight does a lot of work, but it is the other senses that help you truly experience a room.

Smell and sound are senses that are often taken for granted. Harnessing these senses within an interior, the smell of something, in particular, can instantly transport you to a memory you've had before.

The senses should be used in a very discrete way. The smells and sounds don't have to overpower. They can instead be just slight.

Beyond the Look

Quite often a great room has quite a lot more going on. The total experience of a room has got the five senses in it that have to be satisfied. Good interior design goes beyond just a space looking nice. Actively engaging all senses in a space is key in creating a truly timeless room.

Your Assignment

For me for a room to be timeless it needs to engage with all five of your senses. Start brainstorming different ways you can engage the five senses with the worksheets on the following page.

The Five Senses – Sight

A sense of balance and calm is created by aesthetics, whether they are furniture, accessories, or soft furnishings. Colour can be very calming or very energising. Using lighting also creates a focal point, as well as sets a mood. Learn how to enhance the interior with lighting.

Which colours make you happy? Are they bright? Light or dark?

Are you partial to neutrals?

With your lighting, what do you hope to achieve? Stark or soft?

Do you want this space to be calming or energising?

The Five Senses – Touch

Touch plays a major role in our decision-making. Make your home feel as comfortable as you want it to be by experimenting with textures. The texture and fabric of your home can invite you to sit and relax. A room can feel cold or warm based on its hardness. Textures with coarse or rough surfaces reflect less light and provide a warmer feeling. In contrast, smooth and shiny surfaces give a cool impression and feel colder.

What fabrics do you love the feel of? Which ones do you detest? You can tell a lot about your texture preference by the clothes you feel most comfortable in.

How about underfoot? Do you prefer to be barefoot around the house or do you prefer to wear shoes?

Do you prefer a cool or warm surface underfoot? Do you prefer hard or soft flooring?

Is there a way you can enhance the sense of touch by combining different textures?

The Five Senses – Taste

A taste of home is something you associate with your home, such as a comfort food from your childhood.

Would there be space for us to put a cup of tea on a side table next to a chair or will we have to stand out and move to a nearby table?

Do you have nibbles that guests can easily reach?

Is your kitchen well-organised and displaying your finest ingredients?

If you are in a space where you plan on eating, have you chosen materials that are resilient to staining?

The Five Senses – Smell

The smell of a home can evoke an emotional response that is connected to our conscious memory. The smell of your home should hit you the moment you enter, just as you feel the scent of your perfume. If you are trying to develop a signature scent for your home, you should consider combining elements and varying the scent according to the weather.

Do you have a strong sense of smell?

Are you prone to being overwhelmed by smells?

What are your favourite scents?

Are you a fan of seasonal scents? When it gets warmer, do you prefer spicy scents, and when it gets colder fresh scents?

The Five Senses – Sound

Sound is an important ingredient of a home's character. Installing high-quality windows, for instance, can make a huge difference, as does music playing in the room.

Is there any music that gets you in the mood to cook?

Does the sound of nature put you to sleep?

Do outside noises interrupt your sleep? You can improve the sound quality of your space by simply installing curtains.

Are you looking for a space where you can be completely silent? Materials and textures can dramatically affect the amount of noise in your space, hard surfaces like hardwood floors tend to be louder than soft ones like carpet.