Overheard a client say they wanted their new kitchen to feel 'like a hug'

Honestly, I was doing a site visit for a remodel in Denver last week and the homeowner said that exact phrase. Tbh, it made me stop and think about how we talk about design goals. Instead of just listing materials or a style, she was describing an emotion. Ngl, I've been sketching concepts all week focused on warm woods, soft curves, and indirect lighting to try and capture that feeling. It's a different way to start a project than just picking cabinets from a catalog. Has anyone else had a client describe a space in a really abstract way like that? How did you translate it into the actual build?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahw538d ago

Got a client who wanted their bathroom to feel "like a fresh breeze." Spent two days overthinking it before my partner walked by my desk and said it just meant they didn't want it to smell like old towels. Sometimes we dig way too deep for the simple answer. Your kitchen hug idea sounds way better, actually makes you design around a real feeling.

eric_morgan597d ago

Oh, I have to disagree on this one. That "fresh breeze" feeling isn't just about smell, it's a whole mood. It's about light colors, maybe a window treatment that moves a little, clean lines. Reducing it to just "no bad smells" misses the chance to make a space that actually feels uplifting. Your partner's take is practical, but I think the client was asking for an experience, not just an absence of a problem. The best design starts with those poetic little phrases.