The 3 Fs of interior design is the one rule the pros want you to know about when you’re decorating and arranging any room in your home

Just like any other discipline, interior design, too, comes with its own set of rules. But, of course, the pros don’t stick to every single one religiously as the design process comes to many of them almost instinctively – however, one that most interior designers swear by are the 3 Fs of interior design, even if the designers might not necessarily refer to it as such.

The 3 Fs stand for function, flow and feel – these are the elements of a room that need to be considered and figured out at the start of any designing, arranging and decorating of the said room. And while I hadn’t heard of this rule before the start of this year, it’s one that I’ll be sure to remember as it’s one of the most useful design tools I’ve come across ever since the likes of the 4-inch seating rule and the 18-inch rug rule, both of which I now swear by.

‘I would say that this is the approach we consciously use when designing any project,’ says Francesca Leat, owner, director and head designer at Francesca Leat Interiors. ‘The 3 Fs are used to describe the utility, layout and appearance of a space.’

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How to use the 3 Fs of interior design principle?

The best way to utilise this rule is by turning the 3 Fs into questions – what’s the function of this room? What do I want it to feel like here? And does the layout and movement around the room flow and work right?

‘Clients often get stuck before starting a project because they have an idea of the desired look and design but don't know how to bring their vision to life appropriately. Having this important conversation about all aspects of the space's design and appearance enables the puzzle pieces to fall into place and moves the project forward,’ Francesca says.

But let’s break it down step by step.

Function

‘When approaching any project it's important to first determine the space's purpose and function, usually involving in-depth conversations and a site visit with the client,’ Francesca says.

But you can ask yourself - and your partner potentially - these questions, too.

Feel

Meanwhile, Jo Lane, founder and interior designer at online interior design service See Your Place, believes that it’s best to start with the feeling of a space as it should determine everything else thereafter.

‘Each designer has a different starting point and whilst some would start with function, I actually think feeling is by far the most key aspect of a design,’ Jo explains. ‘My very first question to any client is, “How do you want to feel in your space?” A room designed to make the owner feel a certain way is deeply personal, has character and soul, and is a place they will always feel at home.’

Flow

Finally, flow is an important aspect to think about when choosing your furniture and when deciding how to arrange the likes of living room furniture.

‘Consider the layout and how it will serve the functionality's purpose,’ Francesca starts.

But it’s not just the function of the room that should impact the flow of the room, but also the feel, as Jo at See Your Place demonstrates, ‘If I want to keep things relaxing and uncluttered to promote calm, I would layout my furniture in a particular way to achieve this.’

So while you can decide which of the 3 Fs you start with when designing your home, it’s important you pay attention to each one in order to create a space that functions well, feels great to be in and flows effortlessly. ‘All three are crucial for delivering a cohesive and considered interior design,’ Francesca concludes.