Ergonomics in interior design: rules and tips

Ergonomic science studies how to equip everyday life, including the workplace of a person, in accordance with his physical, mental characteristics. Ergonomics in interior design is aimed at creating furniture and everything that is available at home or at work, as convenient as possible, for productive activities, recreation. Her motto is comfort, safety, ease of movement.

The concept of ergonomics

Ergonomics is an engineering, design science that examines what people are capable of in the existing conditions at work, at home, taking into account the use of various means of technical equipment. It is a relationship between a person and his environment. In the process of research, the results of studying the psychophysical state of people are used: social relations within a group, a collective, working capacity, satisfaction with their work, general tiredness. At the same time, hygienic measures are being developed to reduce the "harm" at work, to reduce the number of occupational diseases, and to increase labor productivity. Since science takes into account not only anatomy, but also human psychology, the aesthetic arrangement of the environment is of no small importance. Therefore, ergonomic scientists are increasingly trying to interact with designers involved in the planning, interior design of industrial premises, office buildings, residential buildings.


    

Ergonomics in interior design

The way a person transforms their housing says a lot about him. The presence or absence of certain things in the house, their purpose, stylistic performance, appearance, he chooses. Ergonomics is not only aesthetics, but also practicality, maximum comfort.

    

Many apartments, especially those built during the Soviet era, are built according to the “better than nothing” principle - these are premises that were built for temporary residence, but they have been fully operational for the first ten years. In modern time, a person needs to place in the living room a lot more things, objects that ensure a comfortable existence than then.

    

With self-repair without drawing up a project, with the obligatory indication of the necessary nuances, it is difficult to correctly calculate where, what will stand, lie, hang. As a result, the refrigerator will not fit in the kitchen, becoming a permanent resident of the hallway, the washing machine will have to be placed almost in the bedroom, not to mention the storage space for various tools and equipment.

The ergonomic structure of human life strives to conform to certain principles:

  • all items are in place - those that are convenient to a particular person, family;
  • freedom of movement - the ability to walk freely from room to room without encountering interior items;
  • there is no need to have too much in the house - the cluttered apartment looks overly cramped;
  • it is desirable to purchase functional furniture - folding, sliding, with numerous storage spaces;
  • proper room zoning will allow for maximum ergonomics;
  • the illumination of different rooms, zones, must correspond to the functions of the room, the activities carried out in it, in order to preserve physical and mental health.

    

Placement of furniture in the room

For the proper placement of furniture in the interior space, there are some rules:

  • passages between furnishings leave 70-100 cm;
  • in a small room put the minimum amount of furniture, placing most of it along the walls;
  • kitchen equipment for cramped rooms built into the set;
  • transforming furniture often combines two to four different pieces of furniture that would individually occupy an entire room;
  • large volumetric furnishing will suit spacious rooms, overly cluttering small ones.


    

Entrance hall

The more people living in the apartment, the wider the hallway becomes. One or two tenants need 90 cm, for a safe movement of a family of three people requires at least 100-110 cm. If you plan to put a wardrobe here, then take into account its depth. For compact placement of shoes, vertical stationary shelves are purchased — at the same time, up to twenty pairs will be placed on this one. Suspended wall organizers for storing keys, combs, cosmetics, made from textiles, will replace bulk shelves.


    

Bathroom and WC

The combined bathroom will save two or three square meters of apartment space, but it will not be very convenient if it has a large family. When there are small children in the family, the elderly, the disabled, the bath itself is supplied with handrails, two or three steps, if space permits. It is even safer to install a shower cabin - the pan is low, there is no risk of drowning. Before the toilet in a separate bathroom leave enough space for opening and closing doors, in extreme cases, it is made suspended, put sideways. In the combined bathroom the distance between objects is at least 50 cm.


    

Kitchen and dining room

The kitchens of many old apartments were designed when this space was considered solely as a place to cook food, to place a refrigerator, a gas stove, a tiny work surface. The variety of modern technology in such a kitchen is problematic to place, so it is chosen small-sized, built-in. The set is bought a little already standard models, which makes it relatively easy to move around the kitchen. Lockers, hinged shelves are placed wherever possible - right up to the ceiling, the window sill will easily become an additional desktop. Places for storing utensils, other kitchen utensils are in special sections under a compact corner sofa. When the kitchen has a warmed balcony, the loggia, the partition is also partially removed. The dining area is located on the loggia, the countertop becomes a bar counter on the spot where the window sill was.

The bar counter marks the middle of the kitchen-living room, if it is decided to combine them, partially demolishing, completely the partitions. The space gets a little more - the dining area is located in the part where there was a living room or in the middle.

The distance between kitchen furniture items must be at least 70 cm, for safe movement. Crockery, utensils, everyday items are at hand.

    

Living room

A modern living room is not only a place for family holidays with friends, but also a very multifunctional space. Often there are several beds, a study, a place to eat, a couple of cabinets.

