Whether you’ve considered it or not, you’re surrounded by design every single day. From the car you drive, to the bed you sleep in and the school shoes your children wear, the products you use have all been designed by someone, for you. There is a stark difference between good design and bad design and it’s hard to determine whether you’ve made the right decision about the products you bring into your home.
“Will it be well-used? Will it look good? Will it bring me joy? Will it last a long time?”
These are the sorts of questions we all ask ourselves when we’re making decisions about the products we buy for our families, whether that’s consciously or subconsciously. With so many products available to us, it’s hard to find the answers to these questions without actually trying the product before you buy it.
Unfortunately, that’s not really an option. We can live a more design led life by first knowing what that means. This blog post will delve into the reasons why we should live a design led life and tips on how to do it.
So, what is a design led life?
In short, we like to think of a design led lifestyle as intentional living. Living with purpose, adopting principles like minimalism and focusing on longevity and sustainability are ways to do this. A person with a design led lifestyle has products in their life that have been thoughtfully considered, not just for their face value, but for deeper things like quality, impact on the planet and to create purpose and value for their family.
The German industrial designer and retired academic Dieter Rams determined good design by 10 principles.
Good design:
- Is innovative
- Makes a product useful
- Is aesthetic
- Makes a product understandable
- Is unobtrusive
- Is honest
- Is long-lasting
- Is thorough down to the last detail
- Is environmentally-friendly
- Is as little design as possible
Here at Huxford Grove our products have been highly considered and not only look great, but are made to be used for a long time and with intention.
How do I adopt a design led lifestyle?:
Now that we know what design-led living looks like, let’s take a look at a few of the ways we can implement it into our own lives:
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Look for high quality products
Purchasing lesser quality products can save you a lot of money. The benefits of living a design-led lifestyle far outway the negatives. Take a Huxford Grove product for example: You could purchase a cheaper alternative from a store that mass produces their products, or you could spend a little more for an expertly crafted, thoughtfully designed Huxford Grove Byron Bean Bag and experience the benefits of having this product in your home for years to come. These types of products don’t just benefit a family because they’re comfortable and lovely to look at, they’re durable, easy to maintain and last a long time. -
Take inspiration from those around you:
A great way to start your design-led lifestyle is by taking cues from those already adopting the idea. Take a flick through your favourite interiors or living magazine and see ways in which others are living design-led lives. Perhaps they only buy top quality products, maybe they’ve chosen everything in their home because it serves a purpose, or perhaps they even follow principles of minimalism or sustainability. Either way, they all have one thing in common, wonderfully designed products in their lives. -
Ask yourself ‘why?’
Consider why you want a product in your life. Is it because someone on Instagram promoted it? Or is it because you know your family will get a lot of use out of it for years to come and it will serve a specific purpose in your home? If something is well designed it will usually align with the latter. -
Look for products that have accreditations
Don’t just take the company’s word for it. Check to see if they meet the standards set by external agencies. Here at Huxford Grove we have gained Oeko-Tex accreditation in both Class 1 for Ivory and Class 2 for Ivory and light to medium coloured long wool products. The assessment applies 100 robust fastness properties and chemical tests to ensure products are free and safe from harmful substances and safe for contact with skin. In other words, our products undergo chemical testing to ensure they’re safe in your home. Businesses with accreditations such as these will display them proudly. If they aren’t available to you, they probably don’t meet the accreditations.
The next time you’re making a decision for your family, ask yourself if it’s design-led. If you can’t answer yes to these questions: “Will it be well-used? Will it look good? Will it bring me joy? Will it last a long time?” Move onto the next option.