- Basic Home Decorating Considerations
Decorating a home is about finding
a comfortable balance between the different furnishings in the
space. This balance is achieved by placing objects with varying
characteristics in places where they compliment one another.
The idea is to create relationships between your possessions,
in order to develop a whole which is more impressive than the
sum of its parts.
|
Scale
Scale refers to the size of architectural
features and furnishings within a space. With scale, finding
a balance is particularly important, as otherwise you will get
a room that feels chaotic, and looks peculiar.
Large rooms should generally
be furnished by larger items. Tall armoires, high backed sofas,
and shelves that reach towards the sky are all different objects
you can use to put a larger room into perspective. If you have
a smaller space, create the illusion of height with shorter possessions.
Scale is also about creating
a room that matches your own size. If you are a tall person,
you will want possessions which don’t make you feel like
you are living in a doll house. If you are petite, you don’t
want the room to tower over you. If you are a large person living
with someone who is tiny, you will have to balance big and small
furnishings as if they were on a see saw, to create a space which
is not only scaled to match you both, but which also has an inherent
harmony to it. |
|
Contrast
Controlling contrast is a relatively
difficult balancing act when decorating a room. It is like trying
to tame fire, it can be very useful, but if it gets out of control
it can destroy the whole design.
Contrast is red napkins on a
white tablecloth. It is a green wall clock on a stark black wall.
Contrast makes the design interesting, adding an exciting power
to the ambience of a space
However, using too much contrast
can create a room which is muddied and chaotic. People will feel
agitated in the space, and their thoughts will become disordered.
It can even make the room irritating to be in.
You have to try and find ways
to create contrast, without overwhelming the space. Try using
tiny accents throughout the room, so that the overall order of
the space can tone down the bright colors in small places.
Alternatively you can use a single
bold contrast, such as a bright yellow pillow, or a pair of luxuriously
red curtains, to create a focal point which will give the room
an inherent premise.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the art of creating
a theme throughout a space. The theme does not necessarily have
to be overt, such as animal prints, or historical geography,
it can be as subtle as a color, or series of contrasts, or even
a series of patterns which are all reminiscent of one another.
When you are able to create rhythm in a room you can bring the
entire space together, giving it a single purpose, and a unified
artistic vision.
These are just a few of the considerations
that professionals decorators bear in mind when creating beautiful
and comfortable interiors. While the art of creating a space
is much more complex than these concepts, they can help to keep
you grounded and give you direction when creating your home.
|
