Do we really need more space?
Extending, opening up, knocking down walls… is that always the right answer?
"We simply don't have enough space."
It's probably one of the first things I hear when visiting a client's home.
And yet, after spending just a few minutes walking through the property, I often realise the issue isn't quite what they think it is.
Sometimes, it's not the amount of space that's lacking.
It's the way that space supports the life being lived within it.
We're naturally inclined to believe that a larger home will solve our everyday frustrations.
A rear extension.
An open-plan layout.
An extra room..
In our minds, more square metres often feel synonymous with greater comfort. Yet the most successful projects aren't always the ones that create more space. More often, they're the ones that reveal the potential of the space already there.
As an interior architect, I've found that a home rarely feels too small simply because of its floor area.
A sense of constraint can come from awkward circulation, insufficient storage, rooms trying to serve too many purposes, or a layout that no longer reflects the lifestyle of the people who live there.
A home doesn't suddenly become too small overnight.
Our lives evolve.
Children grow up.
Working from home becomes part of everyday life.
New hobbies appear.
We entertain differently than we used to.
Without even noticing, we continue living in a home designed for a previous chapter of our lives.
September often brings that reality back into focus.
School bags begin to pile up by the entrance. The dining table once again becomes a temporary workspace. Schedules overlap. Life speeds up.
What felt perfectly adequate during the slower pace of summer suddenly begins to show its limitations.
So perhaps the real question isn't: "How can we create more space?"
Perhaps it's: "How can every space work better for the way we live today?"
Before considering an extension or removing walls, I always like to pause and observe.
How do people move through the home?
Where do everyday belongings naturally end up?
Which rooms are genuinely used?
Which spaces remain largely untouched?
These observations often tell a far richer story than a floor plan ever could. They reveal how a home is truly lived in. And it's by responding to these everyday patterns that the most meaningful transformations happen.
Sometimes, a thoughtful reorganisation is enough to restore a genuine feeling of spaciousness.
Sometimes, redistributing a few square metres intelligently delivers far greater value than an expensive extension. And sometimes, an extension is absolutely the right solution. But only when it responds to a real need rather than a first impression.
Space isn't only measured in square metres.
It's also a matter of perception.
A carefully designed home can feel remarkably generous without adding a single extra metre.
Conversely, a larger house can still feel cluttered if the way it functions hasn't been reconsidered.
Perhaps that's where the true value of interior architecture lies.
Not in creating more.
But in revealing what already exists.
Because, ultimately, true luxury may not be living in a bigger home.
It may simply be living in a home that truly reflects who you are.
Ines l Founder of Chadele Interior Design
Through these monthly Interior Perspectives, I'll be sharing an interior architect's perspective on the way we inhabit our homes, the decisions that create lasting transformation, and the often invisible details that make all the difference.
Because a thoughtfully designed home does more than look beautiful.
It supports, reveals and evolves alongside the people who live in it.
