What Happens When You Design Backwards?

Marieke Rijksen
Aug 25
3 min read

Most people approach interior design the sensible way: measure the space, define the layout, choose furniture, pick a colour scheme, and call it a day.

This process works. It delivers clean results, functional homes, and a sense of order – all things we love.

But what if there’s another way to start? What if, instead of asking what fits, you asked how do I want this space to feel?

What if you designed backwards?

Woman in white shirt and jeans lounges barefoot on a black sofa, head tilted back, in a minimalistic white room, conveying relaxation.

Designing With Feeling First

Designing backwards isn’t about ignoring practicality. It’s about prioritising the emotional intent of a space – and allowing that to guide the practical decisions.

You’re not dismissing floor plans and budget constraints. You’re just not letting them lead.

The traditional approach is rooted in structure: start with walls and measurements, then find furnishings to suit.

The backwards approach flips the lens. It begins with mood, atmosphere, and experience. It’s a shift from design as planning to design as storytelling.

You’re not dismissing floor plans and budget constraints. You’re just not letting them lead.

Woman in beige outfit reads a book on wooden floor, smiling. Tan sofa, green plants, and small wooden table in background create a cozy vibe.

Why Does this Matter?

Because many homes function just fine… and still feel completely flat.

A room can be perfectly balanced, beautifully furnished, and technically ‘correct’ – yet somehow, it lacks soul. That’s often because the emotional layer got sidelined in the rush to make everything fit.

Designing backwards doesn’t promise better results. But it does offer more personal ones.

Black dog resting on a beige couch with patterned pillows. Colorful plant in the foreground, ornate tapestry on the wall. Cozy ambiance.

3 Thought-Provoking Scenarios for Designing Backwards

Let’s explore how this approach might look in practice – not with real-life case studies, but as creative prompts to reframe how we think about space.

1. A kitchen designed around rituals, not triangles

Conventional wisdom says you need the perfect ‘kitchen triangle’ – fridge, sink, stove, all efficiently placed. And yes, that works.

But imagine instead designing your kitchen around your slowest moments.

Where does the light fall in the morning?
Where do you like to stand with a coffee?
Which way do you face when you daydream while stirring sauce?

The resulting layout may still be functional – but now it’s anchored in personal rhythm, not just geometry.

Modern living room with gray sofa, wooden floor, and potted plants. Bright kitchen view, orange pendant light, and open laptop on table.

2. A room that feels like an escape

Forget the labels – living room, office, guest bedroom. Instead, picture a space that simply feels like breathing out.

You might end up with no overhead lighting at all: just floor cushions, low light, textured rugs, and warm walls. No screens, no structure. Not because it makes logical sense – but because it evokes the feeling of switching off.

The design flows from the atmosphere, not the architecture.

Two people sit back-to-back on a red patterned rug in a cozy room with art on the walls. One holds a book titled "SALVATORE."

3. A dining space that encourages conversation

The usual goal is a dining area that seats the right number of people and looks nice with a pendant light overhead. Job done.

But what if the brief was: “I want people to stay here for hours.”

That could lead to softer acoustics, warm ambient lighting, a generously sized table with rounded corners, and upholstered chairs you actually want to sit in.

Designing backwards moves you away from the box-ticking list and into experience-driven thinking.

Four friends in casual attire enjoy coffee and laugh in a sunlit room with large windows. A sketchbook and mugs are on the wooden table.

So, Should Everyone Start Designing Backwards?

Not necessarily. But thinking this way – even just briefly – adds an important layer to the process.

It’s easy to get caught up in layout tools, floorplans, and Pinterest algorithms. There’s nothing wrong with those. But feeling-led design unlocks a different kind of creativity. It puts you at the centre, rather than the catalogue.

Person lying on a bed in a bright room with large windows, surrounded by plants, paintings, and scattered clothes. Peaceful atmosphere.

Try it with just one space. Before you think about colours or furniture, ask:

What emotion do I want this room to hold?
What kind of moments do I want to have here?
What would this space feel like if it weren’t about practicality at all?

Then work backwards.

You may find that what the room needs starts to look very different from what you originally thought it should be.

Woman in cozy kitchen, sipping tea, surrounded by plants and fruits. Bright, airy space with wood accents and white walls, calm mood.

Final Thoughts

Designing backwards isn’t about being quirky for the sake of it. It’s about designing from the inside out. When you lead with mood, memory, and emotion, the result is a home that doesn’t just work – it resonates.