To block the center of the room should not be - a small shelving fenced off the place of sleep, working angle, but moving around the living room should be free. Between objects observe a distance of at least 70 cm. At least 50% of the space of this room is left free of furniture. If the room is cramped, instead of voluminous chairs put one folding compact sofa.

TV is the visual center of the room, preferably from a distance of three to four diagonals. Regarding this center, the furniture is placed symmetrically. If it is not possible to comply with the full symmetry, it will go partial, the main thing is that all parts of the room should be in harmony, be combined with each other. In the room, it is desirable to define the "perspective" - ​​mark the foreground, background.

When in the living room, after placing the necessary, there are still two or three meters square, there is a dining area. It consists of a table measuring 60 by 120 cm, three or four chairs, or a folding bar counter with a pair of high chairs.

Armchairs, chairs, sofa do not put "back" to the entrance - it causes discomfort to those who sit there.

    

Bedroom

Bedroom - a place to rest, which is also characterized by ergonomics. They walk less here than in other rooms, but they don’t need extra things either. The bed, usually placed in the center of one of the walls, one or two bedside tables, linen closet or chest of drawers. Often, there is a dressing area, fenced off by a closet or sliding screen - it should not interfere with the movement around the room. For small spaces, a compact, high corner cabinet with LED lighting is purchased. Sometimes in the bedroom there is a kind of "office" - a written, computer desk, with shelves, drawers, for storing stationery gadgets, accessories. This zone is located at the maximum distance from the bed.


    

Children's

The basic principle of the arrangement of the nursery is safety. There should be no sharp corners, which the child is able to hit, slippery floor, uncomfortable lying mats, for which you can catch, fall. When placed in the same room of two or more children, each is allocated at least the minimum personal space. If the nursery has a modest size, then a bunk bed is placed in it, on which, depending on the model, one to four children can sleep. The furnishing of this room should occupy no more than 30% of the space so that the child can develop physically, running, playing. A compact sports corner is placed near one of the walls - a Swedish wall with a horizontal bar, hanging rings, a rope. For close spaces, the design is preferably collapsible, the removable swing is hung on the crossbar, fixed in the doorway - it plays the role of a horizontal bar for pulling up.

Many companies offer furniture that "grows with the child" - regulated in height, length.

    

Cabinet or workplace

In the office, nothing should distract from productive work. Not everyone can afford a separate room for these purposes, but when a person does most of the work completely or remotely from home, then the most isolated space is necessary. Desk, chair is chosen at a convenient height, preferably well lit with daylight from the street or artificial. Preferably, the light fell from the front or left, but when working at the computer did not give glare on the monitor. Top, local lighting is also needed.


    

Tips for organizing a comfortable space

How to create an ergonomic interior:

  • the basis of the space of the apartment are the walls, floor, ceiling - they are made out in a style common to the whole apartment, slightly differing in its different rooms;
  • Each room is settled according to its purpose - they sleep in the bedroom, they receive guests in the living room, they work in the study. The color scheme should also correspond to the appearance of the room - in the bedroom, soothing colors are preferable, in the kitchen - contributing to appetite, digestion, working room - focusing on the tasks, etc .;
  • there is no need to keep anything extra at home - clothes that have been hanging in the closet for years without ever donning, are handed over to the commissioner, handed out to the poor, a handful of dusty souvenirs are “peredarivat”, put on the mezzanine, leaving only the most beloved. In the garage, basement, storage room, rarely used tools and household utensils are removed;
  • to organize the storage places for everyday use correctly - children's toys are put in plastic containers with lids, after they are put on each other. With a lack of space in the closets, various accessories, small items of clothing, and linen are put in the same boxes;
  • the furniture should not be excessive, so that in each room no more than half of the total area is occupied, and between objects there are no problems with movements;
  • The use of “smart” furniture significantly saves space - a wardrobe-sofa, a bunk wardrobe-bed, a folding double bed, a table-bed, a loft bed, modular kitchen sets. There are also many models with built-in chargers for gadgets, doors that open and close using the remote, and others;
  • Observance of cleanliness, order is the most important component of an ergonomic house. Clothes are hung in cabinets or stacked in a basket, for subsequent washing, stationery and jewelry are placed in special organizers, empty plastic, glass, paper containers are thrown into the garbage disposal or surrendered to special items.


    

Conclusion

To make housing as ergonomic as possible, it is sometimes sufficient to simply remove unnecessary decorative objects and replace old, heavy furniture with compact modern furniture. Everything that is in the apartment is carefully chosen for the purpose, shape, color - only this way it is possible to create a harmonious interior. When the issue of proper arrangement of the room is not resolved by yourself, you should contact a professional designer or use special 3D constructors that work online on many repair sites.

Watch the video: Ergonomics and Design (March 2024).

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