Below are six design tips that are essential to creating a warm and welcoming home. Keep them in mind as you decorate and plan your next project.
Design Tips #1 of 5: Focal Points
Make sure you have a focal point. All rooms should have a focal point to grab your attention when you first enter. For a bedroom, it is often the bed. In other rooms, a focal point may be an architectural feature of the room, like a fireplace. When decorating if the room doesn’t have an architectural feature that you want to play up, it is easy to create one. This can be done with color, art, accessories, and furniture. Think of this as an opportunity to get creative.
Mirrors
Mirrors are great in helping us create focal points. They also help add light to a room because they are reflective. Mirrors can be an excellent way to brighten up your home during a dreary winter. You can add them to your décor not only in the traditional means of hanging on the wall but as furniture, accents on tabletops, and closet doors.
Design Tips # 2 of 5: Negative Space
Be sure to have negative space (empty space) on the walls after placing art and accessories. When decorating remember that every available wall space does not need to have a picture hanging on it or furniture against it. Your eye needs negative space, too. If there is not enough negative space, it can cause the items in the room to compete for attention and become unsettling to your eye.
Design Tips # 3 of 5: Selections
Remember when decorating to consider all items together when making selections. Sometimes things, on their own, don’t make an impression, but once placed with other items, they can be an essential element. Mood boards that designers put together for their clients are so helpful because they show all the aspects of the room and convey the feeling that they have together.
Design Tips # 4 of 5: Variety
Vary your selections. Get out of the habit of buying matching furniture sets. Rooms with variety are much more interesting than ones without variety. Vary the shapes of furniture. If a coffee table is round, use end tables that are oval or square. I also like to vary the look of furniture types; this means pair sofas that have legs with chairs that have a skirt or vice versa.
Variety is vital in creating an exciting room. Make sure you use furniture with varied heights — balance taller pieces with artwork and accessories over the shorter pieces.
Design Tips # 5 of 5: Lighting
Use different types of lighting when decorating. Layering additional types of fixtures such as floor and table lamps, pendants, track lights, sconces, and chandeliers creates different kinds of lighting that can be useful for tasks and ambiance. Use dimmer switches wherever possible to have complete control over the amount of light to regulate the mood in the room.
Why did I share these tips? I truly believe our home plays a role in our happiness. It is the core of my design philosophy and I want to help others create their perfect home. If you enjoy getting these tips and seeing what is happening in the design world, be sure to subscribe.
